Mount Sutro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Sutro |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 911 ft (278 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 208 ft (63 m) |
| Listing | San Francisco Hill |
| Geography | |
| Location | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike, Paved Road |
Mount Sutro is a cool hill located right in the middle of San Francisco, California. It was first called Mount Parnassus, but later got its current name.
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What is Mount Sutro Like?
This low mountain stands about 909 feet (277 m) tall. Mount Sutro is one of the many famous hills in San Francisco. It was even one of the city's original "Seven Hills."
Most of Mount Sutro belongs to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). A special 61-acre (25 ha) part, including the very top, is kept safe as the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve. This area is open for everyone to visit and explore!
You might see the Sutro Tower, a huge TV and radio tower, from Mount Sutro. It's a famous landmark in the San Francisco Bay Area. But guess what? The tower isn't actually on Mount Sutro itself! It stands on a smaller hill nearby, between Mount Sutro and Twin Peaks.
Exploring Sutro Forest
Mount Sutro is covered by a thick forest. About 80% of these trees are eucalyptus trees, which were planted a long time ago in the late 1800s. These old trees are now over 100 feet (30 m) tall!
The mountain is often covered in fog, especially during the summer. The tall trees actually "catch" the fog, and the moisture soaks into the ground and tree roots. This keeps the forest damp even when it's sunny elsewhere. About 30% to 40% of the forest's water comes from this "fog drip." There are also lots of other plants growing under the trees, like Himalayan blackberry.
This forest is home to many different kinds of birds. You might spot great horned owls or various woodpeckers. People have even seen over thirty different bird species in just one morning of bird watching!
A 19-acre (7.7 ha) part of Mount Sutro and its eucalyptus forest is owned by the city. This area, called the Interior Green Belt, connects to the UCSF-owned Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve. The forest is surrounded by different parts of the city. To the north is the UCSF Medical Center, to the west is the Sunset District, and to the east is the Cole Valley neighborhood.
Fun Activities in the Forest
At the very top of Mount Sutro, inside the Open Space Reserve, you'll find Rotary Meadow. This is a beautiful garden filled with plants native to California. It was created with help from the San Francisco Rotary Club in 2004. Volunteers called Sutro Stewards take care of the garden.
You can reach Rotary Meadow by a paved road from Clarendon Avenue, which goes through UCSF's Aldea San Miguel housing area. Most of the plants in the garden look their best in the spring. Since the garden is surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees, you won't get wide views of the city from here. For city views, you can visit nearby Twin Peaks or Tank Hill.
The hill and forest have many hiking trails, and some are great for mountain biking too! You can find a map of the trails at Sutro Stewards.org. Another way to get to the top is from 7th Avenue on the west side. You can climb 355 public steps from Warren Drive to Crestmont Drive, then turn left and enter the forest.
Keeping the Forest Healthy
In 2009, UCSF wanted to remove many of the eucalyptus trees from some of its land. This was to help prevent fires near the campus and homes. Some people who support bringing back native habitats also liked this idea. They wanted to see more native plants and animals return to the city.
However, some local residents didn't agree with the plan. So, in 2010, UCSF decided not to go ahead with it right away. Instead, they chose to do a full study called an Environmental Impact Review (EIR). This study helps them understand how their plans might affect the environment before they try to bring back the original plants and animals of Mount Sutro.
Mount Sutro's Past
How Mount Sutro Changed Over Time
A long time ago, in the 1800s, much of Mount Sutro was part of a large Mexican land grant called Rancho San Miguel.
In 1879, a man named Adolph Sutro bought this land. He had a lot of money from his mining investments. Sutro bought a huge amount of land in San Francisco, owning almost 10% of the city at one point! He loved planting trees. He used special Arbor Day celebrations to plant thousands of trees on the rocky, open slopes and sand dunes of his properties.
Sutro first planned to build homes on the hill, which he called "Mount Parnassus." He also had another hill to the east he named "Mount Olympus." Later, "Mount Parnassus" was renamed Mount Sutro, in honor of Adolph Sutro. He also became the 24th mayor of San Francisco from 1894 to 1896.
In 1895, Sutro gave 13-acre (5.3 ha) of land on "Parnassus bench" to the University of California. This became the campus for what is now the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Parnassus Campus. Adolph Sutro passed away in 1898. He owned a lot of land but didn't have much cash, so settling his estate took a very long time. Some of his building plans were finished, like a street railway, but many others were stopped because of legal issues.
Mount Sutro in the 1900s
After almost twenty years of legal battles, Sutro's estate was finally settled. Around 1930, people started clearing much of the eucalyptus-covered land to build new homes and businesses. This continued through the 1960s as the city grew westward.
Even though the forest was meant for recreation, some areas were cut down by Sutro's family after he died. In 1934, after a fire, they stopped cutting trees. The forest was cut down again during World War II. The wood was used as fuel for homes because of wartime shortages.
In 1952, the University of California bought Mount Sutro itself and most of its remaining forest. This was a large 90 acres (36 ha) piece of land.
