Alcatraz Gardens

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

Established for beautification purposes when Alcatraz was 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.