Join Nature in the City and Adah's Stairway neighbors for a special winter planting event! Celebrate the stairway's namesake, Adah Bakalinsky, and learn about our efforts past, present, and future to make this stairway a public jewel.
About Adah's Stairway
Adah’s Stairway, established in 2013, is a bird habitat sanctuary as well as a haven for walkers and those who want to sit and soak up some peace. With its stacked Napa basalt walls, coast live oak trees, berry-producing shrubs, and flowering perennial plants, it’s a source of nourishment for birds that frequent nearby Buena Vista Park.
Once an overgrown, rubble-strewn, and hazardous public place, Adah’s Stairway is now safe, lush with plants and wildlife, and beautifully designed. Leveraging support and funding from the city, neighbors, and volunteers, we transformed this space by working together. You can see our progress here. The community has habitat restoration workdays and social events posted on our Events page. Just a few blocks from a route on the Green Connections Plan and along the Double Cross Trail, Adah’s Stairway is a connected place.
Site Stewards: Tom Harkins & Tom Philipps
Tom & Tom are Adah's Stairway neighbors, travelers, flexible at-home workers, supporters of nature and the arts, and active volunteers. The Toms, as they are known in the neighborhood, are generous, funny, and caring site stewards, and they regularly host student volunteers from Urban School for cleanups, watering, and planting at the stairway. They also host a public community volunteer workday with help from Nature in the City every fourth Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. We welcome you to bring your family, roll up your sleeves, and join us in caring for the Stairway.
Adah Bakalinsky
Adah’s Stairway honors local walking advocate and author, Adah Bakalinsky. Adah wrote Stairway Walks in San Francisco, first published in 1984 and now in its 10th edition. Adah passed away in October at 101 years of age. This event commemorates Adah's deeply valuable contributions to walking, philanthropy, and friendship. You can learn about the book and a little about Adah here.
What to bring:
long pants and layers (clothes may get dirty!)
closed-toe shoes
sun protection
reusable water bottle
We will provide gloves and all necessary tools.
Please sign our volunteer waiver before you arrive!
There is no public restroom in the garden so please plan accordingly.