Bernal Heights Park
Bernal Heights Park in SF
Located north of Cesar Chavez Street, west of San Jose Avenue, east of US 101, and south of I-280, Bernal Heights is a neighborhood that has an ethnically diverse population.
Situated right in the middle of the city, Bernal Heights Park is best known for its hiking trails and amazing views of the city due to its elevated location. Bernal Heights is a housing neighborhood in the southeast of San Francisco, California. The prominent Bernal Heights overlooks the San Francisco skyline and features a microwave transmission tower. The nearby Sutro Tower can be seen from the Bernal Heights neighborhood.
The History of Bernal Heights
Bernal Hill park was part of a 4,446-acre land grant to José Cornelius de Bernal, a soldier in Juan Bautista de Anza’s expedition in 1776. The assistance extended south from present-day Cesar Chavez Street to Daly. The Bernal area became a squatter’s paradise over the next several decades until the Van Ness Ordinance of 1855 established that these illegitimate tenants were bona fide landowners and citizens of the city.
In the mid-19th century, when San Francisco began to outgrow the capacity of the downtown district, Bernal Heights Park was created. Streets were laid out, and many small to medium-sized houses were built. One of the most dramatic stories about Bernal Hill took place in May 1876. The community of Bernal Heights was caught up in the California gold rush after Frenchman Victor Resayre announced his discovery of gold on top of Bernal, an ore he claimed would fetch $1 million a ton.
Highlight of Bernal Heights
Bird watching: Bird watching is a popular pastime in this park as it is home to many wild birds. You’ll see meadowlarks and dark-eyed juncos, but you might also spot raptors like red-tailed hawks and American kestrels.
Painted rock: One of the most popular parts of this park is the painted rock. This massive rock is always painted with some unique design, but it changes over time. You can find it covered with Christmas trees or just one color during the winter holidays. He was even once painted to look like a swirling poo emoji.
Hiking Trails: The hiking trails are well-maintained and easy to walk, so even beginners can find their way. People traveling with their pets will especially enjoy this park, as it is dog-friendly and accessible all year round. Most people spend about an hour or two here. The trails are easily passable for beginner hikers, but the summit is unsuitable for wheelchairs or strollers. It is paved at the entrance to the park but becomes quite rocky. Additionally, several staircases in the park in parts of the trail would be too steep to climb quickly.
Grasslands: The hillside grasslands are home to a remarkable urban ecosystem, including most of the North Shore’s native wildflowers, most notably the state flower: California poppy raccoons, opossums, skunks, raptors including American kestrels, red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and great horned owls and occasionally at least one coyote.
The market of Farmers: The southeast corner of Bernal Heights is home to the Alemany Open Air Farmers Market, one of the oldest surviving farmers markets in the US, which has operated at the location every Saturday since August 4, 1947. The market area is occupied by a flea market.
The market got its name from the farm Alemany, which is located in the neighborhood. The farm is, in turn, home to Alemany Farm Springs.
Soapbox Annual Derby: Bernal Hill Park is a dedicated off-leash dog park and is a destination for many dogs and their owners, as it is one of the largest parks in San Francisco. Bernal Heights Boulevard, which skirts the top of the hill, has an approximately 1-mile-long 1.6-mile asphalt and hard sand walking and running path close to motorized traffic. It is also the site of the San Francisco Illegal Soapbox Society’s annual derby.
This destination is best for all ages, from kids to adults. Grassy lands, a dog play area and several markets for shopping. Just visit this place, grab some snacks and enjoy the quality time under the sun with the company of natural beauty.
