John McLaren Park

100 John F Shelley Dr, San Francisco, CA 94134, USA

Address:	100 John F Shelley Dr, San Francisco, CA 94134, USA
Phone:	+1 415-831-2700
Site:	sfrecpark.org
Rating:	4.4
Working:	5AM–12AM 5AM–12AM 5AM–12AM 5AM–12AM 5AM–12AM 5AM–12AM 5AM–12AM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 19

Herlindros SFO

This is a great local spot that many people avoid due to misconception of neighborhood. Located in between the Excelsior and Visitation Valley neighborhood, it’s a bumpy trip to get to due to the many potholes. Currently park is being renovated, but once you arrive, it’s a great recreation park. The park has many trails to hike which can lead to two separate lagoons. There are multiple basketball courts, tennis court, and there is the Olympic size Coffman swimming pool. There is a golf course too (right next to the projects, which adds a whole new excitement to golf.) It also has many picnic areas to sit and enjoy the day or throw a BBQ. On occasion you may hear music in the distance from a live performance at t the Jerry Garcia amphitheater. It’s an amazing little entertaining area. The acoustics are impressive for such a small venue. The dog park is awesome! It’s big and dogs can be unleashed and swim in a safe, confined place. Bring your poop bags though and plan to carry them because garbage cans are scarce. Finally, there is plenty of parking all around. I find this place therapeutic for its natural and quiet qualities. Once renovations are done, Ill give it five stars.

A Private User

This park is fantastic! It is becoming more and more well known and loved. You can walk the newly installed Philosophers Way trail system with "musing stations" that feature philosophical quotes, photographs, and historical recollections - all etched into stone. The trail meanders through 100 acres of serene natural areas with amazing views of SF, the ocean and Bay. McLaren Park also features SFs largest off-leash dog play area (with a swimming pond!), sports fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, and the famous Jerry Garcia amphitheater. Check it out..... I walk it daily and feel very safe. Two starting points for the Philosophers Way trail are: Visitation Rd at Mansell parking lot or, next to the Upper Reservoir (dog swimming pond) parking lot on John Shelly Drive. Look for the square stone monuments. Enjoy!

Jennifer Brignoli

Having lived in the city my whole life, this park is a welcome respite. It feels as if youre in the woods far away from all the city craziness and gives you the feeling that youre on a camping trip. I had the beautiful experience of a tree rat family come down and eat peanuts from my hand just like squirrels would. Apparently they havent experienced the discriminanation and persecution of their city cousins and felt free to accept food from a human. It was a touching and enlightening experience , one that I will never forget.

Carlos Fernández

One good thing: Its actually a hill, so the ball (for the dog I mean) will get a lot further, and of course the dog will have to run uphill with it later. So basically, the dog will get tired in no time. Another good thing, but this is of course luck depending on the time of the time you go: Really great dog owners there, we had lots of fun. One bad thing: No or very bad cell reception (T-Mobile, at least), so dont count on being able to request an Uber from the park. Best thing: the reservoir in which dogs can swim.

Alan Musselman

There needs to be a disc golf course somewhere in McLaren park that disc golfers can enjoy. Check out the popularity at Golden Gate Park and look at how well maintained the course is in GGP. Having disc golfers around is a good thing. They take care of the course and surrounding park through donations made by golfers alike. Its a win win for all. Other than not having a disc golf course Im rating this a two for at least having nice trails to hike and hope dog walkers read this and pick up after their dogs.

Erik Toth

They just recently did some necessary road renovations here and there are now some dedicated bike lanes. This park has everything you could want; lots of easy hiking paths, amazing views, picnic areas, childrens playground, quiet and best of all "dog friendly". Bring my dog here all of the time and he lives to swim in the pond. Parking is always easy and its also accessible by bus.

Jeremy Stayton

They actually have a fenced-in lake area for dogs to swim! The park was virtually deserted on a saturday afternoon... may not be in the best part of the city, but is far superior to Bernal Heights or many other local hiking/dog-friendly parks. I didnt have any safety problems, but would follow standard SF precautions and not leave anything visible in the car.

Juan Perez

Bonito lugar puede contemplarse la belleza de la naturaleza, muy higiénico se respira aire puro; la amplitud o espacio permite hacer todo tipo de ejercicios y recreación.

Paul Vescera

Great very large park. It has a large area for dog walking. Large areas for tennis, soccer, and basketball. The trails are very beautiful. They have ducks in one of the lakes. Several "hidden" bridges are nice. The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater is a welcome site. There are great views of the city to which you can take pictures.

Tina Chan Ling

Awesome spacious neighborhood park that is very dog and hiking friendly. There is a little pond area that has a childrens park with swings and slides to the side and another area with picnic tables and bbqs. Nice views of downtown from the park and can see it being a good option for hosting childrens birthday parties.

Linda Davirro

John McLaren Park covers 318 acres and when the Mansell Corridor Project completes another 5 acres will be added to the park. This natural park has awesome views, many hiking trails, a redwood grove, an outdoor Greek-style amphitheater, a lake, a meditative "philosophers walk", and a great micro-climate!

Curt Jaimungal

Very nice and calm. There are lots of places to hike, and places to sit and eat. Also, places to feed ducks! The ducks were fighting with each other a lot, so I tried to break up the fight by giving them bread, but then they started to fight over who was going to eat the bread.

C C

I love this park. It is so quiet, peaceful, relaxing. It has great views. It is great for hiking, walking your beloved pet, or just taking a walk alone to clear your mind. This park is huuuge. It has multiple entrances in many different areas (both for only cars and only people).

Erika Taniguchi

Really gorgeous park with a pond for dogs and ducks alike. I love the views of SF and South Bay from the vantage point as well as the sheer size of this park. This park is great for leisure strolls, but seems to always be under construction on the roadways into the park.

Lisbeth Zambrano

súper Lindo ese lugar y amo aser mis ejercicios ahi correr difrutar De la naturaleza.. es maravilloso ese lugar.

Tu Lam

Theres plenty of parking here on the streets and a small lot on the east side of the park. Many people come here to walk their dogs. Its a nice place for a leisurely walk or picnic. Be sure to bring sunscreen because there isnt much shade.

Monica Balwinski

Great place to take a stroll with or without a dog. Nice areas for picnics; tennis courts on upper AND lower areas of the park. Walking trails throughout; an unpolished gem of a park in San Francisco...can sometimes be very windy here.

Amy Meyer

Venture out of the city to hit a few balls and enjoy the views. This park is quiet, somewhat uninhibited, and home to a few well kept tennis courts. Play to the sounds of birds chirping, on tennis courts lined by beautiful tall trees.

Max Kirchoff

Really great beginner/intermediate MTB trails just a short ride from the center of SF. This park is a big attraction for a lot of the city, so be mindful of off-leash dogs and kids running around. Otherwise, shred the gnar!