Bay Nature

Good for:

• Birding
• Dogs
• Kids

Habitat:

• Bay and Estuary
• Forests and Woodlands
• Grasslands

Attributes:

• Bay Area Ridge Trail

Overview

Perfect for a short stroll with the family or your pets, the Ecology Trail at the Presidio is a strikingly gorgeous break from the usual San Francisco. On this short 1-mile trail, tall business buildings are traded in for even taller towering redwoods and lush grasslands filled with scores of birds. It is worthwhile to listen.

The trail leads you through a hillside blanketed with tall nonnative Eucalyptus trees covered with Ivy, Monterey Pines and Montery Cypresses that ascend at an alarming rate. If you are there any time from May to July, a rare beauty can be found in these serpentine grasslands.

The Presidio Clarkia flower is a rare endangered species in California, found only in the Presidio and the Easy Bay Hills. While on the trail, it is more than worth it to check out Inspiration Point, which you can get to from this trail. On a clear day, the view of the sail boats on the bay, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge is quite stunning.