Corona Heights Park

September 22, 2026

I arrived at Corona Heights Park from the East side at around 8am. I expected it to be hilly, because I had seen a sharp incline on my google maps before I left the house, but it is always funny in San Francisco how many public spaces are carved with steep steps.

In this case, Corona Heights Park was originally called ‘Rock Hill’ when it was a quarry and brick yard in the 19th Century. It was renamed in 1941 when it was purchased by Parks and Recreation and turned into a park. The extreme topography is therefore partially natural, and partially carved. 

The views from Corona Heights Park are really exceptional. Karl, the fog from the water, rolled in and created a misty magical effect against the reddish stones. Bright orange and green lichens clung to the weathered wood fences and low laying trees near the top of the hill, and gorgeous blue colored birds occasionally darted in flashes up from the grasslands across the inclining paths. 

The terrain seemed to vary dramatically as I climbed the steps. At the bottom, tall conifers and bushes lined narrow paths that cut through rocky cliffs. Towards the top, it was mostly tall grasses, weighted down and laying low to the ground. I suspect they were flattened either by rain or wind. Only the lichens were brave enough to settle at the peak. They seemed happy. 

Sitting on a rock, pelted by the mist, an eerie quietness made it hard for me to feel comfortable recording any content for social media. There was nobody nearby, but somehow I felt like I had to respect the silence of the place.