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Location
Parking
Parking available
Best time
Visit in late afternoon (before closing) when bison are more active and likely to approach the viewing area, rather than midday when they rest in the middle of the paddock
Visitor tip
Bring a book or plan a relaxing break—the seating benches outside the fence provide a peaceful spot to sit and observe the bison grazing, making it ideal for a quiet moment during your park visit
About Bison Paddock
Green space with a herd of bison. Longtime pasture with a grazing herd of American bison, cared for by the San Francisco zoo.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Zoo
- Highlights
- American bison herd in Golden Gate Park
- History
- Established 1892, relocated to current site 1899
- Hours
- 5 a.m. to Midnight
What visitors say
If you want to go see something a little wild without going far out into the wild, this is a great spot to do so. They have a few benches to sit and watch the bison Graze. It seems they come closer to the crowd towards the later…
Mildly interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Bison before, and I wonder why Golden Gate Park has them. When I came to the paddock, most of the Bison were resting in the middle. They didn’t really pay any mind to us. Like the sea…
This is a great spot to observe wildlife nearby. You can relax on benches and watch bison grazing. For a closer view, visit in the late afternoon when the bison are more likely to approach before being herded for the night.
From 1,400 Google reviews
Did You Know?
- The bison herd has been a beloved institution in San Francisco since 1892, making it over 130 years old, and was moved to its current location in Golden Gate Park's Spreckels Lake area in 1899
- The bison are cared for by the San Francisco Zoo and are managed with a daily herding routine, with visitors noting the animals are more likely to approach the viewing benches in late afternoon before being herded for the evening
- Bison Paddock is a unique feature of Golden Gate Park offering visitors an opportunity to observe wild American bison grazing in an open meadow setting without traveling far from the city
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