Parks

Thousands of people from all corners of the world experience the magic of Muir Woods every year. But who are the people who influenced the creation and establishment of this national monument? And how are they honored in the redwoods today?

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.

Every autumn, up to 19 species of birds of prey make their annual appearance over the Marin Headlands. With tens of thousands of raptors counted during the fall migration, it’s the largest flight of its kind in the western U.S.! Read on for hawk-watching tips from our Golden Gate Raptor Observatory program.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Working only in wintertime, National Park Service crews and Trails Forever staff have been designing and building new sections of the Hillside Trail in Muir Woods since 2006. This year, 2013, it will be completed. Go behind the scenes as they “fly” one-ton of drain rock for the trail.

As we enter 2013, the Institute at the Golden Gate is lining up a series of ground-breaking pilot programs, cutting-edge reports, and innovative partnerships in their core focus areas: public health, food, and climate change. See what we’ve got cooking!

How many times have I walked under the same trees and failed to look up, staring at my own two feet as I walk? Well today was different, someone told me that the oak trees of California are masting, and I wanted to see if it was true.