Tenderloin National Forest
The Verdict
"Two minutes to walk through but a genuine surprise. Off Ellis Street between Leavenworth and Jones in the Tenderloin. Open during daylight hours. Combine it with a visit to the nearby Great American Music Hall."
What you need to know
A Guerrilla Garden in an Alley
The Tenderloin National Forest is a narrow alley between two buildings on Ellis Street, transformed into a dense garden of trees, plants, and murals. The Luggage Store Gallery, a nonprofit art space next door, started planting it in 1989. What was once a dumping ground is now a sliver of green in one of San Francisco’s most concrete-heavy neighborhoods.
What Makes It Worth It
It’s tiny, maybe 15 feet wide and half a block long. But it’s genuinely surprising. Mature trees, including redwoods, grow tall enough to shade the entire space. Murals cover the surrounding walls. Benches are tucked between planters. The contrast between the dense urban Tenderloin outside and this green pocket inside is striking.
The “National Forest” name is tongue-in-cheek, of course. But the project is real community work. Neighbors maintain it. The Luggage Store Gallery programs art events in and around the space. It’s a small, hopeful gesture in a neighborhood that doesn’t always get positive attention.
Best as a quick stop if you’re already in the area. It takes about two minutes to walk through. Not a destination on its own, but a worthwhile detour if you’re near Union Square or the Civic Center.
Skip this if you’re uncomfortable walking through the Tenderloin. The neighborhood can be intense, especially for first-time visitors.
Visiting
Address: Cohen Alley, off Ellis Street between Leavenworth and Hyde, Tenderloin
Hours: Daytime hours (not gated, but best visited during daylight)
Cost: Free
Best time to go: Late morning to early afternoon on a weekday.
What to know: The alley is easy to miss. Look for the greenery poking above the buildings on Ellis Street. The Luggage Store Gallery next door is also worth checking out.
Getting There
Transit: BART or Muni Metro to Civic Center/UN Plaza station, then a 5-minute walk. Muni 31-Balboa or 38-Geary to the Tenderloin.
Parking: Garages on Ellis and O’Farrell. Don’t count on street parking.
Walking: A few blocks from Union Square, the Asian Art Museum, and the Main Library at Civic Center.
📍 Location: This activity is in The Tenderloin. Explore the neighborhood →
