Before John McLaren, a Scottish landscape gardener and park superintendent for
San Francisco, transformed the 1017 acres of Golden Gate Park, the land was a barren wasteland. Now it is a lush oasis with a dozen artificial lakes and a collection of trees and other plants of worldwide scope. Miles of roads, bridle paths and foot trails wind through the 3-mile-long park.
Features of the park include an outdoor music concourse, where concerts are performed, tennis courts, a golf course, a polo field and an equestrian center. In the SE corner of the park on Bowling Green is a restored 1912 Herschel Spillman carrousel. Boat rentals are available on Stowe Lake. Strawberry Hill, whose summit is about 400 feet, is the highest point in the park.
