Telegraph Hill Stairs

Activity Overview

After you've visited Coit Tower and seen the amazing city views - it's time to take the stairs down telegraph hill to the base — all 400 of them! It's worth it because, along the way, you'll get to see some beautiful houses, gardens and, most times of the year, brightly colored flora.

Telegraph Hill has an elevation of 275 ft (84 m) and is most noted for Coit Tower and it's beautiful gardens.

Things to See & Do

• As you walk, keep a lookout for the wild parrots you may have seen in the wonderful documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, which is about the birds that live on the hill.
• Walk all the way to the bottom of the hill, then head east toward the Bay, to the Embarcadero, where you can pick up the trolley.

Telegraph Hill Insider Tips

• Today Telegraph Hill is known for supporting a flock of feral parrots descended from escaped or released pets. The flock was popularized by a book and subsequent documentary (2003), both titled The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.
• The birds, known in the bird trade as Cherry-headed Conures, are native to Peru and Ecuador; they have established a breeding colony, with the support of some residents. They range widely, including along The Embarcadero and in the Presidio.