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Activities

Tennessee Valley trail
Five Family-Friendly Hikes in the Golden Gate National Parks

What’s the perfect dessert after a stomach-stretching Thanksgiving dinner? An exploration of some sweet trails in and around the Golden Gate National Parks, of course! Here are five hikes that will help your whole family work off that holiday meal.

Tennessee Valley trail
Outdoor Fun with Kids: Three Hikes for All Ages

Here's our hand-picked list of the best hikes for kids in the Golden Gate National Parks, at Mori Point, Lands End, and Tennessee Valley. Bring the whole gang for a family-friendly nature adventure.

California poppies
Debunking Myths About California’s Native Plants

Working with native plants all the time you begin to develop a huge soft spot for them and it becomes easy to forget that not everyone shares the same love and appreciation for our home-grown plants. But the question remains: why?

Healthy Parks Healthy People
Institute Helps Launch Healthy Parks, Healthy People: Bay Area

On June 1, 2013, parks and health organizations around the Bay Area kicked off Healthy Parks, Healthy People: Bay Area—an effort to provide welcoming, culturally relevant programs for all communities. Learn how you can participate in the next round of events!

Presidio Native Plant Nursery volunteers
Youth Take Charge in the Presidio Nursery

Do you enjoy being outdoors? Curious about our amazing world of plants? Want to meet other youth interested in stewardship and develop your leadership skills? Read on to see the difference young people make in the Presidio native plant nursery.

Poison Oak
The Four-Season Field Guide to Poison Oak

“Leaves of three, let it be. If it’s hairy, it’s a berry. If it’s shiny, watch your hiney.” That famous rhyme can help you pick out poison oak—for part of the year. But, because Toxicodendron diversilobum is deciduous, what about the other seasons?

Volunteers take a break in Muir Woods
Catch the Spring Service Fever

It’s time to head out to your nearby national parklands for lots of spring cleaning and restoration. Celebrate Earth Day, National Volunteer Week, National Youth Service Day, and National Park Week by pitching in for your Golden Gate National Parks. There’s something for everyone!

Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
Early Spring Wildflowers: A Viewer’s Guide

While the East is still buried under 3 feet of snow, harbingers of spring have begun to bloom all across the Golden Gate National Parks. What can you expect to see in March, as you explore one of our many park trails?

Point Bonita
Say “Yes!” Or “I Do!” in the Parks

In the Golden Gate National Parks you can do it all—bike, windsurf, hike, ride a horse, bird watch, and even get married! Looking for the perfect place to hold an outdoor ceremony? Look to your parks—there’s a spot to match any personality!

Muir Woods volunteer
A Very Special Earth Day in January

Muir Woods Earth Day is the longest-running event in the Golden Gate National Parks. It’s also one of the most enjoyable volunteer opportunities of the year. And it’s on January 26, 2013. Find out why we celebrate “Earth Day”—in the middle of winter.