San Francisco, CA
The 12 Best Redwood Hikes near San Francisco – Extranomical
Are you planning to visit California’s famous redwoods? If you want to experience the giant trees to their fullest you need to know the best redwood trails. And if you are starting your adventure in the Bay Area, it will be helpful to know which parks offer the best redwood hikes near San Francisco.
In this guide we have collected the absolute best redwood hikes near San Francisco. Some of the trails were picked because they have the biggest and best old growth redwoods. Some we picked due to their flat and accessible trails. Others we picked for their proximity to San Francisco. We will explain why we picked each trail so you can pick the best redwood hike for your trip.
For those coming from San Francisco, we have organized the trails in this article by distance from the city, beginning with the closest. While proximity is a huge perk, and there are several redwood hikes near San Francisco that make a perfect day trip from San Francisco, we encourage you to plan a two- or three-day trip out of the city to experience the absolute best redwood forests.
Finally, at the end of this article we will go over a couple of the most frequently asked questions about visiting the redwoods, from when to visit the redwoods to what to wear on the trail. But first – let’s lace up our hiking boots and hit the redwood trails!
Best Redwood Hike near San Francisco: Stream Trail and French Trail Loop – Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
Distance from San Francisco: 18 miles
Length: 6.4 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Did you know there is a redwood trail system in Oakland, CA? Just right across the Bay, a 20-min drive from downtown San Francisco, lies the popular Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park.
We picked this park’s Stream and French Trail Loop as one of the best redwood trails due to its proximity to San Francisco, making it one of the best Redwood hikes near San Francisco. If you are staying in the Bay Area and want to easily spend some time amongst the trees, without going to the crowded Muir Woods (below), Redwood Regional Park is a great choice.
Do keep in mind that the redwoods here have been logged, so they are all relatively small, second growth redwoods. The evidence of logging is well hidden here, and the trees are lovely, but you will not find the massive redwood trees you may be expecting.
Reinhardt Redwood Park is a maze of trails that makes it easy to get “lost” amongst the redwoods. Every local has their favorite route, but we suggest you combine the Stream Trail and French Trails into a loop that shows off the best of what the park has to offer.
Depending upon which trails you use to connect the two trails, you can make this hike different lengths. Make sure you have either a physical or digital copy of this Reinhardt Redwood Park Map so you don’t get turned around!
For a 6.4-mile moderate hike, begin at the fishway interpretive site and start out on the Bridle Trail. Connect to the Stream Trail after 1.5 miles. Follow the Stream Trail across a couple bridges and onto the Tres Sendas Trail. Turn onto the Sunflower Trail and gain some elevation before taking a left onto the French Trail. Follow the French Trail through the uplands until you reach the Orchard Trail. The Orchard Trail will take you back down to Bridle Trail where you began the loop.
Bohemian Grove Trail/Main Trail – Muir Woods National Monument
Distance from San Francisco: 17 miles
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
The main trail in Muir Woods wins the award for the most crowded redwood trail, but it is easy to see why. Muir Woods offers a stunning old growth redwood forest just 30 minutes from San Francisco. It was easy to award the Bohemian Grove Trail a spot in our list of the best redwood hikes near San Francisco.
The Bohemian Grove Trail, also called the Main Trail, is a 2-mile accessible loop trail that is either boardwalk or pavement along its length. It follows along both sides of the beautiful Redwood Creek and underneath impressive groves of coastal redwoods.
If you are looking for a longer hike that will take you away from some of the crowds, we suggest a loop hike combining the Dipsea, Ben Johnson and Bohemian Grove Trails. This is a moderate 5.2-mile loop hike that, in the counterclockwise direction, gains some elevation up a grass-covered hill before descending into upland redwoods and ending on the famous Bohemian Grove Trail.
The worst part about visiting Muir Woods is dealing with the parking reservations and other logistics. Read this article to learn all you need to know about how to get to Muir Woods. Or make your visit entirely stress free by joining a Muir Woods Tour. These tours take care of everything for you so you can just enjoy the amazing trees. These tours to the redwoods even include a visit to wine country or charming Sausailto. You really can’t go wrong.
Peters Loop Trail via Bear Creek Trail – Portola Redwoods State Park
Distance from San Francisco: 51 miles
Length: 11.5 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Since the 2020 CZU lightning fire ravaged Big Basin Redwoods and Butano State Parks, Portola Redwoods State Park provides one of the last pristine old growth redwood hikes near San Francisco.
Portola Redwoods State Park is a quiet and uncrowded park with a must-visit Visitor Center. It offers short and easy hikes like the Old Tree Trail, but to see the best grove of redwoods, you need to hike to Peters Grove, an 11.5-mile strenuous day hike.
To get to Peters Grove, take the Slate Creek Trail to the Bear Creek Trail and on to Peters Grove. Within Peters Grove is a gorgeous loop trail amongst the ancient old growth redwoods. Unfortunately, the hike to and from Peters Grove is a bit less inspiring, but if you are up for the trek, you will be well rewarded.
Redwood Grove Loop Trail – Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Distance from San Francisco: 72 miles
Length: 0.8 miles
Difficulty: Easy
If you are in the Santa Cruz area, don’t miss this quick hike in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. This park is not exactly wilderness. In fact, you will probably hear a train horn while hiking on the trail from the nearby Roaring Camp Railroad tourist train.
But the Redwood Grove is still worth a visit. It is a beautiful stand of southern coastal redwoods interspersed with lush deciduous trees. The Redwood Grove Loop is an easy 0.8-mile mostly flat walk.
Beyond the Redwood Grove, Henry Cowell includes the Big Ben and Fall Creek Trails that suffered major damage from the 2020 CZU lightning fire. The 8.2-mile loop trail is now a glimpse into how an upland redwood forest changes after a major fire.
Pioneer Nature Trail – Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
Distance from San Francisco: 77 miles
Length: 1.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
In Sonoma County, an hour and a half drive North of San Francisco, lies Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. This park is heavily visited, due to its location next to the Russian River Valley and Geurneville. While it is a small park, it offers easy access to lovely old growth redwoods.
The best redwood hike in Armstrong Redwoods is the short loop that combines the Pioneer Nature Trail, Armstrong Trail, and Discovery Trail. While that sounds like a lot, it adds up to just over a mile of flat and easy trails. Along the route you will get up close and personal to two of the tallest trees in the park: Parson Jones and Colonel Armstrong, both estimated at over 1,300 years old.
Homestead and Big Trees Loop – Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Distance from San Francisco: 233 miles
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Now we are pushing the distance from San Francisco you could easily go in a day. We recommend, for the most part, the rest of these recommendations be done in a 2 or more day adventure from the city. The good news is that what you give up in proximity, you make back tenfold in incredible redwoods. The trees here are truly massive, and worth the extra drive.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the park many picture when they imagine giant redwoods, even if they don’t know it. Those instagram photos of the meandering road through enormous trees were taken here. You will notice a theme with roads right next to all the best trees in Humboldt. While this makes for noisier hiking, it does allow for spectacular redwood drives like the Avenue of Giants.
While the access to the trees is great, we think it distracts from the trees. For this reason, we gave the award for best redwood hike in Humboldt Redwoods State Park to the Homestead and Big Trees Loop. Yes, the Founder’s Grove trees are to die for, and you should do that hike too, but for a more serene experience try the following:
Start at the Big Trees Day Use Area. Walk back out and left on Mattole Road to the Pullout for Addie Johnson Trail. Take that to the Homestead Trail. When you reach the access road take a left and then a right onto Mattole Road again. Take the Big Trees Trail on the left back to your car.
Other not-to-miss hikes in Humboldt Redwoods State Park:
- Founder’s Grove
- Children’s Forest Trail
- The Rockefeller Loop
- The Grieg-French-Bell Grove
As you can see, there is plenty here to justify a trip to Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The trees here are truly magnificent.
Tuolumne Grove Trail – Yosemite National Park
Distance from San Francisco: 176 miles
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
For a bit of a change, the next three entries will be focused on the giant sequoia. Also a redwood, this is a cousin of the giant coastal redwood. The Sequoia are shorter, but wider trees that grow further inland, along the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
First up is the Tuolumne Grove Trail in Yosemite National Park. This 2.5-mile hike is easy on the way down to the grove, so people are often surprised by how difficult the way back up is. Just be prepared and take the water you need in the summer months.
A trip to Yosemite National Park can be done in one whirlwind day from San Francisco. But with a sizable drive, such a big park to see, and reservations and park fees to deal with, the best way to do it is on a Yosemite One Day Tour from San Francisco. During the summer months (when the trail is accessible for hiking rather than snowshoeing), this tour includes the hike in the beautiful Tuolumne Grove.
Big Trees Loop Trail – Mariposa Grove – Yosemite National Park
Distance from San Francisco: 213 miles
Length: 0.3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
The other of the best Redwoods hikes near San Francisco is in Yosemite in the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoia. The Big Trees Loop Trail here is a wheelchair accessible, 0.3-mile trail that includes the Fallen Monarch tree. For an encounter with the grove’s most famous tree, try the 2-mile Grizzly Giant Loop.
Insider Tip: Cars with a valid disabled placard can drive up further along the road and make their way to the Grizzly Giant on a special accessible trail.
For those that want to leave some of the crowds behind and see what is arguably the best part of Mariposa Grove, take the Mariposa Grove Loop Trail. This is a 7-mile strenuous hike to the upper grove. It is well worth the effort.
Keep in mind that the Mariposa Grove Access Road is only open Spring-Fall. When it is closed, the trails in the grove are still open to hikers and snowshoers willing to make the extra 2-mile trek (each way).
The Congress Trail + General Sherman – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
Distance from San Francisco: 291 miles
Length: 3.3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
If you visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park (and we think you should), you absolutely must stop and see the world’s largest tree: General Sherman. The quick and accessible path to the fenced off tree will be crowded, but enjoy the tree and then continue onto the Congress Trail to leave the crowds.
The Congress Trail is a gorgeous and mostly flat trail through the biggest and most densely packed sequoias in the park. With very little undergrowth, the huge trees are super impactful here and make for fantastic photos.
West Ridge and Karl Knapp Trail – Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Distance from San Francisco: 321 miles
Length: 5.8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Our final 3 picks for the best redwoods hikes are within the Redwoods National and State Parks system in Northern California. Each park within the system is a considerable drive from San Francisco, but the redwoods here are the best of the best. If coming from the city, make your trip at least 2 days long for the best experience.
Our first is the West Ridge and Karl Knapp Trail in Prairie Redwoods State Park. This loop trail combines what was once the Prairie Creek Trail (Karl Knapp) with the Zig Zag #1 and West Ridge Trails for a spectacular 5.8-mile loop trek through the most beautiful areas of the park.
For the best full-day redwood hike in Prairie Redwoods, look no further than the Miner’s Ridge and James Irvine Loop. This 12.1-mile loop takes you through redwoods, onto stunning Gold Bluffs Beach, and through a lush fern canyon. It is less redwoods-focused, but too beautiful not to mention.
Stout Grove Trail and Grove of Titans – Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Distance from San Francisco: 359 miles
Length: 0.6 miles, 1.7 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is a huge swath of pristine coastal redwoods. The woods here are bright, lush, and extremely photogenic, especially on a sunny day. We simply couldn’t pick just one trail as the best in this park.
First off we have the Stout Grove Trail. This is a short jaunt through a grove of tightly-packed redwoods with an understory of ferns and sorel. The star of this grove is the Stout Tree with its distinctly rippled bark, but the whole grove feels like a cathedral, especially if you can catch the afternoon light shining through on a summer day.
Our second incredible redwood hike in Jedidiah Smith is the Mill Creek Trail to the Grove of Titans. This hike is a 1.7-mile out and back to some of the world’s largest redwoods by volume. The biggest of them, the Lost Monarch, is 25 feet in diameter!
The trail within the Grove of the Titans is a metal covered walkway elevated above the forest floor to protect the vegetation from constant trampling. Once that walkway ends, you are on the Mill Creek Trail again. You can return the way you came or continue another 2 miles to reach the Stout Grove. This option connects our top two picks into one great hike, but the inbetween is a tad lackluster in comparison.
And finally, our third pick in this incredible park is the Boy Scout Tree Trail. This 5.6-mile out-and-back moderate trail ends at the pretty Fern Falls, but that definitely isn’t the draw of the hike. This is one of the longest redwood hikes near San Francisco where you won’t hear any traffic noise, and the varying redwood woodlands are fantastic.
Best Redwoods Hike near San Francisco FAQ
Why should I go on these best Redwood hikes near San Francisco?
Everyone who has witnessed the giant redwoods will tell you what a magical experience it is. Walking beneath these giant beings, many of which have been around for over 1,000 years, is simply life-changing. If you have the time and opportunity to see the giant redwoods, don’t let it slip by.
When is the best time of year to go on the best Redwood Hikes near San Francisco?
One of the best things about visiting the redwoods is you can do it year round. Different seasons come with different advantages. Of course the summer months will be the most crowded, but you will experience the least rain and every road and amenity will be open. One thing you may run into in summer and early fall is fire. Forest fires are getting more common in the region and you may run into closures and/or unhealthy air quality.
Fall can be a fantastic time to visit the giant redwoods near San Francisco. The crowds won’t be as heavy and the weather is likely to be gorgeous. The Bay Area in particular often experiences a second summer in September and October, making for ideal hiking conditions.
Don’t dismiss a visit to the redwoods in winter either! Winter may be colder, wetter, or even snowy (especially in the Sierra Nevadas), but those conditions often just add to the magical feeling of the redwoods. Snowshoeing under the giant sequoia in Yosemite is not a memory you will soon forget. There will be less hikers on redwood trails in winter, and traffic noise will be less obtrusive.
Spring might just be the best time for a Redwoods hike near San Francisco, especially those in Redwood National and State Parks. You may experience some muddy conditions, but trails will still be less crowded, and all of that rain makes for a bright green and lush understory. You may also catch the rhododendrons in bloom in late spring.
What to wear/pack to feel comfortable on the best Redwoods Hikes from San Francisco?
The trick to packing for the best Redwoods hike near San Francisco is to bring layers. Be ready for conditions warmer than you think and cooler than you think, and make those layers easy to throw off and on. A rain layer is also a good idea when hiking in the “off season.”
Of course you need a good pair of shoes, water, and emergency supplies whenever you plan to hike. For parks where poison oak is common, long pants are the best plan. Be smart, and stay safe.
Read our other article next for an even more in depth guide to the Redwood forests closest to San Francisco. Also check out this redwood hikes website for excellent details on every hike in every redwood park in California. Enjoy your hike in the magical California redwoods!
Kat is a blog writer, personal assistant, and avid hiker, reader, and world traveler. She loves finding the hidden gems in each new place she visits, and has an unhelpful tendency to add three new places to her travel bucket list for every one she checks off.
Published on: January 27th 2024
San Francisco, CA
A Locals-Approved Modern Guide to Fisherman’s Wharf: Seafood, Beer Gardens + Iconic Bay Views
Most locals wouldn’t come within a quarter mile of kitschy, over-touristed Fisherman’s Wharf if they didn’t have to.
But if the last time you visited the neighborhood was when family were in town, prepare to be surprised. There’s more to this waterfront neighborhood than meets the eye—and more to come, as the resurgence of the area, hit hard in the pandemic, picks up speed.
In our locals guide to Fisherman’s Wharf, we remove the wheat from the chaff, directing you only to the good stuff that’s hiding in plain sight—along with a neighborhood hotel recommendation for when those out-of-towners inevitably come to visit.
Where to Eat in Fisherman’s Wharf
Contemporary Filipino at Abacá
(Courtesy of @restaurantabaca)
Scoma’s (1965 Al Scoma Way) is one of the city’s best seafood spots, and not just because it’s located right where the city’s last working fishermen bring in their daily catch. The bayfront restaurant has been in business since 1965 and it has a classy, old-school vibe with a warren of small dining rooms with views, signed memorabilia on the walls, and a mid-century-style showpiece bar at its center. Their cioppino is legendary, along with their Dungeness crab cakes, Louie salads, and perfectly-spiced Bloody Marys. // A leader in San Francisco’s contemporary Filipino food boom, Abacá (2700 Jones St.) chef Francis Ang is known for his creative, California-influenced takes on traditional flavors and dishes. Inside an airy atrium on the ground floor of the Kimpton Alton, the bright and unintimidating restaurant has an extensive lineup of seasonal small plates, barbecued skewers, noodle and rice dishes (you must try the lobster noodles!), and mains like stuffed quail tinutungan with fava beans and morel mushrooms. Don’t skip the cocktails: they’re inventive, unexpected, and pair beautifully with the food. // Stop by Cafe de Casa (685 Beach St.) at breakfast and lunch for Brazilian cheese bread sandwiches, tapioca crepes, and escondidinho, along with a variety of espresso drinks. // A recent addition to the neighborhood is the Japanese-inspired grab-n’-go vegetarian eatery, coffee shop, and market, Bunny Cafe (1327 Columbus Ave.), so named for its lounge full of adorable, adoptable rabbits. They work with a different local rescue organization every quarter, helping to find needy bunnies new homes, and you can reserve a 30-minute spot to visit them whether you’re in the market for a rescue or not. // Korean restaurant Surisan (505 Beach St.) serves up a mix of American-style and K-breakfasts by morning (think jook, bulgogi fried rice, and benedicts) and Korean fried chicken, BBQ, and dishes like bibimbap for lunch and dinner in an inviting, industrial-accented space off the tourist track. // On the second level at the entrance to Pier 39 is Eagle Cafe (Pier 39, Floor 2, A-201), a Fisherman’s Wharf staple since 1928 serving up crowd-pleasing classic breakfasts and lunches like fish and chips and burgers. If the weather is cooperating, eat out on their balcony overlooking the water. // Fog Harbor Fish House is the best spot for dinner on Pier 39. You may be one of the few locals in the crowd but if you’re in the mood to crack into a whole Dungeness crab or take down some clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, this family-owned restaurant specializing in responsibly-sourced, sustainable seafood is the place to do it (plus, you can’t beat the views).
Coming Soon
The second location of affordable, delicious Saigon Sandwich (333 Jefferson St., #125) is set to open in Fisherman’s Wharf later this summer, adding soju cocktails to the menu alongside its beloved banh mi. // Cult-favorite fast-foodery Raising Cane’s is also planning to open later this summer, bringing their famous chicken fingers and Texas toast to the neighborhood (211 Jefferson St.).
Where to Drink Coffee, Cocktails + Beer
Humble Sea opened a beer garden on Pier 39 in 2025.
(Courtesy of @humblesea.sf)
The Buena Vista (2765 Hyde St.) has built its reputation on Irish Coffee, which was allegedly invented by a bartender here in 1952. But the classic cafe with wide windows overlooking the bay next to the cable car turnaround has charmed many a local and visitor for decades (check out the behind-the-bar memorabilia from frequent patron, Hunter S. Thompson). It’s an ideal spot for a nostalgic cocktail—coffee-flavored or otherwise. // Humble Sea (Pier 39, Unit N-111-1) may be a fairly recent addition to Pier 39 but the whimsical, ocean-themed brewery has been making waves since it opened its first taproom in Santa Cruz in 2017. Its newest location has a beer garden on the wharf, and a colorful indoor bar with plenty of hoppy IPAs on tap. // Tiny Signal Coffee Roasters (2701 Leavenworth St.) will brighten up your morning with small-batch, house-roasted coffee drinks and beans, specialty bevvies, and in-house bakes.
Coming Soon
Later this summer, homegrown SF brewery Woods Beer & Wine Co. will open their new taproom in the nautical-themed remains of the historic former seafood spot, Fishermen’s Grotto No. 9 (2847 Taylor St.). The long-term pop-up is slated to have a full liquor license that will add barrel-aged and batched cocktails to their craft beer and wine offerings.
What to Do in Fisherman’s Wharf
A scene from one of the antique games at Musée Mécanique
(Courtesy of @museemecaniquesf)
If you’re not charmed by the Musee Mechanique (Pier 45), you’re dead inside. No, seriously: This place is an absolute gem, featuring more than 300 antique mechanical arcade games (one of the world’s largest private collections) kept lovingly in working order. Many originally came from Playland, the amusement park that operated on Ocean Beach from 1928 to 1972, (along with creepy Funhouse mascot Laffing Sal) and each machine costs just 25 to 50 cents to play. // You don’t have to be from away to want to spend some time with the sea lions at the Viewing Area at K Dock (Pier 39). The pinnipeds post up here by the dozens all year round, barking, sparring, and swimming in the bay, oblivious to the crowd of onlookers. Come in spring to see babies just old enough to climb onto the docks. // If you get a kick out of the more gruesome side of science, check out the Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye (645 Beach St.). On the ground floor of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, it’s chock-full of interesting exhibits about eyeball anatomy, vision, perception, and medical innovation. // Despite its recent scandal, the Cartoon Art Museum (781 Beach St.), an institution endowed by comic god Charles Schulz, is worth a visit for its small but well-curated collection of cartoon and comic book art. // If you’re into naval history, step on board the S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien (Pier 35) or U.S.S. Pampanito (Pier 45), a restored naval ship and submarine from the World War II era.
Where to Stay in Fisherman’s Wharf
Guest rooms at Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf have just been completely renovated with an eye towards guest wellness and sustainability.
(Courtesy of Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco)
If you’ve got friends or family coming into town who’d rather avoid staying in the hustle of downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf is a good, transportation-connected alternative. While the Kimpton Alton (2700 Jones St.) is the most luxurious option in the neighborhood, the Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf (555 North Point St.) is an excellent, more affordable alternative that’s just been completely renovated with a special emphasis on sustainable design and guest wellness. The freshly redone guest rooms—some of the most spacious in town—have a modern look accented in responsibly harvested wood and natural materials free of toxic substances, bronzed lighting and mirrors, patterned wall coverings, and subtle nautical accents.
An outdoor sun deck framed by the hotel’s upper floors has a heated pool and hot tub, along with new loungers and cabanas, and the 24-hour fitness center is full of top notch equipment including treadmills, bikes, and free weights (in-room yoga classes are also available on demand). Brick & Beam, the hotel’s signature, brick-walled gastropub, is open all day, serving generous plates of brioche French toast and croissant sandwiches at breakfast, and a wide range of handhelds, flatbreads, and other crowd pleasers at lunch and dinner. Note the happy hour at the full bar (5:30pm to 7:30pm), where margaritas, beer, and wine are just $6—definitely among the lowest prices in town. A 24-hour market in the lobby also offers snacks and drinks to go. You can’t beat the location which is just two blocks back from the water and a short walk from Pier 39.
San Francisco’s Fourth of July celebration along the city’s waterfront quickly turned into hours of gridlock, dangerous fireworks incidents and a surge in emergency calls.
Thousands packed Crissy Field to watch fireworks launched from the Golden Gate Bridge. But once the show ended, it wasn’t exactly a smooth ride home.
While many left with great memories. Others found themselves stuck for hours in gridlock, caught in a massive backup involving dozens of Waymo cars, while firefighters across the city were responding to fires and serious fireworks injuries.
For Rose Peterson, the ride home after San Francisco’s Fourth of July fireworks took an unexpected turn.
“We were pulling up to a four-way stop and this guy was shooting off a firework in the middle of the road, and then our Waymo starts driving, and we’re like ‘Wait, what’s happening?’,” she said.
No one inside was hurt, but Peterson says the experience left her questioning how autonomous vehicles respond in unpredictable situations.
“I definitely think it needs to be more sensitive of anything that can come into the path of the road,” she said.
That wasn’t the only challenge after the show.
As thousands left Crissy Field and the Presidio, traffic came to a standstill. Among those stuck was Dave Guingona, who had friends visiting from the Philippines and wanted to show them a memorable Fourth of July in San Francisco.
“Five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes went by, then we realized people were getting out of their cars, yelling and screaming at these Waymos because there were no drivers,” he said.
He says nearly two hours later, Waymo employees finally began driving the vehicles out.
“They had a great time, but this is what they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives. This was unbelievable,” he said.
While traffic barely moved, San Francisco firefighters responded to more than 500 calls for service, including four fireworks-related wildfires, numerous outside fires across the city and a vehicle fire on Connecticut Street believed to have been sparked by illegal fireworks.
Crews also responded to two life-altering fireworks injuries.
Captain Jonathan Baxter says the incident Peterson experienced in the Waymo was another reminder of how quickly things could have turned tragic.
“That situation could’ve had a far worse outcome—not only for the individuals in the car that could’ve been injured or worse—but for the individuals who lit the fireworks. They could have their life altered for the rest of their lives as well,” Baxter said.
Waymo says extreme traffic congestion disrupted operations for several vehicles after the fireworks and crews worked with city officials to clear them from the area.
The company also says it’s evaluating the incident surrounding fireworks, adding it’s committed to learning from situations like this.
San Francisco fire officials are reminding people that even fireworks marketed as “safe” can cause devastating injuries and fires. As for Waymo, the company says it’s reviewing both last night’s traffic congestion and the incident involving Rose’s ride as it looks for ways to improve operations during major events.
An unoccupied Waymo autonomous vehicle caught fire Saturday evening after driving over a small firework in a San Francisco roadway, according to a company spokesperson.
The incident occurred near the 1200 block of Connecticut Street. No one was inside the self-driving car at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Waymo stated it coordinated with the San Francisco Fire Department and local authorities to safely remove the damaged vehicle from the scene.
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