Park Stories

Our six native plant nurseries, spanning from Marin to San Mateo, have the amazing role and privilege of growing natives for the many restoration projects in the Golden Gate National Parks. As we celebrate the Golden Gate Bridge in May, learn how native plants “bridge” the myriad habitats of these national parklands.

Volunteers with Marin’s Park Stewardship team have been gathering together branches and sticks, lashing them together, and dumping them in Redwood Creek. Some strange ritualistic behavior? Or evidence of restoration science at work? Find out by reading on.

After almost one year, the detour signs and k-rails are starting to disappear from the west side of the Presidio along Lincoln Boulevard. New overlooks, new trail segments, dedicated bike lanes, and other much-anticipated improvements will be unveiled in the next month. Read on for a sneak peek at these exciting projects!

After six months of construction and closure to the public, the new suspension bridge is complete, Point Bonita Lighthouse is open and Park Volunteers are eager to give you a guided tour of this magnificent site.

After years of anticipation, a brand-new visitor center is opening at Lands End! Coming in late April, the Lookout features exciting exhibits on nature and history, a café, and park store. Read on for details about this beautiful visitor center—and how you can attend the grand opening.

For hundreds of thousands of years, the coastal bluffs at Fort Funston have faced off against the Pacific Ocean, prevailing winds cleaving off inches of sandstone each winter. And each spring, hundreds of Bank Swallows (five-inch, globe-trotting bug-traps with wings) return to these cliffs to carve out nesting holes.

In April 2012, the Institute at the Golden Gate and Golden Gate National Parks will welcome the third National Parks Institute (NPI) Executive Leadership Seminar to Cavallo Point Lodge at Fort Baker. Park leaders from across the globe will come together to learn and share business management best practices to bring home to their parks.

The Spring Equinox is almost upon us and it’s the time of year when we all wait for the rains to get the wildflower show started. At the Redwood Creek Nursery, though, we are collecting something a little different this year.

For 15 years (as of April 2012), students at Oceana High School have been growing plants on campus for restoration projects in the parks. See what they have accomplished at this sixth Parks Conservancy native plant nursery—and learn how they took the initiative to expand their green oasis.

2012 marks a decade of Trails Forever—a tremendously successful initiative to improve trails and habitats across the Golden Gate National Parks. Take a walk down memory lane and check out images capturing our favorite Trails Forever moments.

A dry and relatively warm winter means the wildflowers are popping early this year (2012)! In March, the parks start unfolding their spectacular spectrum of color. Read on for our park botanists’ favorite petal-peeping spots.

Want your middle school student to get a job this summer? Consider applying for Urban Trail Blazers, Crissy Field Center’s paid internship program for middle schoolers. Interns will explore their national park, complete various art projects, and have fun this summer—all while getting paid!