Hippie Hill

Hippie Hill is a small hill and historic area within Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. It is situated between the Conservatory of Flowers and Haight Street. Positioned east of the Golden Gate Park tennis courts, this green space features a gentle sloping lawn located off Kezar Drive. It provides views overlooking Robin Williams Meadow and is bordered by Eucalyptus and Oak trees on either side.[1][2] Notably, the hill is home to several uncommon tree species, including coast banksia, titoki, turpentine, and cow-itch.[3]

Hippie Hill
Sunbathers on Hippie Hill, July 2009
LocationGolden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States
Coordinates37°46′14.35″N 122°27′28.14″W
Operated bySan Francisco Recreation & Parks Department
Open24 hours
Statusopen
Designationpublic

History

Hippie Hill holds historical significance within San Francisco's cultural landscape, notably as a focal point during the 1967 Summer of Love counterculture movement. Its proximity to Haight Street, a central hub for this movement, led to its frequent use as a gathering space. Activities such as music performances, LSD and marijuana consumption, and the expression of hippie ideals took place on the hill. Over time, concerns arose about public behavior, including open sexuality, nude dancing, panhandling, and littering.[4]

The hill also became a musical platform, hosting free performances by renowned artists like Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and George Harrison.[5] Hippie Hill facilitated the open use of drugs and self-expression, as law enforcement adopted a permissive stance.[6] This space played a central role in the counterculture's activities during that era. Presently, weekends see the emergence of spontaneous drum circles, where individuals gather to create rhythmic beats for extended periods.[4]

Marijuana

Despite occasional police interventions in the park, the SFPD adopts a permissive stance toward activities on the hill.[4] This leniency originated from the Summer of Love when law enforcement was overwhelmed by the situation's magnitude, leading to a certain level of tolerance. In 2014, then-Supervisor London Breed pointed out that smoking in city parks remained legally prohibited, but San Francisco had a historical precedent of disregarding such infractions during official or unofficial events.[6] Acknowledging practical limitations, the police department doesn't aim to apprehend every individual smoking marijuana on the hill, and Police Chief Greg Suhr emphasized, "There are plenty of other things that come with it that we will not have."[7]

References
  1. "Robin Williams Meadow sign unveiled in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park". ABC 7 News. San Francisco, CA. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  2. Anthony, Gene (January 1, 1995). The Summer of Love: Haight-Ashbury at Its Highest. John Libbey Eurotext. ISBN 9780867194210.
  3. McClintock, Elizabeth (2001). The Trees of Golden Gate Park and San Francisco. Salt Lake City, UT: Publishers Press. p. 191.
  4. Pollock, Christopher. San Francisco's Golden Gate Park: A Thousand and Seventeen Acres of Stories. West Winds Press. p. 36.
  5. Selvin, Joel (2014). The Haight: Love, Rock, And Revolution. San Rafael, California: Insight Editions. pp. 38, 70, 106.
  6. "Golden Gate Park 4/20 Pot Festivities A Hit With Happy Horde". SFGate. April 20, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  7. "'Hippie Hill' Crackdown Expected At SF's Golden Gate Park, 4/20 Festivities". April 16, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
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