Sunset Dunes, the oceanfront park that replaced the Upper Great Highway thoroughfare in San Francisco, reached its one-year anniversary Sunday with a recorded 1.7 million visits since its opening.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department released data on the park, encapsulating its traffic and attendance since it officially opened to the public on April 12, 2025.
In the November 2024 election, voters citywide passed Proposition K, the measure to permanently close the Upper Great Highway to cars and turn the road into a coastside park along Ocean Beach.
The measure was approved after several years of having the park opened only on weekends and Friday afternoons and keeping it open to cars on weekdays.
The two-mile stretch of the Great Highway officially closed to cars in March last year and became a park open to pedestrians.
Since its opening, the park has averaged 3,800 visits on weekdays and 7,200 visits on weekend days and holidays.
The park’s busiest days were concentrated in early 2026 on days with warm weather and large events in the city.
The largest single-day attendance was 18,700 visitors on Feb. 1, 2026, during the San Francisco Half Marathon. The busiest non-event day happened on March 8, 2026, on a warm Sunday marking the start of Daylight Saving Time with 12,400 visitors.
Future in limbo
Over time, the park has also added amenities such as hammocks, picnic tables, exercise equipment, and art exhibits. Numerous events have also been hosted at the park, including bird watching, running races, dance classes, walking tours, and other activities.
While the park appears to be a popular destination for the public, its future is in limbo as park opponents continue to try and restore the “compromise” of allowing cars back onto the roadway for commuting on weekdays.
District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong, who represents the Sunset district where the park is located, tried to get a measure on the June 2026 ballot to bring back the compromise. His attempt failed because he was unable to secure enough signatures from his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors for the measure to qualify.
Additionally, all other candidates running for Wong’s position on the board for the June election have stated their positions of wanting to restore the compromise.
But for now, park advocates will continue to add more amenities and host more events.
Friends of Sunset Dunes, the organization fighting to keep the park permanent, will host a one-year anniversary celebration on Sunday, April 26, from noon to 4 p.m. in the park between Judah Street and Sloat Avenue. It will feature live music from local bands and family activities.
