Member Hiking & Events Series

We have greatly missed seeing you in the parks, which is why we are thrilled to announce the return of our Member Hiking & Event Series!

Although we are not able to offer any in-person events at this time, we hope that the February park experiences listed here will allow you to make full use of your wide-open, safely socially distanced park spaces for a breath of fresh air and respite from sheltering-in-place, no matter the weather.

Self-Guided Hikes

Tennessee Hollow Watershed Hike

What better way to enjoy a rainy day than by exploring Tennessee Hollow - the Presidio’s largest watershed, encompassing 20 percent of the park. It begins with a natural spring, which is eventually fed by two joining creeks. The waters then flow north to Crissy Marsh through a variety of habitats where native plants, birds, and other wildlife thrive, and ultimately join the bay and ocean. For centuries, people have used this creek system as a water source, beginning with the native Ohlone and later Spanish settlers. The U.S. Army substantially altered where and how it flows, pushing its waters underground in many areas in order to build on the land above. This self-guided, two-mile walk traces a large section of the creek system where, for the past 15 years, restoration projects have brought habitats back to life. Along the way, you’ll learn about some significant people and moments in Presidio history.

Distance: 2 miles

Time: 2 hours

Level: Moderate but has some gradual hills and stairs

Access/Parking: We recommend parking at Inspiration Point across from the Presidio Golf Course

Restrooms: El Polin Spring and Crissy Field

Timing: Parking may be more difficult on weekends

• Our recommendation is different than the brochure but you can follow the map using the points in this order:
• Start at point 7 (Inspiration Point)
• Go to 6, 5 (go around El Polin Spring), 3, 4 (continue across bridge on to Presidio Blvd – turn left here), 2, 1, 9, 10, 11, 12
• To return to Inspiration Point from point 12, follow the map to points in this order:
• 11, 10, 9, 1 (at this point go straight on Funston Ave), just before the Inn turn left down the stairs
• At the bottom of the stairs turn right on Barnard and take that to the end of the road, point 8
• Turn right onto the trail in the cul de sac, then left on the Ecology Trail to point 6, then 7

Muir Woods Hike

The time is NOW! A rainy day is a great way to see Muir Woods in a new way! The trees will act as a bit of a rain screen but Redwood Creek will be flowing, you may even see a River Otter or two, the ferns will be soaking up that delicious moisture - and best of all, the crowds will be non-existent. You can do the Woods as a completely flat loop or venture up the hillside on to trails less traveled for more of a workout. Reacquaint yourself with this magnificent forest before the adoring public returns in droves.

Distance:

Time: 1-3 hours

Level: Easy to moderate, can either do a flat loop, or venture up the hillside a bit

Access/Parking: You MUST make parking reservations to park at the Woods – do this ahead of time! www.GoMuirWoods.com

There is an entry fee to the park, which you can pay with your parking reservation, or at the entry point when you arrive.

If you “come on a whim”, you can park along the roadside (a tad hairy) at the Dipsea trailhead on Panoramic Highway x Bayview Drive (Mill Valley) and hike down the Dipsea Trail to Muir Woods.

Restrooms: Near the parking lot, and past the Visitor Center

• Just past the Visitor Center, turn left over the first bridge on to the Bohemian Grove Trail
• For a more rigorous hike and higher view of the woods:
  
  • Take a left on to the Hillside Trail, and follow that through the woods
  • Turn right on the Ben Johnson Trail, cross the bridge and turn right (or left to the Bootjack Trail if you’d like to go further and then backtrack) on the Redwood Creek Trail all the way back to the Visitor Center
• For a flat hike:
  
  • Stay on the Bohemian Grove Trail paralleling Redwood Creek
  • It will take you over another bridge and you can turn left on Redwood Creek Trail to the Bootjack Trail as far as you like, and then turn around and follow the Redwood Creek Trail back to the Visitor Center.