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Natural Areas

Dorothy Erskine Park

  • Location: Martha & Baden Street
  • Established: 1979
  • Size: Park: 1.5 acres/Natural Area: 1.5 acres
  • Park Type: Exotic Forest/Grassland

This hilltop park, located near the southern end of Glen Canyon Park, is named for San Francisco housing activist and environmentalist Dorothy Erskine, who led the fight to establish a city-wide open space acquisition program. Fittingly, this hill, originally named Martha Hill after the Martha Realty Company, was acquired by the City and County of San Francisco in 1977 with city Open Space Funds and renamed in honor of Dorothy Erskine.

Dorothy Erskine Park has remarkable plant diversity for a park of less than two acres. Its steep north-facing slope is home to more than 10 different wildflowers, including irises, buttercups, and checkerbloom. The mixture of plant life, from trees to wildflowers, supports a diverse wildlife community. Animals, including red-shouldered hawks, San Francisco garter snakes, and dark-eyed juncos, are believed to use this area regularly.

Park Images

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Park Features: