This is a cute little lake, more like a pond which is about .5 miles to walk around. It's really peaceful, calm, and great for birdwatching as there are a lot of birds and waterfowl around. Since it's rather short for a hike, it's best to walk past the dog park and add on the trails with Stern Grove. Lake Merced is about a mile away and while the walk is through city streets, it's a way to experience 2 lakes. It's a good place to explore if you've been to every lake at Golden Gate Park and want to discover something different though the traffic on the 19th can get intense, it's more suited if you live in the nearby vicinity or are already doing something in the area like going to Stonestown, SF State, the zoo, etc. read more

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this park was amazing! just beautiful. we had a great time. there were some grassy feilds and trails and lots of happy dogs 5 paw stars read more

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I came in through the northwest side, through Crestlake and Wawona. This was a nice break from the buildings and houses around the area. If you go further inside the park, there's a play area for dogs. Please be aware that there's a day camp in session during my walk inside. read more

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This park is good for dog owners who don't like small enclosed dog parks where dogs run into each other every few seconds. Pine Lake Park is very spacious but not gated! This park only makes sense for dogs off-leash because there is space for them to freely run around. read more

Wow this dog park is amazing!! I'm usually not around this part of town but I was dropping my family off at their event so I Yelped the nearest dog park and this place popped up. So glad I came here but definetely will come in comfier shoes as I was in heel boots & I was too tired to walk the whole park. So amazing that I called my husband just to tell him I need to bring him here. We've been to Stern Grove before but just not the dog park area. I also accidentally stumbled upon the monthly chihuahua meet up that happens every first Sunday of the month. There was a lady also giving free nail trim to chihuahuas. I really enjoyed the fresh air, scenery and the large grassy play area in this park! Both human and dog will get a get workout walking the whole loop. My puppy had a great walk from it but he still has some opening up to do with bigger dogs. So in love with this dog park, this is hands down the best & most beautiful dog park my dog & I have ever been to! Can't wait to be back. read more

Pine Lake Park - Dog Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

So, disclaimer, I don't have a dog. Nevertheless I find this park lots of fun. Whenever I visit Stern Grove, I'll head this way and enjoy watching the dogs offleash run around and play. There is a paved path about halfway around the lake, which then turns to a dirt path, but easy short walk around. Love to watch the ducks, turtles and various other creatures. Such a peaceful, green place in the heart of SF. Great place to while away the afternoon... read more

We keep this beautiful park in our doggie park rotation. Lots of large grassy areas, great place if your dog loves to play with other doggies as I see less aggression here, likely because it's so spacious. Very clean. There's a water station. There's a lake too if your dog likes to swim. However the lake is pretty algae-ridden in the summer so it's best to avoid the lake area until the weather is colder as it is much cleaner then. read more

Pine Lake Park - Beautiful Pine Lake Park (part of Stern Grove) - Dog Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's been months since I've hung out with my cousin, but he finally convinced me to go on a doggy play date. Our husky puppy and I hopped into a Lyft and headed over to my cousin's place in the Sunset District. We walked about a mile to get to Pine Lake Park via some back way... Then finally got to the main clearing. Our puppy isn't perfect at recall, and the wide open field was closer to a parking lot than I was comfortable with, so he stayed on leash. I didn't like the vibe of this park. There were lots of regulars, many of which were older, and they either kept to themselves or they approached me to "teach me a lesson" about my puppy. So many people were rude, and I didn't appreciate it. Anyways I minded my own business and kept the puppy playing in his own corner, since my cousin's demon dog growled at him... Overall not the best experience. Plus there are lots of little burs and fox tails at the park. Just somewhere you have to be super careful with your pet. There are many more friendly and fun parks in San Francisco, so I'll keep to one of those! read more

We live in east Bay Area, I went to supporting a restaurant in Daily City area and need to find a place to eat my order, found this park in 7 minutes drive, nice park with big land, there a big area for the dog too, read more

You'll never know what's out there unless you hoof it around a neighborhood. With the Stern Grove Festival in full swing I've been making earlier and earlier appearances at the Grove. Once a patch of dirt has been secured and someone assigned to sit atop said patch for the next 6 hours, it's time to explore. Who knew there was a big park/lake/canyon right here in the Sunset? Pine Lake Park is not only a place I'd never been to until twice recently but also a place I'd never even heard of despite living here since '78. Talk about low profile. If you have a dog with you no doubt this place improves by 1,000%. Sans dog, it represents a nice, hidden stroll in what's more or less a canyon extending from Stern Grove (19th Avenue) out to 34th Avenue. There's a nice flat pathway through most all of it, rising at the end so that you can exit at street level. Given the low profile of the place it's uncrowded, quiet, and serene. If you were feeling so inclined it'd be a good place to sip your coffee and read your book in addition to playing fetch (or just walking with) your pet. I think the main reason to check out Pine Lake Park is simply to say that you know of it and have been there. I've no beefs about it nor any pressing reasons to suggest you must experience it; this truly is a 3-star, A-OK place. Sometimes it's fun to just check something off your list and there's really no reason not to do just that with Pine Lake Park. read more

Dog Heaven in SF! Plenty of room for off-leash activity - note: WITHOUT going into the kid camp area in the summer! Have pity on me, people, when the goobers swirl around in the Dog Beemer... my dogs can smell Stern Grove as we drive down Portola Ave in West Portal. The park is way down below street level so, other than the parking lot, it is a great place for dog owners - nearly worry free regarding off-leash newbies and just beautiful. Here are my tips. Know your dog and classify appropriately: Puppy, Player, or Worker-Bee. Look for similar dogs. Mine are Worker-Bees... the ball is their job and their passion and they're not interested in puppies or in playing. They're fine with other Worker-Bees or Worker-Bee followers. I'll even throw the ball for your dog. Don't say... "go play," "go get 'em" (especially while you're on your damn phone) unless you know what you're pointing your dog at. If your dog is a Player, go find another Player (e.g., boxer) or a Puppy. For those of you with Puppy ("s/he just wants to play"), go get a 15 or 30 foot lead. They get the feel of off-leash without being out of control. If your puppy has lost his/her mind (all dogs do) or they are still learning their manners, reel them in. More effective than yelling their name & COME over & over again! Understand that if they jump at an older dog's face or neck or try to hump, they will get "corrected." Pick up your dog's poop. They're going to go even if they went at home - they're excited and they get a great work-out. That makes them poop. That's what dogs do. If you can't find it, pick up an orphan poop (gross but so is your dog's poop). There are usually bags at the entrance. Carry them, use them. If you forget, don't worry... ask... regulars usually carry extra. Take advantage of the community... if you need advice, there are plenty of experienced dog owners who will help. They know their breeds / dogs and they end up knowing your's. I go at the same time every day and have met wonderful people who appreciate my goobers and provide insight (you know who you are: Bruno's, Sophie's, KP's, Charlie's, Rosie's, Sukie's & Melee's, & Cara's parents). A corollary is to pay attention to the time that you go. Is it working for you & your dog? Best time, imho, is 8:30-10. Fewer families doing before-school work-out and few dog walkers. read more

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I'm going to start by telling you what Pine Lake Park is NOT. It is no longer going to be a parking lot for the Stern Grove Summer Concerts. This was just announced last week (June '07), as an agreement between the concert organization and the neighbors of Stern Grove park. While some will be upset with the inconvenience of not being able to park down by the grove, the people who enjoy this park year-round will appreciate that the lawn not be destroyed by cars driving over it every weekend. I have been a volunteer at the concert series for 5 years now, and I support the organization's efforts to encourage people to take public transportation to the events. What is IS - a beautiful meadow in a eucalyptus grove, perfect for going for a walk with your dog, a friend, or by yourself. The renovation going on there is extensive. It has been landscaped, with new asphalt paths and a real dog run, as well as all new grass. Hopefully they will also be redoing the Pine Lake camp, which is used a lot for kids' birthday parties and barbeques. Pine Lake, while beautiful to look at, is not clean. So don't let your dog swim there unless you want a stinky dog. I go for walks at Pine Lake Park often, as it is flat and not as windy as Fort Funston. I am pleased that it will no longer be filled with holes and weeds (and foxtails!), and will be treated the way it deserves - with respect for the nature preserve that it is. read more

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THIS PLACE IS AWESOME! But why 4 stars? Well, I was a little turned off by the fact that there were sightings of coyotes here. However, don't let that astray you from coming here! Our first time was coming here for the monthly corgi meetup. WE DID NOT EVEN KNOW THIS PLACE EXISTED IN THE CITY! It is a great place to bring your dog for some off leash fun. First of all, TONS of dogs come here. All shapes and sizes as well as different kinds of breeds. Here are a few PROs for this place: -FREE PARKING -BATHROOMS (A little dirty, but its a park who can complain) -PLENTIFUL ROOM TO ROAM AROUND -GREAT FOR RUNNING -WATER FOUNTAINS FOR YOU THIRSTY HUMANS AND DOGS CONS: -COYOTES -A QUESTIONABLE LAKE (Your dog might jump in it....because mine did) TIP: Watch where you step because some dog owners don't pay attention to their dog when they are playing. They poop on the grass and don't pick it up. Overall, I'm a fan of this place and glad we were able to find out about it. I'm definitely coming back. read more

Pine Lake Park - Double the corgis - Dog Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

Oh, Parkside...I'm getting the feeling that the locals here don't Yelp that much. But if you insist, I'll take the first for this. If you've ever wondered what the "park" in Parkside referred to, this is it. No, it's not GGP! That would've been some sketchy advertising indeed. Pine Lake Park occupies the western end of the same valley that holds Sigmund Stern Grove, and in fact there's no clear boundary between the two, but they have different names, which means I can Yelp both of them. Actually the Pine Lake end of the valley is broader and more open, with a grassy field running along the length, but enough trees on the slopes to block out the city. In fact, running through here I had a hard time believing I was even in San Francisco, and in the relatively barren Parkside district no less. At the far end is Laguna Puerca AKA Pine Lake, a nice enough pond but nothing too special. If you exit the park to the west you'll find yourself at Wawona and 34th. Try walking back along Wawona, easily the prettiest street in Parkside (though admittedly, that's not saying a whole lot). There's some sort of major renovation project going on, so almost all of the grass is off-limits. Thus dog-walkers might want to hold off on coming here, but it's still prime jogging territory. read more

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Ah, microclimates! I am lucky enough to live in one of SF's sunnier 'hoods. But, when the mercury creeps above 80 for two or more days in a row I sometimes need to flee. No air conditioning and tons of direct light can heat my house to the point that I need to get out, like today. We left Potrero Hill at 81 degrees today and arrived a few miles, 15 minutes and 18 degrees later here at Pine Lake Park. It was 63 degrees when we arrived. Luckily, the sunshine was still abundant. This park is just west of Stern Grove off of Sloat Blvd. The part closest to the parking lot is a dog park. It was sheer torture for this dogless doglover to watch all the pooches frolicking. Just past the leash free zone is the lake itself. It is small, pretty and home to a bunch of ducks and a few fish as we saw. It provided an excellent spot to escape the heat and toil away at the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. read more

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Who knew this place even existed? Bring your dog to the open, off leash area then take the paved path towards this hidden natural, lake. You'll see Geese, Ducks, Turtles sun-bathing and what looks like Catfish as still as can be. Apparently this lake is one of the pit stops along the Pacific Flyway migration route. Because of this you are bound to see a variety of birds perched in the Willow trees, or hidden in the reeds. There were plenty of Butterflies and Dragon flies to keep us entertained as well. It is a protected area, so be sure to keep your dog on-leash. We saw one sneak behind the fence in 'hunting mode' rushing towards the baby ducklings - that wasn't cool. Luckily the ducks heard him and made a dash for the water. The path is not very long at all, but if you start at Vale Avenue, just off of Crestlake Drive, hang a left to start at the entrance of Pine Lake Park. The path will end at the intersection of Wawona & Crestlake where you can easily walk back to your start point - there you've done a nice loop. It is exactly 1/2 a mile. read more

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A small little dog park, so watch out for landmines. People let their dogs off leash all the time so being attacked by a dog can and will happen. Most of the area is drugged up because of this same problem. This is the respect dog owners has for open park areas. Much like Land's End owners who do not even bother picking up after their animals. read more

The park itself is beautiful - It's a huge, flat, grassy area surrounded by eucalyptus trees. There is a small parking lot and it seems like a new overhang/seating area, trash bins and water faucets were put in. I noticed that there was a lot of poop scattered about though. Maybe some poop bag dispensers would help? There were some plastic grocery bags tied to the fence at the entrance, but if you don't take a couple when you first walk in, you'll have to run back to it then try and find the poop that your furry friend dropped it ;) I always carry bags with me, either in my pocket or on the leash itself because the pooping is always unpredictable with our dogs. You just never know....! read more

Pine Lake Park - Walkway at entrance - Dog Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The park is a pretty nice place. There is room to walk/run around and tons of dogs. Only downside the place does tend to really smell bad- given its a dog park, but iv been to ones that dont have such a strong smell. Another thing Iv seen dog owners not pick up after their dogs and have realized its only something i see at this park. Other than that its a fun place to go to. read more

Cooper loves coming here. It's a nice, large area for the dogs to walk and run in. We usually make one round and then head home. It takes us about 30 minutes and Cooper is entertained the entire time. On nice days, I try to make it twice around to tire him out. He's usually leashed when we get to the duck pond side - but one day, he wasn't (per good behavior from previous visits) and it was the day he decided to dive into the water. Crazy pup. Good thing it was bath day. The dogs here are generally friendly. Many like to play with others, while some are totally in tune with their owners and do their own thing. The grassy area in the middle near the benches is pretty much muddy all the time because it's been dewy. But there's a ton of space on the picnic bench side that seems to drier. Great place to socialize your pet and an awesome environment to enjoy the outdoors. read more

Pine Lake Park - Dog Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's easy to miss this tiny neighborhood park but you're not really missing anything if you don't come here. You should only come here if you have a dog. The entrance is by Wawona and 34th. You go down a steep slope and will find yourself on a path that loops around a small lake, past the ducks. Part of the loop is wide and paved and the other part is a narrow dirt path. You'll see the houses above, some picnic benches, a wide grassy area and off the leash dogs running around. You'll eventually find yourself in Stern Grove (which is nicer and quieter with more trees) if you keep going down the path. Be prepared to have a dog jump on you since the park is extremely popular with dog walkers. Not everyone picks up after their dogs either. It's nice that they leave plastic bags by the entrance. Free parking should be easy to find on Wawona. read more

Two words: doggie heaven! Wyatt and I go here (or at least try to) to catch the Chihuahua meet up on the first Sunday of every month. I swear, one whiff of the eucalyptus trees, and Wyatt goes nuts! The beautiful and warm sun decided to shine down the city yesterday, which made our visit even more special. Wyatt was able to meet all his old friends and greet them by the traditional butt-smelling, which I guess is the dog's equivalent to the half handshake/half hug thing guys do. He was also able to mark every little square inch of the park, which baffles my mind. I think, "We've come all this way. Go shoot the shit with your friends, and I don't mean that literally!" Oh wells. Dogs will be dogs. This place has lots of open space and is far away from the parking lots or any busy streets, so off leashing is a must, which both Wyatt and I love! There are also dog water fountains around as well. But what I didn't find that I was in greatly in need of: BATHROOMS! Not even one port-a-potty. I even walked all the way down to the Stern Grove concert area to find bathrooms. Found them, but THEY WERE LOCKED. Man, I was getting so desperate. So after we were done, I drove down to Sloat Shopping Center to use the bathroom at Lucky. Ugh. That was an inconvenience. Anyways, pretty good park for dogs. Owners: be sure to use the bathroom before you go! read more

Excellent dog park. Enter from Sloat and Vale to get to the parking lot. Dog park and lake are on the left side as you enter the lot. There are trails on the right side of the parking lot. Huge patch of grassy area for the dogs to play fetch with chuck-it's. Not too crowded at all. Surrounded by trees, this place is very beautiful and serene. Continue in past the grassy dog play areas and you'll be able to walk around the lake. It's a nice short loop, very easy to do. One of my favorite dog parks in SF. read more

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This is a nice park to take your dogs to but, the only thing bad about it are the other dogs and owners. It is not a high amount, but all it takes is one bad owner to ruin an experience for many people. There is a large off leash play area for the dogs to run around. The dogs seem to love it. We did see a couple of dogs catch a gopher and their owners had to chase their dogs away. I was further away, but it looks like the gopher was still alive, but hurt. These things happen and the owners did their best to stop it. As we go further in the park, close to the lake, there is a dog water fountain. Around the lake the dogs should be on leash, but the fountain was in between the lake and off leash play area. Our dog went to go get water and an owner was their with her dog saying "my dog's not friendly" in a rude tone. She was holding her dog on a bench, but with that many off leash dogs, why would you bring your "unfriendly" dog there for other dogs to walk up to. I later see her walking through the off leash area (on the walking path) and warning other people to keep their dog away. It shouldn't be our responsibility to keep our dogs away from your mean dog in an off leash area. I completely understand if it was a leashed area or on the street. Why take your unsocialized dog to an area where he/she is going to be uncomfortable. On our way out, still in the off leashed area, there was another dog on leash and can tell he was going to snap. Our dog is friendly and went to say hi, which we are working on him not to, but once again off leash area. This dog snapped at our dog. He missed and the owners were sorry, but then again why should we have to worry if a dog is friendly or not at an off leash park. read more

A great place to bring your dog, as most of the park is a leash-free dog zone. Located on the western half of the Stern Grove Park, this park was a nice place for a BBQ over the weekend. A large, concrete picnic area with BBQ pits, at the far west end, could support up to about 50 and a smaller, nearby set of 3 picnic tables and a modest BBQ held our crew of 20 comfortably. The restroom building was convenient, clean, and well-stocked, if rather graffiti'd. For access, turn north on Vale Street from Stoat. When it appears to dead-end, proceed down the unobtrusive driveway that winds downhill to a fairly sizable parking lot. read more

I'm always up for trying new places with my pup. Letting him explore different types of areas. He really enjoyed the big open space. What's really nice about this park is that you have to drive down hill. So there is really no way for your dog to escape. It's like a gated dog park with out gates. The area is nice and relaxing to walk also. The minus star is because people are riding bikes a little to fast around. A dog could get hurt. And there should be limit to how many dogs people can watch some dog walkers don't even pay attention to what they are doing. It's a nice park but people are coming with kids and complaining About dogs ruining their picnic. It's like hello your at a dog park. read more

So many doggies! Big dogs. Little dogs. Handsome ones. Cute ones. Shaggy ones. So many different ones! Haha.. came here twice so far with my boyfriend & his doggie. The first time we came here- there were soo many dogs! There's a pond area that's pretty nice. It's a wonderful park to take your dog to :) read more

A hidden gem in the City. Discovered it when we adopted a chihuahua and started attending monthly Chi meet-ups in the park. Pretty huge area with a lake at one end, and the other directly adjacent to Stern Grove. Plenty of on and off-leash areas and it's a nice stroll around the lake. It's like a little slice of country right in the City. Parking generally ok; not too well served by MUNI. read more

Love this dog park. 1. It has grass. 2. It has doggie water fountains. 3. It's huge. read more

Great off-leash area. Large and flat but built into a grove of eucalyptus trees so you're dog can't escape. One (short) side of the park opens into the parking lot, but the lot is pretty small and it would be tough for a dog to run out into real traffic that way. The grass in the field isn't great (bring a blanket to sit on), but there are plenty of benches and a trail around the perimeter to walk on. The bathrooms are on the far side of the off-leash area, towards the pond. They were open when we went, as they should be on a Saturday afternoon in April! read more

Review for the dog park- I come here almost everyday. My GF and I have doggie play dates here. Great open space to bring your dogs to play. There are occasional dogs that don't listen to their masters. So keep an eye on your pup. Good amount of trash bins to throw away your poopy bags so you don't have to carry it around long. There's even a water fountain for dogs. I don't trust it so I bring my own water for my pup. read more

I had a wonderful Sunday afternoon here with me pups at this park. I wanted to get her around other dogs so maybe she'll stop barking at them on the street. I've been here twice before, but that was before I had my own pup. Lots of parking on 34th and Wawona, we got there, I let her free, and my little hot dog ran for it. She had a blast walking alongside me and hid behind me when big dogs were near, but when she got comfortable, she ran, ran, and ran in circles to play. She didn't bark at other dogs, and didn't even go up to strangers when they had sandwiches like the other dogs did. She only barked when this lady tried to pet her..idk why people always do this frankenstein pose where they have both hands out and all their fingers spread out and make this "OooO" sound when they try to pet her. It freaks her out. There are bbq pits here, but I don't think that would be a good idea at a dog park.. Minus one star for people who leave big poops in the grass! Will be back in 2 weeks for the monthly dachshund meetup! :] read more

I remember coming here as a kid to the summer camp. Ah, the memories of building forts, making lanyards, and singing ridiculous camp songs all come back to me as I write this review. I remember seeing crawfish near the lake!! And I remember the kid I didn't like got pinched by one...muahahaha. Fast forward to the present and I still love this place. Now I come here at least once a week with my dogs. A heaven for dogs and dog-lovers. I love the smell of the eucalyptus and ivies. Lots of parking too. read more

One of my favorite places to take my little Doxie's for a meet up with their brotherhood. http://www.meetup.com/SFDachshund/ Amazing location. read more

I love this fantastic space in the outer Sunset where the puppy is able to frolic. It's a huuuuge space bordered by gently sloping hillsides and trees. There are several conveniently-placed benches, a great trail that leads around the lake, a fantastic bust of a rabbit-man holding a cellphone to one ear, tons of picnic tables, BBQs, a large firepit, and space space offleash space for your 4-legged friend. One drawback - lack of restrooms that exist but appear to never be open (at least during the times I've been there)... read more

Like fellow Yelper Jennifer N., I too do not have a dog. However, I love coming by for a brisk morning walk and looking at the adorable dogs and interesting fauna that reside in the area. Every once in a while, I see somebody clearing up the overgrown weeds and poison oak that grow on the side of the paths and trails as a volunteer! Very nice! I also love the regulars that come by here every morning! It's nice to see dogs begin to recognize me :D read more

Great place to socialize your pup! Cole the Corgi said, "I love it when my friends are there! Sometimes, my new friends won't play with me. I get so sad. I walk around the park with mommy instead. I wait for my other friends to come so we play tag! I am glad we have doggie meet ups on the weekends too! SO.MUCH.FUN. Great big playground for me. I get so excited when we reach to their parking lot. I can't contain myself!" read more

Reading these reviews, you can kind of get a sense of what kind of park this is. No, it's not that great of a park if you want to come and barbecue or play touch football, but it is a GREAT dog park. This park always has friendly dogs (even this morning when I went there around 11AM and it was chilly!)... and there is a large area for dogs that is designated as off leash. However, most dog owners don't necessary follow the signs and walk their dog off leash past the boundaries. It's kind of common sense - if there is a child's camp there, perhaps you should leash up - but if not, it doesn't really matter. Most of the people that come to this park go in knowing that it is a dog park. Don't fool yourself, all the pickups and Subaru station wagons in the parking lot as well as the fifty or so dogs in the park kind of screams "THIS IS A DOG PARK." I don't really understand why people gave this park one star considering that they knew they were sending their kid to a camp right next to a dog park or that they are mad that dogs come up to them when they're trying to do their own thing. It's a freaking dog park - pretty much the only one in the Sunset that allows off leash walking... so there are going to be a lot of dogs there, duh! Come on people... read more

i often cycle here and truly appreciate the greenery. I am glad that it won't be used as a parking lot for the summer concerts at Stern Grove any longer. a park should be a park NOT a parking lot. read more

This park is inside Stern Grove, but has a separate entrance and parking lot. It's nice that there is a city sanctioned off-leash area for dogs that is all day, versus almost all other city parks, which only have city sanctioned off-leash hours in the early morning or night. I like that this park has real grass as opposed to gravel, sand, or astroturf (fake grass). It's the most gentle on dog paws, so I don't have to worry that my dog's paws will get scuffed up. The only down side is that after rain there is mud (duh), and some parts of the grass are uneven or may have holes, so your dog or you could sprain your ankle if you don't watch where you walk/run. Tip: If you don't want to step into the bushes to pick up your dog's poop, don't let your dog off leash until after he/she poops. read more