In 2025 Livable City completed a Plan for Twin Peaks [link to PDF document] in partnership with three American Indian organizations – the American Indian Cultural District, Association of Ramaytush Ohlone, and The Cultural Conservancy. Robin Chiang and Associates and creo Landscape Architecture are the lead designers. The plan engaged neighbors, visitors, San Francisco’s American Indian community, and public agencies to complete the first comprehensive plan for Twin Peaks’ public lands since the 1950s. It builds on circulation, public space, and trail improvements planned and built in recent years. Highlights of the plan include:
- Conserving and restoring habitat on Twin Peaks to protect the area’s outstanding biodiversity
- Improving the popular Christmas Tree Point overlook with better circulation, landscaping, better signage and information about landscape and culture, and permanent restrooms.
- Making the main public space gateways to Twin Peaks safer and more inviting
- Completing and improving trails connecting Twin Peaks to other parks
- Improving walking, cycling, and public transit access to Twin Peaks
- Transforming Portola Drive into a scenic multi-modal parkway
- Improving governance and accountability by rationalizing City department land ownership and strengthening inter-agency agreements
About Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is one of San Francisco’s best-known public spaces. The City’s second- and third-highest peaks have been a City landmark and destination for centuries. When surveyor Jasper O’Farrell laid out Market Street in 1847 he aligned it to Twin Peaks. It is a popular spot with visitors as well as locals and immediate neighbors.
Twin Peaks is also one of the City’s outstanding natural areas. It provides habitat for San Francisco’s diverse native plants and animals, including the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly.
Twin Peaks’ public lands are owned and managed by five separate City agencies – the Recreation and Parks, Real Estate, and Public Works departments, SF Municipal Transportation Agency, and the SF Public Utilities Commission. These agencies do coordinate some activities, but they have never worked together on a plan for conserving, improving, stewarding, and accessing Twin Peaks.
About the Plan
The project is funded by a grant from the City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development. We sought to understand how people use and experience Twin Peaks now, what they would like to see conserved and improved, and explore options for a visitors center, access, connections, and governance. We focused on a few key questions:
- How can people and enjoy Twin Peaks open spaces while respecting the area’s outstanding habitat and its neighbors?
- Would new or improved facilities improve the Twin Peaks experience?
- How should Twin Peaks be managed and governed?
- How can we improve safe, comfortable, accessible, and sustainable transportation options to Twin Peaks?
Based on the community and stakeholder conversations and public input we received, we completed a plan with recommendations and options to the community and the City.
Questionnaire
Members of the public were invited to take our questionnaire.
First public workshop
We held a first public workshop on July 13, where we presented how Twin Peaks is currently managed, approved plans and projects currently underway, and discussed opportunities to improve access, experience, and care for the land, as well as draft planning principles to guide development of the plan. A pdf version of the presentation is available here.
Second public workshop
We held a second public workshop on Saturday, November 23rd from 10:30 to 12:30 pm at the Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey Street. We presented draft recommendations for Twin Peaks, as well as designs for the Christmas Tree Point overlook and gateways to Twin Peaks’ public open spaces. The workshop presentation can be viewed here.
Notes from the two public meetings can be viewed here.
We can also attend your meetings or organize an on-site tour with you; contact us to set something up.
Draft Plan
The draft plan for public review was made available in December 2024, and the members of the public and public agency stakeholders were invited to make comments and ask questions which informed the final report.
Final Plan
The final Twin Peaks Plan [link to PDF document] was submitted to and accepted by the City in June 2025. It groups its recommendations into six main areas:
- Conservation – Sustain and strengthen biodiversity and habitat conservation and restoration on Twin Peaks. Restore additional habitat on Twin Peaks public lands, and extend habitat corridors to nearby natural areas including Mt. Sutro and Glen Canyon. Acquire key undeveloped private parcels to create habitat and trail connections. Engage neighbors in stewardship of Twin Peaks’ public open spaces and support them in creating wildlife-friendly landscaping in yards and public rights-of-way.
- Landscape and public places – Improve the existing Christmas Tree Point overlook with better circulation, landscaped areas, interpretive gardens and signage, and a permanent restroom. Improve the three main open space gateways with safety and accessibility improvements and signage.
- Trails and pathways – Improve the Ridge Trail connection between Twin Peaks and Mount Sutro, and the Creeks to Peaks trail from Twin Peaks to Glen Canyon. Improve public walkways, stairways, and landscaping in the public right-of-way.
- Transportation – Retain the existing automobile circulation. Enhance walking and cycling access to Twin Peaks by installing missing sidewalks and cycle paths and reconfiguring dangerous intersections. Extend Muni bus service to Twin Peaks. Manage parking and tour bus access to reduce conflicts and congestion.
- Portola Parkway – Transform Portola Drive into a scenic multi-modal parkway, accommodating both through traffic and access to homes and the commercial district, safe and comfortable access for people walking, cycling and riding transit, linking green spaces inviting to neighbors and wildlife.
- Governance and management – Transfer the Christmas Tree Point lands from the City’s Real Estate Division to the Recreation and Parks Department, and provide the funding necessary to maintain the land and public places on Twin Peaks. Strengthen interagency agreements to provide basic park amenities like trails and sidewalks, wayfinding and interpretive signage, and care and maintenance on the Reservoir Lands.
Implementing the Plan
Now that the plan has been submitted to the City, responsibility for implementing it rests to various City agencies. The final plan identifies each of the actions necessary to implement the plan, and the implementing agency or agencies for each action.
Livable City has been working with City officials and stakeholders to implement key recommendations in the plan.
- Marview Trail Upgrade. Last year we worked with Midtown Terrace Homeowners Association to draft a proposal for improving the Ridge Trail between Twin Peaks Boulevard and Marview Way. The project was funded by Supervisor Melgar’s participatory budgeting process, and completed this winter. The realigned trail is more accessible, and its gentler grades which reduce erosion. The project also removed a derelict roadway and protected the surrounding native habitat. In February the SF Chronicle gave the trail improvements a rave review.
- Christmas Tree Point land transfer. The plan recommends transferring the Christmas Tree Point lands from the City’s Real Estate Division to the Recreation and Parks Department to improve management of the overlook and stewardship of the surrounding habitat. We are working with Supervisor Melgar’s office and City departments to initiate the land transfer.
- Acquiring unprotected lands. The plan recommends acquiring two undeveloped private parcels in order to protect habitat and strengthen the wildlife and trail connection between Twin Peaks and Mount Sutro. Livable City nominated the lands for acquisition, and is helping identify funds, including state Climate Bond funds, which can be used to acquire natural lands.
