The Traveling Mat: Spreading Our Wings at Land's End Lookout

It was a sunny morning for this week's traveling mat excursion. Luckily the famous San Francisco fog decided not to grace us with its presence that day. We arrived around 10:30 on a Thursday morning. We began our trip at the Sutro Baths. The Sutro Baths at Land’s End were constructed in 1894 by San Francisco resident and millionaire Adolph Sutro. He built the baths as a luxury swimming facility for locals that, in its heyday, featured seven pools. What is left of the Sutro Baths play a vital role in the preservation of the area’s history, and in 1973 they were declared a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. 

We were able to capture an amazing shot of a bird drying its wings perched atop an exposed area of the baths. It held this position even after we left the area. Also in this area, we captured a fisherman wading through the water to catch fish. It’s one thing to take an image of the ocean or the beautiful trees; but to capture real life, that is why we started the traveling mat. 

A bird dries its wings at Land's End Lookout, Sutro Baths.

We then moved on to the Land’s End trail. This trail spans along the coast, with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge from its beaches and lookout points (hence its name). Along the trail are many different separate trails leading to scenic and recreational areas. With the whole day ahead of us, we decided to make our way down to Mile Rock Beach, a beach featuring many, well, rocks. The ascent down involves many, many stairs. It felt like a mile of them (see what I did there?). However the hard work is worth it once you reach the beach itself. The beach provides an intimate yet breathtaking experience. Rock stacking is a popular activity at the beach. 

Taking in the views at Mile Rock Beach.

After Mile Rock Beach, we decided to head back to the office to begin the editing process. By then we had been on location for about 4 hours, and had plenty of wonderful shots to share with you guys. Before leaving, we stopped by the Lookout Cafe, a cafe located in the gift shop right off the parking lot for some delicious pastries. This was the perfect way to end our day of sun, sand, and creativity. 

Have you been to Land’s End Lookout? If so, comment down below and let us know what your favorite location along this iconic trail is.