Have you been dreaming of those beautiful granitic rocks in Yosemite? Well, don’t worry! You don’t have to wait for summer to make that trek. We’ve got our own wondrous boulders right here in the Golden Gate National Parks—at Rancho Corral de Tierra.

Hawk Hill isn’t just a spot for watching raptors. In the fall, visitors who point their binoculars at smaller birds might be treated to the aerial acrobatics of migrating swifts. Learn more about these amazing—and mysterious—insectivores.

In a new podcast, hear from some of the amazing staff and interns working to preserve and restore the Presidio and the Golden Gate National Parks. Then find out how you can add your voice—and volunteer energy—to this chorus of care.

Here’s a handy primer—or a reminder—of some common-courtesy rules of trail etiquette.

The California poppy is the much-loved, vivacious floral icon of the Golden State. But is it actually illegal to pick the poppy? Discover the truth behind this rumor—and more fun facts about one of the most recognizable blooms in our parks.

Ditch the summer fog for the sunny peaks of our Golden Gate National Parks in Marin County. Have some fun in the sun on this eight-mile hike and finish it off with a frothy pint at the local English inn!

Dive back into the weird world of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), as we see how nursery staff and interns are demystifying the growing process for these fascinating plants that live beneath the surface of Mountain Lake in the Presidio.

Do parks have a role in educating us about the local impacts of climate change? Would you listen? This November, the Institute at the Golden Gate’s will convene Parks: The New Climate Classroom to contribute to the growing movement for meaningful, practical, and local climate change education and communication in parks and communities nationwide.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” On MLK Day of Service in 2014, we hope you’ll be volunteering in our Golden Gate National Parks.

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.