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McLaren Park - Trails Improvement Project
Scope of Work
This project is guided by four goals identified in the McLaren Park Vision Plan for the park’s trails and paths:
- Ensure safe recreation and access
- Maintain and build on natural character
- Protect natural resources
- Clarify circulation routes
The project includes trail improvements, habitat restoration, tree work, and improvements to wayfinding and interpretive signage in four priority locations within the park.
Trail improvements will consolidate and clarify trail routes, increase accessibility, reduce erosion, and establish larger areas of contiguous habitat. Work will include standardizing trail widths per the Vision Plan (3’ minimum width for pedestrian-only trails and 5’ minimum width for multi-use trails with bike access); realigning or decommissioning select trails to restore habitat; and fixing drainage issues to reduce erosion.
Habitat restoration will involve decommissioning social trails through sensitive habitats and planting and tending to local plants to improve ecosystem health. This work focuses primarily on habitat enhancement at Grey Fox Creek, the grasslands at University Hill, and establishment of a seasonal wetland north of the Upper Reservoir. The closure of social trails around the University Hill Grassland and Grey Fox Creek and better definition and wayfinding for the formal trail system will reduce detrimental human impacts to Natural Resource Management Areas, such as trampling and soil compaction in sensitive habitats. The seasonal wetland north of the Upper Reservoir will be recontoured and planted to improve habitat and better slow and sink the stormwater that feeds Yosemite Creek.
Tree work will involve pruning and removal of approximately 400 of the park’s tens of thousands of trees. Tree work is disruptive. And it is a necessary aspect of responsible urban forest maintenance. The tree work improves the condition and accessibility of the park’s trail network, enhances habitat values, and addresses trees and branches that pose potential safety risks. See tree work FAQ here > >
Wayfinding signage and trail map improvements will help visitors navigate through the park more easily and find pedestrian or multi-use routes to match their needs and abilities. This includes maps and signs that better communicate route accessibility and permitted users, and highlight program areas, restrooms, and MUNI bus stops around the park.
The four locations within McLaren Park that have been prioritized for trail and pathway improvements are:
1) Upper Reservoir – Scope of work:
- Replace the asphalt path and wood steps with a sustainable natural surface trail with less steps
- Install a new crosswalk north of the parking lot entrance to more safely connect trails on the east and west sides of Shelley Drive
- Mitigate drainage problems and establish a new seasonal wetland
- Repair paving on the ramp southwest of the reservoir to improve accessibility from the parking lot to the picnic area
- Create a new ADA van parking space in the Upper Reservoir parking lot
- Plant native plants for habitat restoration
2) Shelley Loop Interior – Scope of work:
- Clarify trail alignments and wayfinding between points of interest, such as the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater and group picnic and Redwood Playground areas
- Repair trail surface erosion damage and improve drainage to minimize future erosion
- Convert trail impacting the creek to a spur overlook
- Consolidate trails to increase contiguous scrub habitat
- Plant native plants for habitat restoration
3) University Hill – Scope of work:
- Remove hazardous trees and thin crowded trees to improve the health of the forested hillside
- Remove the failing asphalt path and steps and create a new multi-use trail that meets Outdoor Accessibility Guidelines
- Consolidate and reroute trails to reduce erosion and protect native grasslands to the east
4) Visitacion Avenue Corridor – Scope of work:
- Install an improved pedestrian trail from the park entry at Visitacion Avenue and Hahn Street to Visitacion Valley Middle School, along the eastern side of road
- Install a new Park Tread trail at the Native Plant Garden
- Plant native plants for habitat restoration
Completed Improvements to McLaren Trails
The McLaren Trail Connector Project, which was funded by a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, was completed in 2014. This project included improvements to 3 trail entryways in McLaren Park: Campbell Avenue, Visitacion Avenue Fire Road, and Persia just east of the picnic area.
Funding
- $2 million from 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Citywide Trails Program
- $1.5 million from 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond for John McLaren Park: for Natural Features restoration work
- $328,000 from 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond for John McLaren Park
- $250,000 from 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond for Forestry Program
- $250,000 from an Outdoor Environmental Education Grant through the California Natural Resources Agency Department of Parks and Recreation
- $207,000 from a Habitat Conservation Fund Grant through the California Department of Parks and Recreation
- $50,000 from Development Fees
Estimated Project Schedule
Phase | Timeline |
|---|---|
Planning | 2019 |
Design | 2022 |
Construction begins | February 2024 |
Open to the public | Early 2026 |
Project Updates
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Project Updates
McLaren Park | Focus groups help refine maps and signs
Connectivity planning has been a major focus of McLaren Park 2020 Bond Planning and Vision Plan updates. As part of ongoing project scoping and outreach, Rec and Park staff held three focus groups in May 2025. Representatives from various Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, June 2025
Our McLaren Trails contractor continues to make great progress on trail and natural features restoration work at the Upper Reservoir. In the last several weeks, they have finished grading work and installed new drainage and irrigation. They have poured Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, May 2025
In late April and early May, our contractor completed trail work along the western portion of “Main,” wrapping up planned improvements to this major trail artery between the Upper Reservoir and Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. You’ll notice that much of the Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, April 2025
We’ve made good progress on the trail work and natural features restoration at the Upper Reservoir and throughout the Shelley Inner Core. At the Upper Reservoir, the sloping walkway from the parking lot to the reservoir level was completed, and our Read on…
McLaren Park Trails | Construction update, March 2025
In February, work was completed on the new pedestrian trail along Visitacion Avenue. This trail improves connectivity between Hahn and the Visitacion Valley Middle School and creates a more accessible connection from the sidewalk at Leland into the Read on…
McLaren Trails | McLaren Park Upper Reservoir Parking Lot closed, starting 1/20
Upper Reservoir Parking Lot and nearby trails and paths will be closed for more than a month, weather depending, starting 1/20. The pathway circling the Upper Reservoir remains open as do the connections to this pathway from Philosopher’s Way in the Read on…
McLaren Trails | Trail work underway in McLaren Park, near Jerry Garcia Amphitheater
The long-anticipated trail work has begun! Our contractor started work near the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, putting in place erosion control measures to reduce runoff that has flowed towards the Amphitheater Restroom in recent years. They’ve also begun Read on…
Let’sPlaySF! Initiative | Take the Let’sPlaySF! Playground Survey open through January 31, 2025
Thanks to the successful Let’sPlaySF! Initiative funded by the 2012 Park Bond, SF Parks Alliance, and philanthropic partners we are renovating 13 dilapidated playgrounds across our city. With 11 playgrounds already beautifully renovated and two more Read on…
McLaren Park | McLaren Park Collaborative meeting, November 18, 6:30 pm
Rec and Park staff will share various capital project updates at the virtual McLaren Collaborative meeting this evening, Monday 11/18, starting at 6:30 pm Read on…
McLaren Trails | McLaren Trails tree work almost complete
Our contractor has finished work on Philosopher’s Hill! Hazardous tree removals have made the trails more safe and improved the health of remaining trees by decreasing crowding and increasing light penetration and airflow through the forest Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree work is beginning on Philosopher’s Hill
Our contractor has just completed tree work in the heart of the Shelley Inner Core. In the central grove of large cypress trees—a well-shaded favorite of school groups and dog walkers—potentially hazardous branches were removed, and a eucalyptus stand was Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree Work begins in Inner Core
Our contractor returned to site last week, completing tree work around Grey Fox Creek and setting up fencing to begin work near the middle of Shelley Loop this week. The current active work area is near the intersection of Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree work continues & Contract award at Rec Park Commission this Thursday
Tree work continues as part of the first phase of construction for the McLaren Trails Priority Improvements project. Please be advised – Access to the University Hill area is now open again. Please use caution when traveling along the Read on…
McLaren Park – Shelley Promenade | Parking area opening near Mansell Street
Rec and Park is happy to announce the opening of a small parking area on John Shelley Drive West near Mansell Street at the Field of Dogs. Accessed from Mansell Street to the south, the area will accommodate over 20 vehicles, parked parallel to the Read on…
McLaren Trails | Tree work begins on University Hill
Our contractor has wrapped up initial work south of the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, and has moved out of the area to accommodate Shakespeare summer camps. The remainder of the tree work in this area will resume after a stretch of summer events. We continue Read on…
McLaren Park | Temporary closures at the Amphitheater Parking Lot
Tree work continues south of Grey Fox Creek, with the removal of dead wood and hazardous trees, pruning of large branches extended over trails, and tree removals that will allow more light into the habitat restoration area around the riparian zone Read on…
McLaren Trails – Tree work continues south of Grey Fox Creek
A few weeks ago, we completed the planned tree work north and south of Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. This work is the first phase of project-related habitat restoration to support ecological health in the area surrounding Grey Fox Creek. The tree pruning and Read on…
McLaren Trails Improvement Project | Construction update, April 2024
It’s been a quiet few weeks in McLaren Park, as our contractor postponed planned work due to bird nesting activity. A biologist conducted follow up pre-construction surveys over the weekend and Tuesday evening, and having received reports of no bird Read on…
McLaren Trails Improvement Project | Tree work wrapping up along Visitacion Avenue
Significant progress has been made on the tree work along Visitacion Avenue, with most of the pruning and removals complete. The focus has now shifted to restoration efforts, including grading and wood chip spreading. To ensure the health of the Read on…
McLaren Trails Improvement Project | Tree work starts along Visitacion Ave the week of February 19
For the last four years, the Recreation and Park Department has been engaging neighbors and other stakeholders, developing designs, and working through regulatory compliance for priority trail improvements and natural features restoration in McLaren Park Read on…
Louis Sutter Playground | Path improvements complete | Construction update July 2023
Our replacement of a failed asphalt pathway south of Louis Sutter Playground is now complete! The fencing has been Read on…
Louis Sutter Playground | Construction update July 2023
A quick construction update on Louis Sutter Playground. We passed our accessibility inspections and construction fencing is coming down soon Read on…
Complete the McLaren Park 2020 Bond Planning priorities survey
We’ve created a new map-based survey to collect your thoughts on possible programming, infrastructure, and connectivity improvements in John McLaren Park. Please take 15-20 minutes Read on…
Shelley Promenade Project in McLaren Park | Reminder: Proposal at Rec & Parks Commission tomorrow
The Recreation and Parks Commission will hear the proposed Shelley Promenade Project tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Read on…
Shelley Promenade Project in McLaren Park | Proposal goes to Recreation and Parks Commission in June
The Operations Committee of the Recreation and Parks Commission will hear the proposed Shelley Promenade Project Read on…
McLaren Trails design is underway! Virtual meeting, 4/11 at 6pm
We have been working on environmental compliance for the McLaren Trails project, which is complicated, as most of the trail work Read on…
Virtual Community Meeting, April 11 | McLaren 2020 Bond – Possible Projects and Priorities
Join us for a Virtual Community Meeting on April 11. The project team will share possible project ideas for specific program areas, infrastructure improvements, and Read on…
SF Rec and Park Commission Meeting at Joe Lee Rec Center | March 16 at 10 a.m.
Come meet your Rec and Park Commissioners at our offsite Commission meeting at Joe Lee Rec Center Read on…
Louis Sutter Playground update | February 2023
Construction is underway south of Louis Sutter Playground! We are removing a failing pathway… Read on…
McLaren Park Trails Project Presentation to Commission on 12/7!
The final draft conceptual design for the McLaren Trails Priority Improvements project will be presented to the Recreation and Parks Capital Committee . . . Read on…
Documents and Materials
Commission Materials
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, McLaren and Twin Peaks Trails Projects – Contract Award, August 15, 2024 (PDF)
- Rec Park Commission, staff report, McLaren Trails Priority Improvements – Conceptual Design, December 15, 2022 (PDF)
Grant Materials
Community Meetings - Notes and Presentations
- McLaren Park focus groups, presentation, May 2025 (PDF)
- McLaren Park Community Meeting notice, November 7, 2013 (PDF)
Additional Project Documents
- McLaren Trails Priority Improvements – Tree Work Information - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), last updated September 2024 (PDF)
- McLaren Trails Priority Improvements – Natural Resource Management Areas, October 2022 (PDF)
- McLaren Trails Priority Improvements – Visitacion Avenue Corridor – detail view, October 2022 (PDF)
- McLaren Trails Priority Improvements - proposed plans #1, September 2022 (PDF)
- McLaren Trails Priority Improvements - proposed plans #2, September 2022 (PDF)
Contact Us
Lauren Dietrich Chavez
Project Manager Email Phone: 1-628-652-6643