The Presidio’s 1,491-acres encompass open shore, wild coastal bluffs, wooded hilltops, and beautiful gardens. The history of our nation can be traced in the historic structures and landscapes that exist in the midst of rare natural habitats. The Presidio’s key points of interest include:

Main Post

The Main Post is the historic “heart of the Presidio.” The origins of the Spanish El Presidio (or fort) are found here. The Main Post’s brick barracks, elegant Victorians, and manicured landscapes are among the park’s most beloved sights. This vital district is home to residential neighborhoods, more than 50 organizations, a bank, a post office, and a transit center. The Main Post is a great place to begin a visit, with popular destinations including the Visitor Center in the Officers’ Club, historic “Officers’ Row,” and the bowling alley. A project is underway to reestablish the central Main Parade Ground as a public gathering space.

Crissy Field

Crissy Field is an immensely popular recreational destination. The northern shoreline – restored by the National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and community stewards – features a promenade, a tidal marsh, a grass meadow, and picnic areas. Historic hangars and warehouses line the district’s southern border. Highlights include Crissy Field Center, Fort Point National Historic Site, Cavalry Stables, the Warming Hut café, Torpedo Wharf, a marine sanctuary visitor center, and East Beach.

Letterman District

Located at the park’s main gateway, the Letterman District blends the new and the old in a campus where people live, work, and visit. Many buildings formerly part of the historic Letterman Hospital complex now house a variety of organizations. Along the district’s eastern edge, the new Letterman Digital Arts Center is a pedestrian-friendly campus devoted to innovation in the digital arts.

Mountain Lake

Mountain Lake’s fresh waters once sustained the Presidio’s first Spanish settlers. Its tranquil shores now attract birds, wildlife, and many visitors. The Presidio Trust, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Park Service are improving water quality, restoring natural habitats, and creating new visitor amenities like trails and benches. Mountain Lake borders San Francisco’s Mountain Lake Park and Playground.

Baker Beach, Bluffs, and Batteries

The Presidio’s western edge harbors the surf and sand of Baker Beach, historic coastal defense batteries, and ecologically rich native plant habitats. Spring wildflowers, blazing sunsets, and magnificent Golden Gate views make this a favorite destination. From the California Coastal Trail, see the Presidio’s most intact natural habitat and a memorial to World War II soldiers lost at sea. Stop by Immigrant Point overlook and picnic area on Washington Boulevard to take in Pacific Ocean views.

Cavalry Stables

Constructed in 1914, this collection of five charming brick stables overlooking Crissy Field and San Francisco Bay once housed cavalry company horses. Today, the district is home to the U.S. Park Police Mounted Patrol and the National Park Service Archive and Record Center. The Pet Cemetery – a touching reminder of family life during the Army era – lies nearby.

Fort Scott

Fort Scott is a tranquil campus of stately Mission Revival barracks bounded by forests, bluffs, and a horseshoe-shaped parade ground. Once headquarters to the Coastal Artillery Corps, the area awaits revitalization. The district is home to several residential neighborhoods, as well as the Native Plant Nursery and the Presidio Reuse, Recycling, and Education Center.

Residential Neighborhoods

Soldiers and their families made their home in the Presidio for two centuries. As a result, the park has 21 distinct and architecturally diverse residential neighborhoods built from the 1860s through the 1970s. Today, these homes have been rehabilitated and are occupied by people who work in the park as well as members of the general public. About 2,700 people live in the park. Periodic house tours offer a glimpse of what military life was like and illustrate what it’s like to live in the park today.

San Francisco National Cemetery

San Francisco National Cemetery is a poignant reminder of the Presidio as a place of service and sacrifice. The cemetery is the final resting place for 30,000 people, including 35 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients and 450 Buffalo Soldiers, all African-American regiments established by Congress in 1866 to patrol America’s western frontier. A major Memorial Day commemoration takes place here each year.

Presidio Golf Course

Founded in 1895, Presidio Golf Course is one of the oldest courses on the West Coast. Traditionally restricted to military officers, today the course and its newly constructed clubhouse are open to the public. Presidio Golf Course has been recognized as a leader in environmentally sensitive golf course management.

Lobos Creek Valley

Lobos Creek Valley shelters San Francisco’s last free-flowing stream, a water source for the Presidio community and a haven for flora and fauna. The southwest corner of the park is home to recently restored dune habitat with many native plant species on display. Visitors can enjoy glimpses of wildlife from the Lobos Creek Valley Trail.

Historic Forest

First planted in the 1880s, the Presidio’s 300-acre forest is historically significant, ecologically valuable, and beautiful. Whether shading hikers on nearby trails, framing panoramic views, or highlighting historic neighborhoods, the forest enhances the Presidio landscape. Now more than 100 years old, its aging pine and cypress groves are being carefully maintained and gradually replanted.

Public Health Service Hospital

Seafaring soldiers from around the world were once cared for within this campus on the park’s southern boundary near Mountain Lake. The Presidio population of California Quail finds habitat here. An effort to preserve the historic hospital through residential uses is now in progress. Planning is also underway for new trail extensions and an overlook that will better connect the area to Mountain Lake and offer panoramic views of the Lobos Creek Valley.

Tennessee Hollow

Tennessee Hollow is the Presidio’s largest watershed, encompassing about one-fifth of the park. It drains the southeastern Presidio from Inspiration Point to the Crissy Field. Tennessee Hollow has a significant human and natural history. Its spring-fed tributaries provide freshwater to Crissy Field marsh and support diverse habitats and wildlife. The area includes some of the Presidio’s oldest residential neighborhoods, the El Polin Spring picnic area, athletic fields, trails such as Lovers’ Lane, and scenic vistas. The Presidio Trust is examining how to restore and enhance habitats in Tennessee Hollow and share the area’s history with the visiting public.