Natural Areas Locator
Click on an area of the map below to find a natural areas park near you.
Northwestern Natural Areas
North Natural Areas
Northwestern Natural Areas
North Natural Areas
What's New
Northwestern Natural Areas
15th Anenue Steps
- Location: Kirkham Street & 15th Avenue
- Established: 1995
- Size: Park: 0.3 acres/Natural Area: 0.3 acres
- Park Type: Oak Woodland
This small neighborhood sanctuary provides views of the surrounding communities and supports native oak trees and habitat suitable for a variety of resident and migratory bird species.
Park Features:
Balboa Natural Area
- Location: Balboa Street & The Great Highway
- Established: 2002
- Size: Park: 1.8 acres/Natural Area: 1.8 acres
- Park Type: Dune
This park features excellent views of the Pacific Ocean and has an elevated boardwalk that connects to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and provides access to one of the few remaining foredunes in San Francisco. From the 1920s until 1972, Playland at the Beach occupied this site. Prior to restoration, the area was used for construction staging for the Richmond Transport Project and then became available for recreational use. The boardwalk and dune construction began in 2002. Sand from the construction site of the new de Young Museum was used to create dune mounds. Foredune vegetation was planted by Golden Gate National Recreation Area/Natural Areas Program staff and volunteers in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Read more >>
Park Features:
Buena Vista Park
- Location: Buena Vista West & Haight Street
- Established: 1867
- Size: Park: 36.1 acres/Natural Area: 6.1 acres
- Park Type: Oak Woodland
Buena Vista Park is located in the center of the city and is named for the spectacular views from its upper slopes. It is the oldest park in San Francisco and features secluded, winding trails and one of the city's few remaining coast live oak groves. Buena Vista's natural area is on the park's northern side. Read more >>
Park Features:
Corona Heights
- Location: Roosevelt & Muesum Way
- Established: 1930s
- Size: Park: 12.6 acres/Natural Area: 9.6 acres
- Park Type: Grassland
This park has some of the best views in San Francisco, but don't overlook the wonderful wildflower display that carpets the grasslands each spring. Read more >>
Park Features:
Grandview Park
- Location: 14th Avenue and Noriega Street
- Established: 1976
- Size: Park: 4.0 acres/Natural Area: 4.0 acres
- Park Type: Dune
This aptly-named hilltop park in the Sunset District has stunning views stretching from downtown San Francisco to Point Reyes and around to Lake Merced. The park features a dune plant community atop 140-million-year-old rock called Franciscan chert, which was first formed when the region was part of the ancient sea floor. Most carbonate shells dissolve in ocean waters before they reach the sea floor, but radiolarian shells are silica-based and do not readily dissolve. Millions of years ago, countless radiolaria combined with mineral dust blown from inland deserts to form layers of chert, which were later uplifted to land. Read more >>
Park Features:
Interior Greenbelt
- Location: Belmont and Woodland Avenues
- Size: Park: 19.4 acres/Natural Area: 16.5 acres
- Park Type: Exotic Forest/Coastal Scrub
The interior greenbelt is located on Mount Sutro, south of Golden Gate Park and north of Twin Peaks. This park is almost entirely covered by blue gum eucalyptus forest. Small remnant native plant populations exist here in the understory, including three locally sensitive plants species: sweet cicely, fairy bells, and thimbleberry. There is also an old creek bed that flows through the park. This urban forest also provides habitat for a variety of birds. Although the property is currently inaccessible, some plans have been put forth to increase trail access and recreational opportunities in the Interior Greenbelt. Read more >>
Park Features:
Kite Hill
- Location: Yukon & 19th Street
- Established: 1976
- Size: Park: 2.5 acres/Natural Area: 2.5 acres
- Park Type: Grassland
Kite Hill, a small park in central San Francisco with excellent views of the city, is home to a grassland plant community. During summer and early fall, the land is parched and golden brown, and native grasses drop their seeds and await the winter rains. By February, the hill transforms to a verdant green. In spring a variety of native wildflowers, including California poppy, checkerbloom, Ithuriel's spear and soap plant add color to the grassland. Read more >>
Park Features:
Rocky Outcrop
- Location: 14th Avenue and Funston Avenue
- Established: 1988
- Size: Park: 1.6 acres/Natural Area: 1.6 acres
- Park Type: Dune
This steep, rocky park has beautiful examples of Franciscan chert. The rocks are home to a variety of plants, including two native succulents, dudleya and stonecrop. Stonecrop is the host plant for the San Bruno elfin butterfly, a federally listed endangered species. Rock Outcrop is a small park, but it offers habitat for a variety of wildlife. Read more >>
Park Features:
Tank Hill
- Location: Clarendon Avenue & Twin Peaks Boulevard
- Established: 1977
- Size: Park: 2.9 acres/Natural Area: 2.9 acres
- Park Type: Grassland
Tank Hill is one of San Francisco's secret treasures. Its name comes from the Clarendon Heights Water Tank, built in 1894 by the Spring Valley Water Company to store drinking water pumped from Laguna Honda. Tank Hill became city property in 1930 when Spring Valley was acquired to establish the San Francisco Water Department. The prominent water tank was removed in 1957, and all that remains is its round foundation. Residents remember seeing goldfish flowing down Belgrave Avenue when the old tank was drained. In 1960 Tank Hill was sold as surplus property for $230,000. In 1977, developers proposed building 20 houses, but the community convinced the city to buy the hill back with $650,000 from the recently created Open Space Fund. Read more >>
Park Features:
Twin Peaks
- Location: Twin Peaks Boulevard
- Size: Park: 34.1 acres/Natural Area: 31.1 acres
- Park Type: Grassland/Coastal Scrub
At 922 feet in elevation, Twin Peaks is second only to Mount Davidson in height, offers spectacular views of the Bay Area, and is a world-famous tourist attraction. Originally called "Los Pechos de la Choca" (Breasts of the Maiden) by early Spanish settlers, these two peaks provide postcard views and a treasure trove of animal and plant diversity. Most visitors to Twin Peaks drive (or take a tourist bus) to the north peak parking lot to enjoy 180-degree views of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, many of them miss an opportunity to experience the coastal scrub and grassland communities on this 64-acre park. Similar to the Marin Headlands, Twin Peaks gives us an idea of how San Francisco's hills and peaks looked before grazing and then development changed them forever. Read more >>
Park Features:
City & County of San Francisco