Panhandle

The Panhandle is an elongated city park between the Haight-Ashbury and Western Addition neighborhoods, stretching approximately three-quarters of a mile. It features parallel paved paths, basketball courts, and an outdoor fitness area positioned between Fell and Oak Streets.

The park began in 1870 as an experimental site for stabilizing sand dunes through planting barley, beach grass, and lupines. These botanical trials later informed the development of the nearby Golden Gate Park.

The park emerged from community resistance to a freeway project in the 1960s and became a place for bicycle routes and outdoor gathering instead. This outcome shaped the neighborhood's character and reflects the area's values to this day.

The park is open daily from 6 AM to 10 PM and features public restrooms and drinking fountains throughout the grounds. The well-paved paths are easy to navigate and provide straightforward access to all areas of the park.

Many of the trees here rank among San Francisco's oldest specimens and were originally planted as part of experiments to green barren sand areas. Visitors often overlook that they are walking through living evidence of over 150 years of urban gardening history.