California State Parks calls Candlestick Point State Recreation Area a "hidden gem": grassy uplands, coastal salt marsh, intertidal mudflats and pocket beaches at the southeastern tip of San Francisco. Neighbors come to fish, barbecue, exercise, bike, kayak and windsurf. State Parks adds that Candlestick often basks in sun while the rest of the city sits under fog, though the wind usually picks up in the afternoon, so bring layers.

How it became a park

State Parks says it was established as California's first urban state park after years of organizing by Bayview Hunters Point residents, who wanted to reclaim the shoreline from the junkyards that covered it. Wikipedia says the roughly 170-acre landfill was meant for a World War II Navy shipyard but was abandoned when the war ended and used as a dump. The Legislature bought the land for $10 million in 1973 and voted in 1977 to make it a state park. In 2008 it was on a list of 48 parks proposed for closure in a budget plan, but that proposal was reversed.

The name's origin is disputed. Wikipedia lists three theories: an 8-foot pinnacle called Candlestick Rock, the long-billed curlew, once nicknamed the candlestick bird, and the flaming masts of old ships burned in the bay.

Fishing and wildlife

No fishing license is needed on the public pier, though all fish and wildlife rules still apply. Anyone over 16 fishing from the shoreline does need a license. Depending on the season, anglers catch halibut, jacksmelt, striped bass, perch, sturgeon, leopard sharks and bat rays. Hawks, herons, ground squirrels and jackrabbits live in the park. In winter, dabbling and diving ducks that migrate from Canada and Alaska make it a stop on the Pacific Flyway.

Picnics and rules

All picnic tables and the four group picnic sites, which have barbecue grills, are first-come, first-served and can't be reserved for now. No balloons, confetti, bounce houses or open ground fires are allowed, and DJs and vendors need a special permit. The park offers free arts and nature programs and holds volunteer days on the first Saturday of every month.

Getting there

The main entrance is at 500 Hunters Point Expressway. The Last Port entrance is at 150 Harney Way, and the park office and community garden are at 1150 Carroll Ave.