Mt. Davidson Stroll
San Francisco
Sunday, October 4th: 10 AM - 12 PM
Join us for a stroll led by Jacquie Proctor on San Francisco’s highest hill. At 928 feet, Mt. Davidson is absent from most tourist maps and remains rarely visited by locals. Yet this largely hidden landscape has a remarkable history. Once owned by some of San Francisco’s most influential figures, the hill is crowned by a man-made forest that inspired a women-led movement to save it as a 38-acre park, and its ownership has twice been contested before the California State Supreme Court. More recently, the discovery of a time capsule at the base of the gigantic cross dedicated to the Golden Rule in 1934 and first lit before 50,000 people by Franklin D. Roosevelt has revealed even more about the fascinating history of this little-known corner of the city. Shaped by major historic events, as well as the determined and altruistic efforts of neighborhood residents and the Council of Armenian Organizations of Northern California, Mt. Davidson offers a remarkable story hidden in plain sight.
Route and ADA accessibility:
Mt. Davidson Park has been designated as a Natural Resource Area by the City of SF. Therefore public access is limited and unimproved to protect native plants. The dirt paths vary from flat to various inclines and can be rocky and uneven. We will start ascending at Sherwood Trail on Dalewood Way, then left to East Ridge trail, and then downhill along St. Croix Fire Road to Dalewood Way. Click here for a map of Mt. Davidson.
Attire:
Sturdy shoes, layers, hat, and sunscreen are recommended as the weather can range from fog, wind, and sun. Rain cancels. No drinking water is available, so please bring your own.
Meeting Location:
Meet at the intersection of Dalewood Way and Sherwood Ave., next to the Muni 36 bus shelter. There is plenty of unrestricted free parking on Dalewood Way, Lansdale and Sherwood Avenues. No restrooms are available along the trails. Publicly available restrooms before and after the event are at nearby Starbucks: 675 Portola Ave. and 100 West Portal Ave.
About our guide:
A longtime resident on the slopes of Mt. Davidson, Jacquie Proctor worked in city management before exploring her interests in local history, landscapes, and architecture. In addition to creating the archival MtDavidson.org and JacquieProctor.com blog websites, she has written two books: San Francisco's West of Twin Peaks and Bay Area Beauty: The Artistry of Harold G. Stoner, Architect. Jacquie also created and leads two walking tours as a volunteer for San Francisco City Guides: Mt. Davidson Stroll and West Side Whimsy. Her research essay, "Adolph Sutro's Urban Forests: Influences and Lasting Benefits," was published in the Summer 2016 edition of the The Argonaut Journal of the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society.
Cancellation Policy: Please notify us at info@cglhs.org if you need to cancel your registration so that we can notify the next person on the waitlist. Full refunds will not be granted after October 1st.
Photos and map provided by Jacquie Proctor.
