Elk Glen Lake-Golden Gate Park
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Elk Glen Lake, Golden Gate Park, Middle Drive West, San Francisco, CA 94122
Location: Elk Glen Lake is on Middle Drive West, slightly north of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, near 23rd Ave., with a trail to the lake starting from the intersection of Middle Drive West and Transverse Drive
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser. (Information links may change. We do our best to update.)
Golden Gate Park info link (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/770/Golden-Gate-Park
Golden Gate Park Points of Interest (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1116/Golden-Gate-Park-Points-of-Interest
Golden Gate Park by car (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1619/Public-Transportation-to-Golden-Gate-Par
Golden Gate Park public transportation (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1618/Getting-to-Golden-Gate-Park-by-Car
Golden Gate Park free shuttle (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1617/Golden-Gate-Park-Free-Shuttle
Golden Gate Park visitors map (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/DocumentCenter/View/7301/Golden-Gate-Park-Visitors-Map
Golden Gate Park Lakes information link (sfrecpark.org):
https://sfrecpark.org/777/Gardens-Groves-and-Lakes
Golden Gate Park information link:
https://sfrecpark.org/parks-open-spaces/golden-gate-park-guide/
Elk Glen Picnic Area information link (goldengatepark.com):
https://sfrecpark.org/920/GGP---Elk-Glen-Picnic-Area
Distance:
Elk Glen Lake is a small body of water, so making a single loop around it is not a very long walk. Golden Gate Park offers miles of trails, so visitors can create a walk as long or short as they wish with Elk Glen Lake as a feature stop.
Considerations:
General note: All information is subject to change based on current health and safety guidelines.
• It is usually possible to find a parking spot within a short walking distance from Elk Glen Lake.
• Golden Gate Park has some regular weekend road closures (leaving roads open for pedestrians and bicyclists) and special event closures. See link above.
• Toilet facilities are at the Stow Lake Boathouse, Hellman Hollow picnic area, and the north and south sides of the Polo Field, all a bit of a walk from Elk Glen Lake.
• On any hike or walk, avoid contact with poison oak. Scrubs like Technu are helpful if exposed.
• Heed any health and safety notices, including recent wildlife alerts.
The trail:
Elk Glen Lake is one of several tiny lakes in Golden Gate Park. The loop created by Middle Drive West and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive includes three charming little lakes. Elk Glen Lake is the furthest to the east, and the trail we like to take down to the lake starts near the intersection of Middle Drive W and Transverse Dr. It’s a dirt path that descends toward the lake, with a bench appearing at a split in the path before reaching the water.
There aren’t a lot of benches around Elk Glen Lake, but people find places to sit and relax near the water. The trails are narrow in some places, with trees and bushes lining the trail closely. One especially scenic stretch is a green tunnel of willow trees.
Turtles, ducks, geese, songbirds, red-winged blackbirds, hawks and sometimes herons make Elk Glen Lake and the other small lakes in this part of Golden Gate Park a lively place for listening and looking.
Those who’d like a longer walk can enjoy this lesser-known area of small lakes by making a three-lake loop walk of Elk Glen Lake, Metson Lake, and Mallard Lake.
(Elk Glen Lake-Golden Gate Park Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Hidden Magic” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Elk Glen Lake, Golden Gate Park, Middle Drive West, San Francisco, CA 94122
Location: Elk Glen Lake is on Middle Drive West, slightly north of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, near 23rd Ave., with a trail to the lake starting from the intersection of Middle Drive West and Transverse Drive
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser. (Information links may change. We do our best to update.)
Golden Gate Park info link (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/770/Golden-Gate-Park
Golden Gate Park Points of Interest (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1116/Golden-Gate-Park-Points-of-Interest
Golden Gate Park by car (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1619/Public-Transportation-to-Golden-Gate-Par
Golden Gate Park public transportation (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1618/Getting-to-Golden-Gate-Park-by-Car
Golden Gate Park free shuttle (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/1617/Golden-Gate-Park-Free-Shuttle
Golden Gate Park visitors map (SF Rec and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/DocumentCenter/View/7301/Golden-Gate-Park-Visitors-Map
Golden Gate Park Lakes information link (sfrecpark.org):
https://sfrecpark.org/777/Gardens-Groves-and-Lakes
Golden Gate Park information link:
https://sfrecpark.org/parks-open-spaces/golden-gate-park-guide/
Elk Glen Picnic Area information link (goldengatepark.com):
https://sfrecpark.org/920/GGP---Elk-Glen-Picnic-Area
Distance:
Elk Glen Lake is a small body of water, so making a single loop around it is not a very long walk. Golden Gate Park offers miles of trails, so visitors can create a walk as long or short as they wish with Elk Glen Lake as a feature stop.
Considerations:
General note: All information is subject to change based on current health and safety guidelines.
• It is usually possible to find a parking spot within a short walking distance from Elk Glen Lake.
• Golden Gate Park has some regular weekend road closures (leaving roads open for pedestrians and bicyclists) and special event closures. See link above.
• Toilet facilities are at the Stow Lake Boathouse, Hellman Hollow picnic area, and the north and south sides of the Polo Field, all a bit of a walk from Elk Glen Lake.
• On any hike or walk, avoid contact with poison oak. Scrubs like Technu are helpful if exposed.
• Heed any health and safety notices, including recent wildlife alerts.
The trail:
Elk Glen Lake is one of several tiny lakes in Golden Gate Park. The loop created by Middle Drive West and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive includes three charming little lakes. Elk Glen Lake is the furthest to the east, and the trail we like to take down to the lake starts near the intersection of Middle Drive W and Transverse Dr. It’s a dirt path that descends toward the lake, with a bench appearing at a split in the path before reaching the water.
There aren’t a lot of benches around Elk Glen Lake, but people find places to sit and relax near the water. The trails are narrow in some places, with trees and bushes lining the trail closely. One especially scenic stretch is a green tunnel of willow trees.
Turtles, ducks, geese, songbirds, red-winged blackbirds, hawks and sometimes herons make Elk Glen Lake and the other small lakes in this part of Golden Gate Park a lively place for listening and looking.
Those who’d like a longer walk can enjoy this lesser-known area of small lakes by making a three-lake loop walk of Elk Glen Lake, Metson Lake, and Mallard Lake.
(Elk Glen Lake-Golden Gate Park Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Hidden Magic” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
