Parks

California poppies seen in the Marin Headlands.

Beyond the super bloom: Why wildflowers are so important to Bay Area parks

Although the wildflowers are numerous and diverse in a super bloom, there are still reasons to not step on or pick your local wildflowers. (As a reminder, it is illegal to pick or collect plants in national forests, parks, and monuments without a permit!)

What to do for spring break in the Golden Gate National Parks

Find a new park or activity, and check out what our youth leaders are doing for spring break in San Francisco, the Bay Area, and beyond.

Taking a Lichen (Or Lovin’) to Rancho Corral de Tierra

This winter we welcome the rainy season, as it typically allows for a rich diversity of various fungi and lichen species to emerge. Take this opportunity to check out the different varieties of species thriving in our San Mateo park sites! You might just take a lichen to what you see.

Visitors enjoy a picnic at the Marin Headlands.

2019 government shutdown updates: Openings, closures, and how you can help our Golden Gate National Parks

Visitors are encouraged to do their part to help preserve our unique parklands, by leaving no trace and taking public transportation when possible.

@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz in a Virtual 3D Space

Visitors can now revisit—or view for the first time—this once-in-a-lifetime installation of art within the confines of Alcatraz.

The Lands End Lookout is a gathering place for the thousands of visitors and locals that flock to this site each year

Bayview Trailhead

The Bayview trailhead is located at the Bayview YMCA (1601 Lane Street, San Francisco, CA 94124). It is one of three community trailheads in San Francisco, created out of a partnership with the YMCA.

Activities in the Parks

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!

Screenshot of Google Street View on a shrubbed hillside in Milagra Ridge

Take a Virtual Tour of the Parks Using Street View

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service has partnered with Google to take the successful Street View program into the Golden Gate National Parks, by offering first-person imagery of several park sites and hard-to-reach locations.