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Sections of Park Trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail Closed to Dog Walking

To reduce the potential for coyote/dog conflict, we’ve proactively closed large sections of the Park Trail and the Bay Area Ridge Trail to dog walking. This annual closure is temporary; we’ll reopen these trails to dog walking in fall after pupping season ends. All 24 miles of hiking trails in the Presidio are open to people.
Adults and children volunteering at Presidio Nursery. Photo by Charity Vargas.

Presidio Nursery

Native plants at the Presidio often get their start at Presidio Nursery.

Region

Golden Gate Region

Type

Habitat

Interests

Nature & Sustainability, Volunteering

Top Amenities

Accessible Restrooms, Free Parking, Bike Parking, Shuttle-accessible

Presidio Nursery is a very special place where you can get your hands-on gardening fix while helping restore the national park site’s native habitats.

Presidio Nursery was founded in 1995 and is run by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Presidio Trust. The real stars of the show are the volunteers, who give thousands of hours each year to grow 100,000 native plants used in restoration sites around the park.

This “little greenhouse that could” also grows many trees to support the park’s reforestation, including Monterey cypress, Coast live oak, Wax myrtle, and California buckeye.

Volunteers can drop in on select Saturdays. You can also make a commitment for Wednesday afternoons or request a group volunteer program.

Map of the Presidio

By Public Transit

Route: 28

Stop: Golden Gate Bridge

By Presidio GO Shuttle

Route: South Hills

Stop: Kobbe Avenue & Harrison Rd

Parking

Parking is available for volunteers in a free lot at Presidio Nursery.

Why We Love Presidio Nursery

Volunteers at Presidio Nursery help make the Presidio a place where native plants thrive, bringing back habitat that has been lost elsewhere in the built up Bay Area.

Accessibility at Presidio Nursery

If you’re interested in volunteering, contact the nursery at (415) 426-5151 or  
arussell@parksconservancy.org to learn more about accessibility at the site. 

Insider Tip

Volunteering builds community, and the sense of connection here is powerful. You can drop in to see for yourself on select Saturdays, and if your schedule allows, make a larger time commitment to its Wednesday program. 

A woman cares for seedlings at Presidio Nursery.

Presidio Nursery Restores Park Habitats

Each year, Presidio Nursery grows more than 100,000 native plants to be used in restoration projects throughout the Presidio. Volunteers are at the heart of this program.

Volunteer at Presidio Nursery

Drop in on select Saturdays, make a larger time commitment to the Wednesday program, or schedule an appointment to bring your group. Details are on the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy’s website.

What Volunteers Do

Activities vary throughout the seasons and include seed collection, seed cleaning, transplanting, pruning, weeding, composting, pot washing, nursery maintenance, and care of the Habitat Demonstration Garden.

A group of staff and volunteers gather at Presidio Nursery.

About the Facility

The nursery consists of an educational garden and several buildings, including the Habitarium where volunteers meet, the Seed and Plant Lab where seeds collected from native plants in the park are stored and processed, and a Shade House where new seedlings go before they’re planted at restoration sites.

Watch a Virtual Tour

To learn more about what Presidio Nursery does, enjoy this virtual tour video produced by the San Francisco Library Summer Stride program.

Park Itineraries

Need help planning your day at the Presidio? We’ve put together some itinerary ideas for things to see and do in the park. Whether you’re planning to spend a few hours or an entire day, there’s something for everyone at the Presidio. 

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We’re Here to Help

Have a question about the park? Want help planning your next visit? We’ve got you covered.

Representatives from the National Park Service, Parks Conservancy, and Presidio Trust standing in front of the Presidio Visitor Center