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 used to be called Mount Parnassus. This hill is a special spot, offering a mix of nature and history in a busy city.
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Exploring Mount Sutro's Geography
Mount Sutro stands about 909 feet (277 meters) tall. It's one of the many hills that give San Francisco its unique look. In fact, it's one of the city's original "Seven Hills."
Most of Mount Sutro belongs to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). A big part of it, about 61 acres, is a protected area called the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve. This reserve is open for everyone to explore and enjoy.
You might see the tall Sutro Tower nearby, which broadcasts TV and radio signals. But guess what? That tower isn't actually on Mount Sutro! It's on a different, smaller hill to the south, between Mount Sutro and Twin Peaks.
Discovering Sutro Forest
Mount Sutro is covered by a thick forest. About 80% of these trees are eucalyptus, which were planted a long time ago in the late 1800s. These old trees are now over 100 feet tall!
The mountain is often covered in fog, especially during the summer. The tall trees help "catch" this fog, turning the moisture into water that the forest can use. This means the forest stays damp and green even when it's dry elsewhere. About 30 to 40% of its water comes from this "fog drip."
Underneath the tall trees, you'll find other plants like Himalayan blackberry. This forest is also a home for many birds. You might spot great horned owls or different kinds of woodpeckers. Bird watchers have seen over thirty different bird species here in just one morning!
The forest isn't just on UCSF land. There's also a 19-acre part owned by the city, called the Interior Green Belt. This area connects with the UCSF reserve. The forest is surrounded by different parts of San Francisco. To the north is the UCSF Medical Center, to the west is the Sunset District, and to the south and east are neighborhoods like Forest Knolls and Cole Valley.
Fun Activities in Sutro 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. The San Francisco Rotary Club #2 helped fund this garden in 2004. Volunteers called the Sutro Stewards take care of it.
The best time to see the garden's plants in bloom is in the spring. Even though it's at the summit, the tall eucalyptus trees surround it, so you won't get city views like you would from nearby Twin Peaks.
You can explore the hill and forest using many hiking trails. Some of these trails are also great for mountain biking. You can find a map of the trails online at Sutro Stewards.org. Another way to reach the summit is from 7th Avenue. You can climb 355 public steps from Warren Drive to Crestmont Drive, then enter the forest.
Protecting and Restoring Mount Sutro
In 2009, UCSF wanted to remove many of the eucalyptus trees from some of its land. The goal was to make the area safer from fires for the campus and nearby homes. Some people who wanted to bring back native plants and animals to the city supported this plan.
However, some local residents didn't like the idea. So, in February 2010, UCSF decided to stop its original plan. Instead, they chose to do a full Environmental Impact Review (EIR). This review would study how the changes might affect the environment before any work began. As of August 2025, the first part of this review, a draft for public comments, is still being worked on by UCSF.
Mount Sutro's Past: A Look Back
The 1800s: From Ranch to Forest
A long time ago, in the 1800s, much of Mount Sutro was part of a large ranch called Rancho San Miguel. This land was a gift from the Mexican government in 1846.
Later, in 1879, a man named Adolph Sutro bought this ranch property. He had just sold his shares in a big mining company, which gave him a lot of money to invest in San Francisco land. At one point, he owned almost 10% of the entire city!
Adolph Sutro loved planting trees. He used special Arbor Day celebrations to plant thousands of trees on the rocky, open hillsides and sand dunes he owned. He originally planned to build homes on the hill, which he called "Mount Parnassus." He even named another nearby hill "Mount Olympus." The hill was later renamed Mount Sutro to honor him. He also served as the 24th mayor of San Francisco from 1894 to 1896.
In July 1895, Sutro gave 13 acres of land on the hill to the University of California. This land became the campus for what is now the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Parnassus Campus. Adolph Sutro passed away in 1898. Because he owned so much land but didn't have a lot of cash, it took a long time to sort out his estate. Some of his development plans, like a street railway, were finished, but many others stopped due to legal issues.
The 1900s: Growth and Change
After almost twenty years, Sutro's estate was finally settled. Around 1930, much of the eucalyptus-covered land began to be cleared for new buildings. This continued through the 1960s as San Francisco grew westward, and the land was used for shops and homes.
Even though the forest was meant for recreation, some areas were cut down by Sutro's family. After a fire in 1934, this logging stopped. However, the forest was logged again during World War II. The wood was used as fuel for homes because of wartime shortages.
Mount Sutro itself, along with most of its remaining forest, was bought by the University of California in 1952. This purchase included about 90 acres of land.
See also
- List of San Francisco, California Hills
- List of California native plants
- California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion
- Coastal sage scrub
