Strawberry Hill is an island in the middle of Blue Heron Lake, with bridge access from the surrounding trails. Its peak features a spacious lookout point with giant logs, greenery, a few picnic tables, and views of the city and landscape partially blocked by trees but still lovely. There were just a couple visitors up there with their dogs during my recent midweek hike up this hill. The incline from ground level is minimal with multiple paths and staircases available for convenience, and it's just a couple minutes walk from the top of Huntington Falls. Combined with the entirety of what this place has to offer (waterfalls, picturesque lake, adorable waterbirds, trails allowing for a peaceful stroll with loved ones, pedal boat rentals on the lake), it's a pretty great spot, one of many awesome landmarks at Golden Gate Park. read more

See all

Why is Golden Gate Park so beautiful. I chanced onto Strawberry Hills while looking for GG Park waterfall(s). Strawberry Hills gives a nice overview of the lake beneath as you walk up the hill. At the top, you get a pretty overlook of SF city. Image attached below. Definitely check out Strawberry Hills when you're in GG Park. And, if also chasing for waterfalls, definitely check out "Rainbow Falls". It is very beautiful as well. read more

Strawberry Hill - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

My husband took me to this beautiful Bay Area look out. Even though I wanted to cuss at him while taking all the stairs and hiking up there (I might have cussed a little) it was so worth it. Views all around of the ocean, the Golden Gate bridge and downtown San Francisco. This is the perfect spot to enjoy Golden Hour and forget about any stress in your life. I highly recommended visiting Strawberry Hill if you are strolling through the park or want a special location for a proposal or other exciting life event. Bonus points for hiking the stairs up the water fall to enjoy the serenity. read more

See all

Climb up here to get a good look at San Francisco and the whole Bay Area. In Golden Gate Park in the middle of Blue Heron Lake is this hill with a good view of all around it. Strawberry Hill is the top of a long climb on the island in the lake. At the top is a flat area to rest for a bit. There's sights and good opportunities for selfies. Best view of the city. It's a long way to get to the top. The hill is in the middle of an island in this man made lake but it's worth getting to for the whole city and whatever. On the way is winding trails going up the hill. You can also check out the waterfall. At the top is pretty much flat. The views are kind of obscured by trees. Check out the ruins of the Sweeney Observatory, which was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. There's only the foundation left but it's a cool artifact to look at though. Has a lot of natural beauty about it. It's funny though because the lake and everything in it was man made. This still doesn't mean everyone can't get to the top and enjoy the great views. read more

See all

We also went hiking the last time we were here with friends and family. Strawberry Hill is terrific for all adventures in the park. Whatever thrills you here will keep you in line. Love the view and the park. Plenty of trees and nature. I love it here, and we will be back. read more

We went hiking around Strawberry Hill and it was so amazing to see all the trees. You can see all different animals also. We seen turtles, birds, and fish. You will see dogs with their owners. Everyone was so nice with them saying Good morning. They had a lot of joggers running around the area. We will be going back to explore more places at the park. read more

Have lived in Daly City for over 20yrs and have yet discovered this beautiful place. Yes, parking can be challenging. However, you can start your exploration at any point by the lake. There are restrooms by the boat house. It can be muddy for the pet if SF is foggy. My pup thinks duck poop is delicacies, so I was paranoid when we were around the lake. That was not the case when we were higher ups. Btw, there's off leash area on top of the hill. read more

Strawberry Hill is a great place for a nice walk to take in nature. There is a mostly even trail up and places in the shade to lay a blanket and relax a while. There are lots of pretty things to see along the way as well and if you want to tire out the kids or dogs, I recommend making the trek. Parking can be a challenge and this location gets pretty busy, even on weekdays so don't expect total peace and quiet or you will be disappointed. Also be sure to check out some of the other great places nearby like the lake. read more

Strawberry Hill - Pretty wildflowers on the walk up - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

Quick take: tiny island This is a tiny island in the middle of Stow Lake. Steep and short hike up the stairs or the trail way will bring you to the top. Strawberry Hill is also butterfly hill at times. The Golden Gate Bridge is visible at the top. The Star Wheel and the deYoung observation deck are also visible from the top. Decline and veer to the right to catch the waterfall and staircase down to the lake and the Golden Gate Pavillion. This is a nice area to visit if you are already inside GGP. read more

See all

This place is a hidden gem! Beautiful nature walk if you are wanting to unwind and relax. They also offer rentals you can use in the water, perfect for getting around the island and seeing the views from a different point of view read more

loooved this place, it was like a cute hike within the city! not very hard and really pretty views. we went on a cloudy day but on a sunny one, its very worth going to the top! read more

Strawberry Hill - strawberry hill - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Wasn't it Richie Cunningham who sang "I found my freedom on Strawberry Hill". OK, it was Fats Domino, and he was actually reminiscing about finding his thrill on Blueberry Hill. I wouldn't say I found my thrill on Strawberry Hill, but a pleasant walk around this manmade island in Stow Lake awaits your bucolic pleasure. I didn't even know the island had a name since it was all Just Stow Lake to me. It's named for the strawberry patches that used to grow wild on the island, but they disappeared a long time ago. Indeed it's Strawberry Hill that has the Chinese Pavilion as well as Huntington Falls. Gee, I didn't know the waterfall had a name, too. Walking up to the top of the hill isn't that challenging on the circular path, but the panoramic views you would expect are somewhat obscured by the trees. It's really the flora and fauna that make the short hike most worthwhile. There are two bridges that connect the island to the mainland, so you won't be stuck. Perhaps you can find your freedom on Strawberry Hill. A thrill not so much. RELATED - Exploring Golden Gate Park? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/37IV1wZ read more

See all

What a sweet little city hike in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. On a scale of difficulty (with 5 being difficult), I would give it 3/5. If you're around the area, make effort to come here for a little escape from the city! The main bridge is historic and I love the animals / birds at the lake. I especially loved the flowers and the views on the top! When we got to the top, we saw a small group of elders practicing Tai Chi! So very peaceful! There are table up top if you want to stop and have lunch or a picnic! Beautiful trees and very shaded! Would definitely want to rent some boats at the boathouse next time we are here! Loved that parking was easy as well! read more

This hike encompasses many of my favorite things: views, wildflowers, and waterfalls. At the top you can see the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin in the distance on the north end and the southern end Mt. Sutro, Grandview Park, and the Ocean. During the spring expect to see a lot of miners lettuce, yellow oxalis, and lilies. The name is confusing because there are no strawberries there yet apparently back in the day there were many strawberry bushes before non-native plants took over. I read somewhere that Lars Ulrich of Metallica would go to keggars on the top of the hill with his friends back in the early 80s; amazing times. The hill is the highest point in Golden Gate park at about 420 feet. To walk around Stowe Lake with Strawberry hill is around 2 miles. read more

See all

Strawberry Hill is an actual hill in the heart of Golden Gate Park and acts like an island surrounding the man-made Stow Lake. There are two bridges that connects the island hill to the mainland of the park. If you grew up in the city, you're aware of the urban legend regarding the White Lady of Stow Lake. Supposedly, in the early 1900's, a Victorian-era mother of three was enjoying the park and had her youngest child asleep in a stroller. As she was chatting with another mother, she didn't realize that the stroller had rolled in the lake. Panicked, she was searching for hours and was unable to locate her child. Grief-stricken, she took her own life in the lake leaving her two other children behind. Since then, visitors of the park have encountered a lady dressed in white begging for help to find her child in the lake late at night. I don't know if this is true, but back in High School, a group of us went here late at night to search for the white lady. As we crossed the bridge and proceeded up the hill, we encountered a ghostly figure at the top, which scared the bejesus out of us. The dark figure suddenly started moving as it wailed expletives towards us. It turns out it was homeless person sleeping on the hill. Talk about wetting your pants. The hill is named after the wild strawberries that once lined and decorated the exterior of the hill. In it's heyday, the sweet smell of wild berries and strawberries was intoxicating to the senses, especially after a downpour of rain that unleashed the pleasant smell in the air that locals fondly remember from their childhood memories. The hill measures about 430 in the air, which makes it the highest point in Golden Gate Park. On top of the hill is the Sweeney Observatory ruins, built in 1891 as a public viewpoint and was subsequently destroyed during the 1906 earthquake. However, locals still enjoy the views from the top, although the surrounding trees now obscure most of the views. There's still lots of activities do to here where people jog or walk the trails and steps surrounding the hill. It's a pretty easy trek, but being on this hill feels like a nature oasis in the middle of the city. One can spend hours here just to enjoy the fresh air or watch and listen to the birds and ducks flying and swimming, calling this home. If you need a break from the shelter-in-place, head to Strawberry Hill to escape this madness as it offers tranquility and some mental relief from all the negative energy surrounding us. read more

See all

I love this area of Golden Gate Park! This is my favorite place to visit since you get nice views of the city as you go up this hill! It's an easy and short trail with a waterfall too (~15 minutes to hike up to the top). There's also no fee to get into this area of the park unlike how there's a fee at other areas of Golden Gate Park. Since there's no fee, I always bring my friends, family, small dog, and others here with me. They all loved this area of the park because of the easy hike up to the top where you can reward yourself and take a break by enjoying a picnic at their picnic tables. I'd recommend this place! I've been here many times and it's a nice little getaway from the hustle and bustle of the busy city life without actually leaving the city! People I bring here are always shocked that a lake and hill like this are in this city and tell me it doesn't feel like they're still in San Francisco. If you need a quick way to de-stress, then this would be a great and cheap way to help with that! read more

See all

So, we actually parked a little bit far from the actual waterfall. We went up hills, then down, to get there, not knowing that there was actually parking near the pagoda and the waterfalls. Oh well, next time we know. Getting to the waterfalls, was pretty nice and breezy, because San Francisco was actually pretty hot that day. So, managed to take our photos and videos, and it was just nice to see nature like this. The 4 stars goes to the beautiful waterfall. I didn't give this area 5 stars because, The Pagoda was nice along the way, but when I looked at the little pond around it, there was no sign of any fish at all. We saw one dead fish. Gross, and they need to keep up with this, because this is such a beautiful area to be in. Plus, that is bad for the tourists to see. I am from the bay area, but to show that to others, is kind of embarrassing. So, please take care of that lake whoever is in charge of this, and if you are reading this. Other than that, I was satisfied checking out the waterfall. Beautiful. read more

See all

A perfect and quick trail to do in the morning right before lunch or dinner in the sunset. It's fast, nicely shielded, serene, easy, and yields amazing views of the city. In addition, there are a ton of birds, ducks and flora to appreciate. At the summit (~20min to reach at a leisurely pace) you can see the golden gate bridge peaking over the Presidio, the grad UCSF Parnassus campus perched at the foot of Mount Sutro, and of course, the pacific ocean lining the jagged box-filled hills of SF. There is also a small (slightly hidden) and more direct path down the summit (near the burnt hollow tree stump). read more

See all

This was hands down the most beautiful hike I've ever been on. There is a lot of parking surrounding the lake. When on the outside trail of Stow Lake there was heavy foot traffic. Still everyone wore masks and kept their distance. Once you crossed one of the foot bridges onto Strawberry Hill there was less people. Also the earlier you come the less people. When we got to the park around 10:30 there wasn't many people but leaving around 1:00 there were a good amount of people. We came on such a beautiful day. So rare we came and it was 75 degrees and sunny no wind or fog. Literally a perfect day. If you follow the main trail the hike is pretty easy. Mostly a small incline. If you hike up through the stairs on the waterfall that's a little more tough because the steps are tall and narrow. Still not bad because the elevation is not much. You are given amazing views through the whole hike. The water fall is amazing, the lake is stunning with wildlife and paddle boats. Once you are at the top you can see the golden gate and have great views of the city and ocean. Stunning. This is a most go! I will be back. Absolutely spectacular. read more

See all

It's unfair to review Golden Gate Park as a whole IMO. There are so many pieces to it that make up the whole. Strawberry Hill is one of those pieces that add so much charm to this legendary urban park. It is a small hill that can be walked around in less than an hour. It elevates a little of 400 feet into the air so there are some nice views up on top. With Sutro Tower and the hill it stands on in glaring view from one angle. On the other side you can see the tops of the Golden Gate Bridge with the trees from the park and probably The Presidio to obstruct the bottom part of the bridge. There's a steeper route (stairs) to get to the top and there's a more gradual grade (trail) that goes more along the circumference. So you get a choice on intensity. Now this hill is also an island. The whole hill is surrounded by Stowe Lake, which is more like a moat than a lake IMO. So the stroll around the hill has a constant water feature that will include water fowl and a couple of bridges to mingle with. I love to come early in the mornings when it is easier to park and the crowd density is really thin. For being dead smack in the middle of urban living, one can still find a level of peacefulness that you would have to otherwise drive out of town to experience. To that my fandom retains at Strawberry Hill. read more

See all

I've been up this "hill" many times and it never gets old. It's not a hike per se, but rather a nice stroll going uphill. You must first cross over one of the two bridges over Stow Lake to get to the island with Strawberry Hill. Easy maintained paths lead up & down the hill. Some leading sideways, but all eventually leading to the same peak. Huntington Falls, the 110-foot tall waterfall that flows into Stow Lake, can be found here. The waterfall was named after railroad baron Collis Potter Huntington. Yup, that famous guy. The top of the hill is a quiet and peaceful open space with panoramic views of San Francisco. In the center of the open area are the ruined foundations of the Sweeny Observatory, built in 1891 as a public viewpoint, sadly destroyed by the 1906 great earthquake. Yet, the only disappointment was not finding or seeing strawberries... Um, hence the name, Strawberry Hill?! I found my thrill On Strawberry Hill On Strawberry Hill When I found you The moon stood still On Strawberry Hill And lingered until My dream came true... Well, we can all dream even on a hill named after a fruit... read more

Beautiful place. Diverse views. Lakes, bridges, waterfalls. We decided to do a maternity shoot this morning. Wife, toddler and pregnant wife got up at 4 AM to be there in time for sunrise....we'll too much fog so the sun never broke, but the fog gave the photos a really interesting look and there were so many great angles we thought the photos looks great. Very happy to live so close to places like this. The toddler was a little tired of walking after 50 minutes, but she was very excited about the ducks and waterfall. She wasn't happy to learn that she wasn't going to ride the pedal boats once she saw them. read more

Strawberry Hill - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you don't mind hiking in nature, even if you do mind. It's great seeing nature in a city like San Francisco. We went just to see the waterfalls. Strawberry Hill is in the middle of Stow Lake. If you want a short hike to the falls, park past the Stow Lake boathouse along Stowe Lake drive. Bring your camera and take great pictures read more

In a nutshell, Strawberry Hill is the perfect hike for when you don't want to actually hike. I found Strawberry Hill on yelp, like a lot of people, and was surprised that i've never heard of it! It's a quaint little hill, smack dab in the middle of Stow Lake. From the outside perimeter of Stow Lake, there are two bridges you can cross to get to the Hill. Once you're on the inside perimeter of the lake, just keep walking around until you see stairs or a trail heading up to the top. The hike to the top was less than 10 minutes and not strenuous at all. I wore flats and I was a-okay! After passing the water reservoir, we got to the top of Strawberry Hill and saw views of the Golden Gate bridge, Sutro Tower, and Ocean Beach. We also ran into a lot of butterflies, which are apparently popular in this area! On the way down, we ran into the Stow Lake waterfall, which is gaze-worthy even though it's man made. We also saw the pagoda. Both are great for photo-ops! Overall, Strawberry Hill is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of SF life and just escape to a place a little more quiet and serene. Definitely check it out if it's a beautiful day and you have nothing to do! read more

See all

A nice, quick hike tucked away in Golden Gate Park. There's various ways to get to the top I believe - a route we took was up a bunch of stairs. Nice man made mini-waterfall views on the way up and pretty greenery. Was a nice view of the park / parts of the city at the top! read more

Strawberry Hill - View from a big stump we sat on - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Amazing view with an amazing atmosphere! The hike wasn't hard at all--so make sure to trek up this hidden gem. It didn't give an amazing view of the city, but you could see glimpses from up top. Good view for anyone trying to find recreation on a budget! read more

Strawberry Hill - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

I took my kids here a few weeks ago I seen it randomly on Yelp and thought I'd give it a try and they loved it especially the paddle boats and it wasn't too expensive. Nice little spot in SF read more

Great experience to get away from the city within the city at this superfluous urban park. The moat around Strawberry Hill is riveting with several species to gaze upon as you meander the pleasant trails. Several benches to rest as well as lawn areas to plant yourself to bask in the sun to picnic and ponder the SF life. Different layers of clothes is a must as the micro climate is real and shifts throughout the walk in this 6-mile park. read more

See all

It took a SF native to get me up Strawberry Hill. I wouldn't have found it on my own. It's a perfect place to walk on a warm clear day while strolling through GG Park and wandering around Stow lake, Just over the curved bridge and 'round the trees, it's like a little island. The hike up the hill is a good workout and quite steep but short and the view is amazing. Stand on the old tree stump and rest on the near by log, and take in the great view. It's peaceful at the top. There's another path that leads down near the waterfall. Be careful because these steps can get wet and slippery. The scenes of the lake and the waterfall from below are gorgeous. The Chinese Pagoda is another resting point at the bottom. Among all the fun things to discover in Golden Gate Park, this one was quite nice. read more

Strawberry Hill - scenes from the top and bottom - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place was absolutely beautiful. I purposely timed it so that I arrived about 1 hour before sunset and the view on top of the hill was phenomenal. You turn to one side and you see the sunset, and then you turn to the other side and you see the breathtaking view of the city. It felt like a nice little getaway from the fast-paced city of SF since it's sooo peaceful and calm at this park. I wasn't able to explore all of Strawberry Hill since it gets dark so soon now, but even the sunset itself was worth the trip. I don't know why I never visited this place during the past 10+ years I've lived in NorCal. My friends and I repeatedly visited places like Twin Peaks, 16th Ave Tiled Steps, Fisherman's Wharf, etc. but the real gem in SF is Strawberry Hill. It wasn't really crowded when I went (Saturday) and it requires a very short but kind of steep walk up to see the sunset. I plan on coming back again soon to do the hike and explore all the other parts of Strawberry Hill! So glad I finally got to visit this place :) read more

Strawberry Hill - Sunset! How beautiful :') - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Minimal hiking effort for maximum view. Great for those who are out of shape like me. read more

See all

Kid friendly loved this hiking trail. Went around 8am. Parking spaces are limited but they have more outside of the trail/ stow lake. read more

See all

I went​ up here as part of a recent trip to Golden Gate Park with some friends and we enjoyed our time walking through Strawberry hill! You'd be surprised but the hill takes one up quite high. I recommend taking the steps to get up and then take the long winding path to get down. Be sure to enjoy the view and scenery at the top, as you can get a good view of a lot of the park from high up! We decided to take some solid pictures of ourselves standing "at the top of the world" that we can now use for personal motivation​. After that, we had our quick hike down. Definitely,​ a place to visit when in Golden Gate Park! read more

Easy hike in a beautiful park. This place can get pretty crowded, even on a weekday. Once you reach the top of the hill there are some pretty amazing views of downtown SF and the Golden Gate Bridge. The dogs love enjoy the hike and I enjoy the view read more

Strawberry Hill - Leia and Levi on Strawberry Hill - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

This is an awesome place for a short hike in the city. You know what I consider an awesome place for a short hike? * Peaceful and quiet * Lots of tall trees for shade * Some waterfalls * Easy and free parking to get there * Short trails with a little incline that make me *feel* like I have exercised Strawberry fulfills all of these superficial requirements for me. read more

I knew of Strawberry Hill, but I thought it was a Island in the middle of Stow Lake that you couldn't get to, man was I wrong. We started going up and it was higher than I thought it would be. At the top, great views of SF, nice waterfall, and you actually forgot, at least for a little while, that you're still in the city. I will definitely be coming back here when I'm in the city!!! read more

Strawberry Hill - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Smack dab in the middle of one of the most beautiful cities in the world towers a natural retreat that is virtually unknown to the millions of surrounding residents. It's called Strawberry Hill and it consists of a small island with a waterfall, seasonal horned owl nests, plenty of native fauna and flora and mostly unobstructed, 360 degree views for miles and miles. Perhaps it's because it's located among a maze of roads within the world's largest city park, but it's amazing to see how few people visit this haven. You'd think that people packed into city blocks like sardines would occasionally want to experience something more like nature. Don't get me wrong - quite a few people visit here from SF and beyond - just not the numbers you'll see at other SF attractions. It's probably for the best, as the islands wild state gives you a glimpse of what SF was like a hundred or so years ago when the park was much more wild and the city less populated. If you're in the area, hike up the hill's short and steep path and you'll see what you've been missing. read more

Strawberry Hill - Waterfall at the top. - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

It's a little island in the middle of Stow Lake. Long ago, when an ex-girlfriend visited me, with only one day off during her conference, I took her to the top of this island. It's a beautiful climb, in a beautiful setting, with beautiful views. Lots of little details, lots of history, lots of places to get lost in thought or conversation. It has the same beauty and charm today. read more

See all

I recently decided that there was no better time than the present to be a tourist in my hometown. SF has so much to offer and it can't possibly be enjoyed solely by people from Cleveland and Indiana, right?? Strawberry Hill fits the bill. I found it on Yelp and it's labelled "Parks, Hiking" and it's definitely more park than hike. However, if you are a smoker like I am, as out of shape as I am, this in fact may turn into a Mt. Hamilton style hike. I was huffing and puffing all the way up the semi incline. Boy oh boy, was I parched by the time we got to the bottom, next to Stow Lake. We had lunch at Hotei in the Inner Sunset and found a plush parking spot. We drove around forever looking for a spot and wouldn't ya know it, just as I was prepared to give up, we found a spot with no meter, no maximum time. I was pretty close to leaving my car there overnight just to reap the full benefits. If Bay to Breakers wasn't the next day I may have done just that. In any event, as we approached Stow Lake I noticed open parking spot after open parking spot and was literally about to run back to the car, when I remembered (funny me) that I had unlimited time at my parking spot. Moral of the story is, plenty of parking. As we walked around Stow Lake we noticed ducks quacking and birds flying. Such a welcome treat from the hustle and bustle of life. On the lake we saw numerous families enjoying a paddle boat session. Yeah, I don't think I wanna be the guy peddling a boat, but if that's something you are interested in, you can get it done here. We walked and walked and thank goodness the trail is a circle not a giant hill because it actually gave us a chance to appreciate the view. As we got steeper, we saw more of the city in the background and it was quite a sight. By the time we reached the sewer fall, yes, you read correctly, we were looking out over the entire city of San Fran and it was gorgeous!! So, the Yelp reviews I read prior to our visit mentioned a waterfall. I am a sucker for a great waterfall. As we approached the top we heard the water rushing and ran over, like kids to an ice cream truck, to see the view. Well, let's just say the waterfall is more of a sewer fall and it is likely water coming from the stanky fenced off area. Obviously the water isn't running off from the snow covered mountains and although I am not an eco-biologist , I swear that's the definition of a sewer fall. Nonetheless, it's a waterfall. Needless to say, this was an excellent escape from the beaten path and we had a swell time indeed. read more

"Let me take you down, cuz I'm goin' to Strawberry Hill Nothing is real And nothing to get hung about Strawbery Hill forever!" No psychedelic acidic strawberries from the 70s here, and while I didn't have this Beatles classic on my mind during the stroll, this is a great mini hike for the whole fam. All you need to do is find your way into Stow Lake area, park the car and walk until you go past the Stow Lake Boat Rentals place, cross the bridge, and you are there. Ducks, geese, view of the moat, trail paths and stairs leading up and down, trees and various greenery/flowers/growth and today uhmm......random piles of horse shite all over (dont' worry it is all vegetarian, it's brown muck with hay and flies, so tread carefully...hint don't wear sandals, flip flops, cloth or non waterproof shoes). Oh yeah and stop by the Golden Gate Chinese Pagoda for some relaxation, pictures, and a chance to hide away from the shade and soak in the scenery. The little kids love this place too and it is not hard to see why. Check out the marble tables in the center and the matching stools to go with it. This is a nice little escape and one of few gems inside Golden Gate Park that is still free. read more