Candlestick Point State Recreation Area

Candlestick Point State Recreation Area is a 170-acre urban state park located on the western shoreline of San Francisco Bay in southeastern San Francisco, California. Established in 1977 as California's first urban state recreation area, the park offers panoramic views of the bay, East Bay Hills, and San Bruno Mountain.

The park's landscape is a mix of grassy uplands, coastal salt marsh, intertidal mudflats, and pocket beaches. It provides habitat for various wildlife, including hawks, herons, ground squirrels, and jackrabbits. The park is also an important stop on the Pacific Flyway, attracting many species of migratory birds.

Candlestick Point SRA features over 3 miles of hiking and biking trails, including paved paths along the shoreline. Visitors can enjoy activities such as fishing from two public piers, picnicking, bird watching, and windsurfing. The park is known for its warm, sunny weather, often contrasting with fog-covered areas of San Francisco.

The park's history reflects significant land use changes, evolving from historic wetlands to landfill and finally to a landscaped park. It was created through community efforts to preserve open space in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, providing much-needed recreational opportunities for urban residents.

Candlestick Point SRA continues to face challenges, including maintenance issues, impacts from urban development, and the effects of climate change such as sea-level rise and increased flooding. Despite these challenges, the park remains an important natural and recreational resource for the community and the city of San Francisco.