Activities in the Parks

Can’t Choose Your Own Adventure? Start Here and Go!

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With hundreds of miles of trails threading through 37 distinct sites across 80,000 acres of the Golden Gate National Parks, it can be hard to decide where to go and what to do. Let the Parks Conservancy’s experts be your guide! We’ve carefully curated our favorite hikes, walks, and excursions to share with you and your loved ones. There’s something (and some place) for everyone! We reveal some of the natural wonders and historical highlights you’ll experience along the way, but there are plenty more surprises for you to discover. So browse below, then grab your boots and backpack. Your national parks are waiting.

Coastal Trail through the Presidio
Trail
Difficulty: Strenuous

Length

11.50 miles round-trip
The Coastal Trail is the true connoisseur's way to drink deeply from the quintessence of the California experience. As it threads through the three counties of the Golden Gate National Parks (Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo), the Coastal Trail treats adventurers to spectacular Pacific vistas, iconic chaparral hills, soaring...
A hiker looks out at scenic view of the pacific coastline from the Coastal Trail in Marin Headlands on a bright sunny day.
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest
The Coastal Trail is the true connoisseur's way to drink deeply from the quintessence of the California experience. Get your sip along any segment, and enjoy some of the best landscapes and seascapes in the Golden State.
Bluffs provide great views at Fort Funston
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.88 miles round-trip
Fort Funston features 200-foot-high sandy bluffs on San Francisco’s southwest coast where the winds blow reliably wildly. No surprise it is one of the premier hang-gliding spots in the country. A network of trails make it ideal for hiking and horseback riding. Dog owners will be happy to know they...
Equestrians ride through foggy Fort Funston
Trail
Most locals know Fort Funston is Fido-tastic for dog-walking (or dog-watching!). But it's also a great place to bring your other four-legged friends for a pleasant (but windy) ride. The network of pathways across Fort Funston can accommodate equestrians!

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