Alcatraz Gardens

Alcatraz Gardens: connecting national park visitors to beautifully restored historic gardens.

Established for beautification purposes when Alcatraz was a U.S. Army fort, these gardens were later restored and tended by incarcerated people during the island’s era as a federal prison. Further restoration began in the early 2000s, with NPS leading a multi-member partnership. Now the wildly popular national park site boasts garden beds full of flowering and foliage plants, some of which are the heirlooms of parent plants introduced decades ago. A robust volunteer program supports a cadre of local gardeners who ensure these gardens thrive.