Hidden Stairways

11 Public stairways crisscross the hilly cities of southern Marin. They connect neighborhoods, provide shortcuts to schools and climb from Bridgeway to the freeway. One set of stairs, the Dipsea, even endures an annual eponymous footrace.
There are more than 200 such step paths — 175-plus in Mill Valley, two dozen in Sausalito, 18 in Belvedere, and a smattering in Larkspur and Corte Madera. Many are mapped. Many have historic markers. Many trace their origins back to the 1890s. Mill Valley is busy restoring its steps, thanks to local volunteers.

One day, these stairs may be escape routes from fire or earthquake. Now, though, they’re a fun way to burn calories and discover secret gardens, amusing signs and fellow travelers — all one step at a time.

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