Bison Paddock

Golden Gate Park has kept a herd of American bison since 1891 — making the Bison Paddock one of San Francisco's most surprising and oldest wildlife attractions, and one of its most completely free. For families walking or cycling through the western end of Golden Gate Park, the massive brown animals grazing behind the fence stop conversations cold.

Children who have encountered bison in books, on Wild West-themed items, or in American history units are unprepared for the physical reality: bison are genuinely enormous. An adult American bison can weigh over a ton and stands well over five feet at the shoulder. The first glimpse of a bison close to the fence reliably produces a speechless moment in children who thought they knew what to expect.

The paddock is located on the western end of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, near the Chain of Lakes and not far from Ocean Beach. This end of the park is generally less crowded than the eastern museum-centric section, with a wilder, more natural feeling that suits the bison habitat well.

A visit to the Bison Paddock takes about 20-40 minutes — enough time to walk the fence perimeter, watch the animals, take photos, and answer all the questions. The bison may be near the fence or out in the middle of the large paddock; morning visits tend to position the animals closer to the road.

Bison have lived in this paddock continuously since 1891, predating most of the rest of Golden Gate Park's development. This makes for excellent historical context for kids — these animals were here before most of the park's museums, playgrounds, and attractions were built.