Hike San Francisco Presidio's largest watershed

Watershed Moment

Take an easy 2-mile hike that traces the Presidio's largest watershed, Tennessee Hollow

01.06.2021
Woman wearing a white backpack walks down a winding path

Part old military command post, part national park, and wholly San Francisco: The Presidio is an amalgamation of the city’s past with an eye to the future. And it offers some of the best urban hiking in California—dare we say in the country! The new marsh bridges going under Presidio Parkway offer more habitat for plants, fish, and bird life … and trails for us!

Take an easy 2-mile hike that traces the Presidio’s largest watershed, Tennessee Hollow. From the gentle beach breaks at Crissy Field up to the panoramic Inspiration Point Overlook, enjoy several highlights along the route. Starting from East Beach you’ll pass over the Crissy Field Marsh, favored by great blue herons and other spear-fishing birds. The bridge here is a great vantage for viewing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Continue, picking up the path underneath Presidio Parkway, and the Quartermaster Reach Marsh—7 acres of newly completed marshland that was once wasteland. Today it’s a wetland ecosystem, with fresh water flowing into saltwater, creating a biodiverse habitat of plants, fish, birdlife, even an effort to revitalize the native Olympia oyster.

Follow signage and your map to highlights including the historic brick Lovers’ Lane Bridge, El Polin Spring and adobe wall ruins, and up alongside a beautiful redwood grove to Inspiration Point Overlook.

Follow the Ecology Trail to descend into the heart of the park, along Funston Avenue and Halleck Street, returning to the Quartermaster Reach Marsh and Crissy Field.

Bonus points if you time your hike for sunset viewing on the beach!

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode “Happy New… Trails!” Weekend Sherpa co-founders Brad and Holly discuss hiking the Tennessee Hollow Trail in the Presidio.

Park at Crissy Field’s East Lot. Here’s a map of the Tennessee Hollow Trail in the Presidio. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Camp and Kayak at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest

    Sleeper Hit

    It's all about the water, and the camping, at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest, a High Sierra reservoir perfect for kayak explorations and pitching your tent with the lake in the background.

    View

  2. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  3. Woman taking a photo on a bike path

    Bike, Beers, Shore Thing!

    The coastal community of Redwood Shores may be known for its tech campuses, but this 8.5-mile bike loop explores the natural side of this beautiful peninsula. With a brew pub bonus!

    View

  4. Sheep Tight!

    You’re not going to have to count sheep to get a good night’s sleep at Sheep Dung’s beautiful property in Anderson Valley near Boonville. Four modern cottages—tucked far apart from each other among 500 acres of rolling hills—are designed for blissful solitude. And it’s dog-friendly!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. All the Wright Stuff

    Avoiding drama? That’s a good thing. Unless you’re talking about campsites. In that case, the more dramatic the better! And Wright’s Beach on the Sonoma Coast is quite the drama queen—27 campsites sitting smack dab in the middle of the wild and raging Sonoma Coast State Beach.

    View
  2. kirk creek campground big sur

    Sur Bet!

    You can spend $1,000 a night for an ocean-view room in Big Sur. Or you can spend $45 and wake up to the sound of crashing waves and incredible views of Big Sur’s coastline when staying at Kirk Creek Campground.

    View

  3. Secret Redwoods + Camping by the River

    Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is a little-known gem where skyscraping reds (the tallest living trees in the world!) fly under the radar. Grizzly’s ironically small size and location off the beaten path provide near total seclusion, not to mention relaxing camping!

    View

  4. Three Falling

    Three waterfalls, and fewer people. McCloud Falls might be the best waterfall hike in Northern California. There are bigger waterfalls in the state, but it’s the whole package that makes this 4-mile (round-trip) hike truly memorable.

    View