Tenderloin National Forest

This place could truly be a garden of Eden on earth, and it’s still not worth battling your way through the filth, feces, urine, and general decay of mankind, in order to get there. What a shame. For balance, read Roy M.‘s fine review below.

Funny it seems, but by keeping it’s dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.

This is a small little alley turned into an urban garden. Warren, the earnest guide, told me just about everything he knew from his 10 years working with the TNF.
But it’s not much. If you’re down in the Tenderloin and not put off by the homeless people on the sidewalk, drop in. 15 minutes will suffice.

This is one of the coolest places ever!
I can’t believe I’ve walked by this little hidden gem so many times without noticing it. It is a beautiful space. Great plants. Great art. I would truly love to see it at night with the strung lights. It is just beautiful.
It is honestly a huge triumph to build something so pretty.

Another reason to love San Francisco.
Luggage Store Co-​Artistic Directors/​Artists Darryl Smith and Laurie Lazer of the luggage store have been working to transform Cohen Alley since 1989 from a place emblazed in a health-​hazardous cesspool of bodily fluids and other dumped items, non-​supervised open-​air chemical experiments and illicit — criminal activities — to a vibrant ommunity commons where people of all ages can gather for public art, performance, experimental art projects. and classes and activities… Driven by experimentation, cooperation, volunteerism and inclusion, dialogue and food.
in May 2009 The Alley was reclaimed as «The Tenderloin National Forest.» With recent funding from the San Francisco Art Commission/​Creative Space Fund and the Mayor’s Office, Community Challenge Grant, a series of physical improvements were completed.
One of the very few open spaces in our high density neighborhood of over 40,000 culturally and ethnically diverse residents, TNF lies adjacent to two heavily trafficked inner city streets (Leavenworth running north and Ellis running est); and it is roughly 23 feet wide by 136 ft. deep. It is surrounded by multi– story residential buildings and hotels that house formerly homeless, immigrant individuals and families, as well as seniors, artists, active drug users, dealers and others. The Tenderloin Children’s Playground is situated directly across the street.

I love this place. It’s a real gem in the neighborhood.

«What. Is. This. Place.»
The singular line of thought that was running through my head as I was making my way out of TL, when I suddenly passed by this little sea of green, normally locked behind a massive iron gate embossed with the words Tenderloin National Forest.
«Either someone’s mad trolling, or this is something super shady,» I thought to myself, as I cautiously peered and made my way in, becoming even more suspicious when I saw a small table with food set up on it, tucked towards one side. But, as I made my way around, gazing at all the greenery and vegetation, I realized that this was, indeed, a mini-​forest, hidden within the miasma of the TL.
As an actual botanical garden, it is perhaps a bit lacking, but for where it is, the place is pretty amazing, with all the plant life and random art work scattered about, including graffiti, wall paintings, and fruit carvings. Certainly worth checking out, for those courageous enough to venture into these parts!

Magical.

Tenderloin National Forest goes to show that public and private efforts to maintain refreshing spaces are a success! I fancy this place for a quiet lunch or stretch in the sun.

Up until yesterday, when I thought of ‘tenderloin’ images of savory steaks cooked medium rare with the perfect balance of blood and beef came to mind.
After a lone stroll through the Tenderloin of San Fran, I now associate Tenderloin with an unsavory neighborhood where seldom can you take 20 paces and not see human fecal matter or a pooling puddle of, erm… well, God only knows. If I had to speculate, I’d label it blurine, or bloody urine as some of you may know it.
On my daytime stroll through ‘scenic’ Little Saigon, I saw and learned many new things, like what a drug deal looks like, saw what I think was a bum fight, and played a highly involuntary game of ‘Good Touch, Bad Touch’ with a homeless fellow… I would have categorized them as ‘bad touch’, but he seemed pretty happy with the interaction. Different strokes, eh?
Little did I know that only a few steps more and I’d hit paydirt! Tenderloin National Forest serves as a unique respite in an area that isn’t the most, erm, safe? cleanly? picturesque? Between the brightly canvased everything to the lively+lush foliage, it was like watching the Wizard of Oz and switching from the tornado storm in Kansas to the wonder and awe of Oz.
This one ranks right up there with a few on my other favorite quirky quick-​stops like Detroit’s Hamtramck Disneyland (
) and Chicago’s Shit Fountain (
).
Tenderloin National Forest: A sure fire way to have a monumentous moment.

Thought the only needles in the TL were lazily discarded beside a questionably large pile of feces streetside? How about some pine needles. Okay. Maybe there aren’t exactly pine needles, that I remember, but it’s a forest — A FOREST. And you’d never know it was there. It’s really little more than an alley with a big friggin’ gate in front of it most of the time, but in reality, a leap above the norm in this area is a leap into true humanity.
Do I blame people for their problems and for it being concentrated in a couple sectors of the city? No and yes. But can we have our slice of heaven for a minute without some guy with half a beard burnt off his face, a permanent and wind-​burned erection tenting his sweat pants coming up to a place to drop a molten doot against a planter?
In my experience, yes. Shockingly, we can. And it’s thanks to folks like Smith and Lazer (Lazer and Smith) and more immediate to me, Organic Mechanics (
) there are more humanizing places in a neighborhood that can get something of a bad rap (certainly not unduly, though).
It’s as if to say that a certain human condition is unavoidable, but as the condition of our existence, is not to be simply acceptable. They are small victories, but victories nonetheless, but more so, they are indicative of eyes first looking down in the act of minuscule toils at the place in the dirt where we plant what should one day tickle the sky.

While being a beautiful inspiration, it has more good than bad, but here is the downside.
The TNF contains a quaint wood burning ancient style clay oven. They use this for baking pizzas and bread, amongst other delicacies to serve at special occasions. Groups of children and art openings for the luggage store. While this quaint reproduction of an antique works, it also emits wood burning smoke and is going into the windows of every persons home that has an open window. You might think, well then just close the window. That is easy to do with the exception of hot summer days when those rooms (most of the dwellings that overlook the forest are Single Room Occupancy-​SRO rooms) have no other source of cooling off. I would and will propose to them that a simple solution to this would be to heat the clay oven with electricity. That would preserve their ability to use the oven and at the same time show more sensitivity to the health hazards being given to this unfortunate population of neighbors
This is still an amazing place to go and visit and I highly recommend it as a must see.

get off the bus somewhere and start heading to Dottie’s, cut through Tenderloin not knowing that i would have to dodge hookers and crackheads but then what do I see
how can this be
this is not your ordinary alley?
it’s much much more
art all over, even the floor
murals, gardens and even a pizza oven
Tenderloin National Forest, I am a lovin’
small in size but huge in scope
offering the area some much needed hope
Read somewhere that the Tenderloin is known for it’s «hardy outdoorsmen; people who have learned to live outside in all kinds of weather as an adaptation to San Francisco’s through-​the-​roof housing prices» and thought that was the nicest description for hobos I have ever heard

The Tenderloin National Forests is one of the most intriguing places in the TL. It is open most days of the week from noon to around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and on the 15^th of every month there is a guy that comes and does free tailoring on just about whatever you need. But the park itself is quite a site to see… the well done murals, gardens, trees, layout, water, pizza oven, mosaics are layed out in such a way that was done with real care, art and expertise. The only drawback is that it is not open more.

I wish that I had stumbled upon the Tenderloin National Forest as most other reviewers seemed to do, but alas I am just obsessed with the TL so always keep myself fresh on new and exciting things popping up in the neighborhood.
The first time that I walked into the Tenderloin National Forest was on a Saturday afternoon. It was gated off, and the gate was closed, but luckily there were people inside working who opened up the gate and let my friend and me go in to explore.
The Tenderloin National Forest is quite the gem. It is quite the magical oasis in the middle of the Tenderloin and has a special feel that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside (although I can’t say that I’m from the
neighborhood…wish that I was though!). I have been back a few times, even though I usually just take a lap around; always good when I need a little boost to my day.
When I stumble upon new and exciting finds in the Tenderloin I usually tell my friends about them, and this was one of them! I jokingly say that everything used to make the TL NF was sourced locally, including the glass bottles that are usually all over the street in the neighborhood ;).
Seems like the organizers of the project (it is officially an art project I believe) keep it locked up so that it doesn’t get vandalized. Hopefully over time the community is able to feel more and more ownership so that the gate can be open when artists/​gardeners are not there working.

Thankful to stumble upon this place. It is a serene, peaceful place midst the hubbub of urban life.

This place radiates good vibes. Feeling a little down? Get a cup to go from A Tea Garden, sit and enjoy the loveliness around you. You’ll feel better I promise.

Night! Night! Beautiful night,
A great urban forest of delight.
Why fear your free mind,
When the cloth of light has left you blind.
The choice is yours free of despair,
Because the eyes are set to the air.
Have you not thought,
Of a land of freedom or have you forgot?
What is there left for your actions,
You have done so much to gain attractions.
You threw your heart to the street to hide from purity,
Now you are a winner through the night’s vanity.
Where is your purpose, where are your eyes?
The night has left you into the world of lies.
Do you remember what the sun felt like,
Do you remember on how love and light are alike?
The stars awake the sins of the dark,
Dark intentions under the moon we embark.
Into the reflection look and see,
That in the end, that man was always me.
Night! Night! Beautiful night,
A great urban forest of delight.
Why fear your free mind,
When the cloth of light has left me blind.

What a special find. I truly mean it, very very special, when I stumbled upon the Tenderloin National Forest I stood in awe, awash in that warm feeling you get when finding something amazing. A rare gem.
When thinking of The Tenderloin, what pops to mind? Drugs and homelessness. Robberies and prostitution. Not the happiest of thoughts. The reality of The Tenderloin is along with it’s rough and aptly assigned reputation it’s also the neighborhood with the densest population in the city, including the highest proportion of families and children.
I was lucky, I grew up with playgrounds and parks, fun that certainly didn’t include all the aforementioned dangers. What about the children of the TL? I’d often pondered how rough it must be to be a child growing up here where you’re too worried about what’s in the shadows to even think about playing in the sun.
The TNF is an alley turned oasis for those that will not accept that there can’t be sunshine in their neighborhood. A community garden with beautiful murals, trees and plants, even gold fish lazily swimming about. I walked from one end to the other completely overwhelmed by the artistic courage I found tucked away in the heart of an area most people don’t even want to drive through.
I took plenty of pictures which I’ve attached but they do no justice. There is a feeling from being there, I can sense the love and hard work that was invested. A sanctuary. Look at the pictures, you’d never guess this inspiring beauty was anywhere even close to the Tenderloin.
The TL isn’t always what one might think and I implore you to check out their website, they need donations of dirt. Next time you find yourself on foot instead of avoidance I say head down Ellis, during the day of course, and stroll through the Tenderloin National Forest. While physically not the size one might think of for the term «forest», I promise you it’s all that and more in spirit.