The Presidio Trust offers three self-guided tour experiences for kids and families.
KIDS on Trails
KIDS on Trails is a self-guided program designed for children ages 5-10 years (grades K-4) and accompanying adults to encourage learning and recreation outdoors in the park. There are KIDS on Trails booklets for the Ecology Trail (near the Main Post) and the Anza Trail (near Mountain Lake). Each offers kid-friendly activities, site-based experiences, tips for adults, and a trail map.
School Field Trips: Teachers! To plan a class field trip using the KIDS on Trails program, contact the Presidio Trust and schedule a visit. Please specify Ecology or Anza Trail, and the Trust will make the correct books available for your class. An adult/child ration of 1/5 is recommended. Teachers are encouraged to visit the site prior to the field trip. Please inquire about current trail conditions to avoid temporary closures. Presidio staff is available on a limited basis to provide a brief welcome and orientation for your group. School contact: Lisa Hillstrom, Presidio Trust, lhillstrom@presidiotrust.gov or (415) 561-2703.
Download the Ecology Trail Guide
Download the Anza Trail Guide
Quest Adventures
A “quest” is a treasure hunt that guides you through — and teaches you how to see — a unique community treasure. On the surface, a quest seems fairly straightforward: rhyming clues, a hand-drawn map and a hidden treasure box. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface is a program that fosters a sense of place. Quest adventures have for the Tennessee Hollow Watershed and the Presidio Habitats Exhibition, a site-based art exhibition celebrating Presidio nature and wildlife. Quest is adaptable for ages 5-12.
Download the Ecology Trail Quest Guide
Download the Presidio Habitats Exhibition Quest Guide
Ranger Rick’s Geocache Trails for Families
The Presidio is participating in the National Wildlife Federation’s “Ranger Rick’s Geocache Trails,” a new family friendly, wildlife-themed, outdoor treasure hunt happening in parks nation-wide.
Geocaching is a popular form of outdoor recreation whereby hidden “caches” (typically small boxes) are discovered using GPS technology. Here in the Presidio families have two options to participate:
1) Without GPS, use the map and clues by downloading the Presidio Geocache Passport
2) Using GPS-enabled devices, seek and find hidden geocaches on trails at three special less well known parts of the park. Download a map with GPS coordinates. The coordinates can also be downloaded from the geocaching.com website:
Mountain Lake Mystery (http://coord.info/GC2VPDD)
Dunes & Hospital Cemetery Vista (http://coord.info/GC2VPD8)
Lobos Dunes Boardwalk Bounty (http://coord.info/GC2VPD8)
Please remember to stay on official park trails and leave no trace!