Lily Pond – Golden Gate Park
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: Golden Gate Park, near AIDS Memorial Grove, on path connecting between John F. Kennedy Drive and Nancy Pelosi Drive
Starting Point: The path to the Lily Pond from the John F. Kennedy Drive side starts across the street from Conservatory Drive West. The path from the south side starts from Nancy Pelosi Drive across from the AIDS Memorial Grove.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
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
Distance:
The path past the Lily Pond between John F. Kennedy Drive and Nancy Pelosi Drive is probably barely a sixth of a mile. Visitors can use this as one section of as long a walk as they wish by taking the other paths and roads around Golden Gate Park, which can add up to several miles. We enjoyed a loop from the Conservatory of Flowers, past the Lily Pond, up through back trails above the Lily Pond, north again to John McLaren Memorial Rhododendron Dell, and then back to the Conservatory of Flowers along John F. Kennedy Drive.
Considerations:
• Toilet facilities are available at the Conservatory of Flowers. Check the maps link above and click on the restrooms map for other locations.
• Parking rules vary, with some Golden Gate Park roads closed to weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Follow parking rule signs for street parking or parking on roads within the park.
• An option for park road closure days is to park or take public transportation (MUNI line 5 stops here) and get off near Arguello and Fulton. Walk through the park gates up Arguello and turn right on Conservatory Drive West to get to the Conservatory of Flowers and to John F. Kennedy Drive.
• Heed information signs regarding coyotes, which have become regular residents of San Francisco and surrounding areas.
The trail:
The Lily Pond in Golden Gate Park is one of many hidden little treasures that we have walked near for years and never happened to see. The trail is not one of the most clearly marked in the park, though there is a sign that clearly says “Lily Pond” marking the start of the trail on both the north side and south side.
The opening path toward the Lily Pond is filled with what we like to refer to as “dinosaur plants and trees.” I haven’t looked them up specifically, but when you start out on the trail you’ll see what look like ancient plant varieties.
Foggy gray days are common in Golden Gate Park, but mist on the Lily Pond is entrancing. Sunnier days make for light streaking through breaks in the leaves, and for brighter reflections on the pond.
The Lily Pond can be a good place for observing birds. On one of our visits we were fortunate to see a very large heron who looked more like a statue than a living creature. Large herons can sometimes be seen in other parts of Golden Gate Park hunting rodents.
On our last visit, we walked south past the Lily Pond and then turned right onto lesser trails where the main trail hit Nancy Pelosi Drive. The trails were easy enough to follow, though not marked, and by instinct we ended up by the Rhododendron Dell. Homelessness being the issue it is these days, we spotted a neatly arranged tent setup on one trail, and chose to take another path around that.
As noted above, gray overcast days offer a special kind of visual effect, but early morning or late afternoon sun breaking down to the paths in this part of the park are especially magical.
(Lily Pond – Golden Gate Park Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Hidden Gems” 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)
Location: Golden Gate Park, near AIDS Memorial Grove, on path connecting between John F. Kennedy Drive and Nancy Pelosi Drive
Starting Point: The path to the Lily Pond from the John F. Kennedy Drive side starts across the street from Conservatory Drive West. The path from the south side starts from Nancy Pelosi Drive across from the AIDS Memorial Grove.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
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
Distance:
The path past the Lily Pond between John F. Kennedy Drive and Nancy Pelosi Drive is probably barely a sixth of a mile. Visitors can use this as one section of as long a walk as they wish by taking the other paths and roads around Golden Gate Park, which can add up to several miles. We enjoyed a loop from the Conservatory of Flowers, past the Lily Pond, up through back trails above the Lily Pond, north again to John McLaren Memorial Rhododendron Dell, and then back to the Conservatory of Flowers along John F. Kennedy Drive.
Considerations:
• Toilet facilities are available at the Conservatory of Flowers. Check the maps link above and click on the restrooms map for other locations.
• Parking rules vary, with some Golden Gate Park roads closed to weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Follow parking rule signs for street parking or parking on roads within the park.
• An option for park road closure days is to park or take public transportation (MUNI line 5 stops here) and get off near Arguello and Fulton. Walk through the park gates up Arguello and turn right on Conservatory Drive West to get to the Conservatory of Flowers and to John F. Kennedy Drive.
• Heed information signs regarding coyotes, which have become regular residents of San Francisco and surrounding areas.
The trail:
The Lily Pond in Golden Gate Park is one of many hidden little treasures that we have walked near for years and never happened to see. The trail is not one of the most clearly marked in the park, though there is a sign that clearly says “Lily Pond” marking the start of the trail on both the north side and south side.
The opening path toward the Lily Pond is filled with what we like to refer to as “dinosaur plants and trees.” I haven’t looked them up specifically, but when you start out on the trail you’ll see what look like ancient plant varieties.
Foggy gray days are common in Golden Gate Park, but mist on the Lily Pond is entrancing. Sunnier days make for light streaking through breaks in the leaves, and for brighter reflections on the pond.
The Lily Pond can be a good place for observing birds. On one of our visits we were fortunate to see a very large heron who looked more like a statue than a living creature. Large herons can sometimes be seen in other parts of Golden Gate Park hunting rodents.
On our last visit, we walked south past the Lily Pond and then turned right onto lesser trails where the main trail hit Nancy Pelosi Drive. The trails were easy enough to follow, though not marked, and by instinct we ended up by the Rhododendron Dell. Homelessness being the issue it is these days, we spotted a neatly arranged tent setup on one trail, and chose to take another path around that.
As noted above, gray overcast days offer a special kind of visual effect, but early morning or late afternoon sun breaking down to the paths in this part of the park are especially magical.
(Lily Pond – Golden Gate Park Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Hidden Gems” 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
