Layout
The hill on which the park lies is composed primarily of sand and San Francisco chert, formed in the Mesozoic era. The layout of the park uses the steepness of the hill to good advantage, offering good views of the city (particularly to the north) as well as impressive natural beauty.
At the peak of the park is a small lawn offering views to the east, north, and west, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands. Other notable views are available from various lookouts lower down, including "The Window," an overlook on the western side of the hill from which there is a sweeping vista of Golden Gate Park, the Pacific Ocean, and, on clear days, northward up the coast to the white cliffs of Drake's Beach.
The paths along the west side are lined with gutters built by WPA workers out of broken headstones from the City's Victorian cemeteries at Lone Mountain (i.e. Laurel Heights), which were moved to Colma in 1930s. In a few cases the inscriptions were placed facing up and can be discerned (Cf. the Wave Organ).
The northeast corner staircase features a large peace symbol (the classic Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament variety) shaped out of flower plantings.
Read more about this topic: Buena Vista Park