Heather Farm Park

Rate this place

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Heather Farm Park is a 102-acre park located in the city of Walnut Creek, California.


°F

°F

mph

Wind

%

Humidity

Summary

The park features several attractions, including athletic fields, fishing ponds, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a community center. It is a popular destination for families, joggers, and dog walkers.

One of the park's primary points of interest is the Gardens at Heather Farm, which includes a variety of landscaped gardens, such as a rose garden, sensory garden, and Japanese garden. The Gardens offer educational programs, tours, and workshops throughout the year.

The park is also home to the Heather Farm Dog Park, a large off-leash area for dogs to play and socialize. Additionally, the park has a fishing pond stocked with catfish, bass, and bluegill, making it a popular spot for anglers.

Heather Farm Park has a rich history, once serving as a ranch and later a Nike missile site during the Cold War. Today, visitors can explore the park's history through educational exhibits and displays.

The best time to visit Heather Farm Park is during the spring and early summer months when the gardens are in full bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers a variety of outdoor activities and events, such as concerts in the park and outdoor movie nights, throughout the year.

       

Weather Forecast

Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References