Now open!
This six-acre spot along the Presidio Promenade trail near San Francisco National Cemetery blends history, nature, and incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was recently built on top of the western set of Presidio Parkway tunnels.
Battery Bluff’s name nods to the historic gun batteries nestled in the hillside above Crissy Field – Blaney, Baldwin, Slaughter, and Sherwood. Built by the U.S. Army between 1899-1902, they defended San Francisco Bay. Recently cleaned and repaired, they’re accessible to visitors for the very first time.
Battery Bluff includes so much more. Picnic tables and benches make this a great place to enjoy a meal with a bay view. Three scenic overlooks offer sweeping views of the Golden Gate, Angel Island, and Alcatraz. And 60,000 native and ornamental plants bring seasonal color and life.
Why we Love It: History and nature in one place
What's Provided: picnic tables (sorry, no grills); closest restrooms are at the Presidio Transit Center
Insider Tips: Battery Slaughter once featured three, 8-inch artillery called “disappearing guns”
Getting There: It’s about a 10-minute walk along Lincoln Boulevard from Presidio Transit Center to Battery Bluff
Did You Know?
From 2009 through 2015, Caltrans replaced the seismically unsafe Doyle Drive highway with the Presidio Parkway, which placed parts of the roadway into tunnels. When the highway was complete, Caltrans provided funding to revitalize 50 acres of parkland damaged by construction. The Presidio Trust, National Park Service, and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy restored these areas with native vegetation, trails, and new visitor spaces, including Quartermaster Reach Marsh. Two new destinations are built on top of the highway tunnels. One site is Battery Bluff. The second, known as Presidio Tunnel Tops, opens later in 2022.
