Fort Mason, once an historic army post located at the edge of the San Francisco Bay, is the headquarters for both the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Paved, accessible trails connect Fort Mason's upper and lower units. In between, the Great Meadow slopes down from upper Fort Mason to the Marina. These grassy hilltops and hollows are great for picnicking, sunbathing, walking, or sports activities. The meadow also offers wonderful views of San Francisco's hilly skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Brochure for Fort Mason History Walk - a self guided tour - at Fort Mason at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Brochure Fort Mason Center History Tour - a self guided tour - at Fort Mason at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Brochure Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915 at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Brochure Fort Barry History Tour - An Army Post Standing Guard Over the Marin Headlands - at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Brochure Fort Cronkhite History Walk - A World War II Army Post That Helped Defend San Francisco - at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Brochure Protecting the Snowy Plover at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Golden Gate NRA - Mori Point
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/fort-mason.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mason
Fort Mason, once an historic army post located at the edge of the San Francisco Bay, is the headquarters for both the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Paved, accessible trails connect Fort Mason's upper and lower units. In between, the Great Meadow slopes down from upper Fort Mason to the Marina. These grassy hilltops and hollows are great for picnicking, sunbathing, walking, or sports activities. The meadow also offers wonderful views of San Francisco's hilly skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
Fort Mason History Walk
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
GOLDEN GATE
NATIONAL
RECREATION AREA
Fort Mason
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
PIER 3 -
Bay Trail
Firehouse
N
LION
PAVILLIO
L PAVIL
HERBST
FESTIVA
PIER 2 -
PIER 1
Gas
House
Cove
F
AC
M
Cowell
Theater
A
C
241
Hostel 240
TON
S
N
U
F
239
E
San Francisco
Maritime NHP
Headquarters
& Library
6
R
FO
T
OR
F
ER
stairs
ON
Community
Gardens
8
S
MA
Gatehouse
ST
BEACH
General’s
Residence
3
(William J. Whalen
Bldg 201)
1
2
RTHU
MACA
Rep. Phillip
Burton Statue
R
7
9
A ST
LAGUN
NORTH
231
GGNRA &
GGNPC HQ
Great Meadow
MARIN
232
POINT
POINT
SS AVE
VAN NE
NORTH
ST
IN ST
FRANKL
T
GOUGH
OCTAV
NAN ST
BUCHA
UPPER
FORT MASON
MAIN ENTRANCE
BA Y S
NORTH
UR
ARTH
MAC
A BLVD
rail
T
Bay
2
ST
KLIN
A
TM
P
Marina
Safeway
4
238
PE
R
WE
UP
en
To Gold e
dg
Gate Bri
3
FRAN
N
SO
Fort Mason
Center Office
Sea Scout
Base
stairs
5
235
LO
FORT MASON
CENTER
ENTRANCE
stairs
PO
Fort Mason
Center
B
W
DO
D
LR
EL
4
D
A Reflection of San Francisco
Through Time
Municipal Pier
Black Point
IA ST
THE ROUTE
Length: Approximately 0.5-mile
Number of Stops: 9
Time required: Approximately 45 minutes
Access: The route is paved, but watch for
steps and cracked pavement.
Accessible restrooms are located at the
southwest corner of the Great Meadow
(see map).
For more information, visit the Pacific
West Information Center located at:
the Argonaut Hotel
495 Jefferson Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 561-4700
www.nps.gov/goga
A 19th Century Army Post on a San Francisco bluff
Welcome to Fort Mason. Step back in time to visit Civil War-era
buildings and streetscapes. This self-guided walking tour of Fort
Mason suggests a specific walking order. However, there are also
interpretative waysides that provide you with additional information,
so feel free to wander and explore what interests you.
Please be advised that most of the Fort Mason buildings and residences are currently occupied; visits to their interiors are not allowed.
Please keep in mind that Golden Gate National Recreation Area is an
urban park and exercise common sense while using its trails, especially after dark.
Start the tour in front of the William J. Whalen building.
1 Defending the Bay
The San Francisco Bay Area, long recognized as a land rich with
economic opportunity, has historically attracted the attention of
expanding nations, including Spain, Mexico, Great Britain, Russia,
and the United States. In 1776, the Spanish settlers arrived to this
area and established Spain’s northernmost outpost, a presidio and
a Catholic mission. The Spanish recognized that this hilltop promontory was an obvious choice for the defensive fortifications and built
the Batteria San Jose here in 1797.
When the United States took control of California in 1846, one of
the military’s first priorities was to protect the rich bay from both the
British and Russians who maintained extensive fur trapping interests
up and down the Pacific coast. Recognizing the geographic and economic importance of the San Francisco Bay and the need to transport gold cargo safely, the army identified locations that were well
suited to national defense. In 1850, President Millard Fillmore established this land as a military reservation, designating it Point San
Jose.
Point San Jose with Civil War-era army buildings. Notice that the adjacent
neighborhood is mostly sand dunes and industrial buildings.
(image circa 1865)
From the headquarters building, turn left on MacArthur Street;
continue up the street and stop at the corner of Pope and
MacArthur. Look south past Fort Mason, toward the city, and try to
imagine this area without the trees, buildings and skyscrapers.
On the cover: Fort Mason, aerial view, circa 1920s.
All images from Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Park Archives and Record Center, unless otherwise noted.
2
Fort Mason History Walk: An Army Post at the Edge of San Francisco
National Park Service
3
2 Gold Rush Transforms San Francisco
When California became a state in 1846, the first government seat
was 150 miles away in Monterey and San Francisco was a sleepy port
town. There were less than one thousand inhabitants in the city; sailors, fishermen, whalers, and fur trappers lived in temporary woodframe shacks around the waterfront. Except for the presidio and
Mission Delores, young San Francisco had few permanent buildings.
In January 1848, gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada foothills
and San Francisco was changed forever. People flocked to California
From all over the world to seek their fortune. Almost overnight, the
gold rush transformed San Francisco into a booming city filled with
makeshift tent-houses, hotels, stores, saloons, gambling halls, and
shanties. By 1849, as the gold rush fever swept through the country,
the city’s population exploded to a staggering 25,000. Because of
the rapid population rate,
Fort Mason Center History Tour
Gateway to the Pacific
San Francisco Port of Embarkation (circa 1933)
National Park Service
U. S. Department of the Interior
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Pier 3
Pier 2
Pier 1
2
A
Fort Mason
Center Office
6
B
C
D
5
Bay Tra
Firehou
F
se
ll
we
o
D
Mc
Rd
E
3
Hostel
4
1
Fort Mason Center
stairs
Franklin St
Fort Mason
Center
Entrance
Upper Fort Mason
Park
Headquarters
Gateho
use
Marina Blvd
ail
Bay Tr
Laguna St
Great
Meadow
201
?
THE ROUTE
orth Point
Length: About ½ mile
Number of Stops: 6
Time Required:
About 45 minutes
Access: Fort Mason
Center is accessible.
The Fort Mason Center
office, located in Building
A, is open daily from 8:30
am to 8:00 pm.
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™
Phone (415) 345-7500 or visit
online at www.fortmason.org.
Public restrooms are located in
Buildings B, C and D. The Golden
Gate National Recreation Area
information center, located in
Building 201, at upper Fort Mason
is open Monday through Friday,
8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Phone (415)
561-4700 or visit online at
www.nps.gov/goga.
“In a conflict fought on foreign soil, success is absolutely
dependent on the number of soldiers and the quantity of
material that can be moved to the overseas commands, and
[the] timeliness with which they are delivered.”
—Chester Wardlow, Chief Historian, Transportation Corps
Welcome to Fort Mason Center, a national model of building
reuse and community programs and home to a lively variety
of creative organizations. The U.S. Army’s original pier sheds,
warehouses, and machinery shops now house theater programs,
art and music schools, restaurants, and innovative museums.
But before the buildings rang with the sounds of drumming or
dance practice, they played a much different role.
From 1915 through the 1950s, this area served as the San
Francisco Port of Embarkation (SFPE), the army’s major West
Coast shipping port and a giant supply funnel that provided
provisions to remote military outposts. Most remarkably, during
the 45 months of World War II, over 1.6 million military men and
women and more than 23.5 million ship tons of material left the
docks here and sailed through the Golden Gate on their way to
islands in the Pacific Ocean.
2
All images from GGNRA, Park Archives & Records Center unless otherwise noted.
Even before all three pier sheds were completed, the depot
was able to accommodate four transport ships at a time. In this
photo, the site is still grass and dirt; the railroad tracks have not
been laid yet (circa 1915).
Imagine the sight that greeted the newly inducted soldier
arriving at SFPE in 1942 on his way to island battlefields: Massive
sheds packed to the rafters with provisions, everything from
food and sub-machine guns to tanks. Trains carrying more
supplies rattling along the tracks, and ships’ cargo booms
loading and unloading the goods. Master sergeants shouting
orders to line up and wait, trucks maneuvering through the
densely built structures, and gulls wheeling and screeching
overhead. During the war years, this was a tumultuous place.
Although this brochure suggests a specific route, feel free
to wander, exploring what interests you most. Note: Please
remember that while the Fort Mason Center buildings are
open to the public, some are occupied by groups conducting
business; your consideration of their privacy is appreciated.
Start the tour in front of the Fort Mason Center office in
Building A. Compare the view in front of you to the historic
photograph on the front cover. Some of the shed buildings have
been removed, but look down at the pavement to see remnants
of the train tracks that ran directly into them. Notice that in the
cover photo, Building A has not yet been constructed; it was
built in 1935 as a marine repair shop.
3
STOP 1: LIFELINE TO THE PACIFIC
Until the end of the 19th century, the United States had
never fought a significant war overseas; most of its political
and economic struggles had been internal. With the SpanishAmerican War (1898), however, American men were sent into
battle in the Philippines, thousands of miles from home. For the
first time, our nation became an international power, one with
troops and permanent overseas garrisons in the Philippines,
China, Guam, and the Hawaiian Islands.
Everything that these far-flung American troops needed had
to be delivered to them by large, ocean-going cargo ships.
To support the transport effort, the army rented private
docks and warehouses along the city’s waterfront. After the
1906 earthquake destroyed most of these buildings, the War
Department authorized the construction of an army general
depot in San Francisco.
For the new depot location, the army chose Fort Mason over
the Presidio because it was closer to the city and the proposed
railway expansion, and the bay’s currents were less challenging
here. Fort Mason, originally reserved in 1850 to take advantage
of its strategic location, had been fortified during the Civil War
to pro
Golden Gate
Golden Gate
National Recreation Area
California
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
If we in the Congress do not act, the majestic
area where sea and bay and land meet
in a glorious symphony of nature will be doomed.
—US Rep. Phillip Burton,1972
Muir Beach; below left:
osprey with prey
Alcatraz
Native plant nursery
NPS / MARIN CATHOLIC HS
NPS / ALISON TAGGART-BARONE
Tennessee Valley; above:
view from Marin Headlands
toward city
BOTH PHOTOS NPS / KIRKE WRENCH
HORSE AND VOLUNTEER—NPS / ALISON TAGGARTBARONE; HEADLANDS—NPS / KIRKE WRENCH
Petaluma
Tomales
37
101
1
For city dwellers, it’s not always easy to experience national
parks without traveling long distances. A new idea emerged in
the early 1970s: Why not bring parks to the people? In 1972
Congress added two urban expanses to the National Park System:
Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay
area and its eastern counterpart Gateway National Recreation
Area in New York and New Jersey.
Gulf of the Farallones
National Marine Sanctuary
140 miles of trails
80
Richmond
Rosie the Riveter /
WWII Home Front
National Historical
Park
580
Muir Woods
Stinson Beach
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Muir Beach
Angel Island
State Park
101
80
Fort Point
Presidio
Cliff House
SAN
FRANCISCO
Ocean Beach
Farallon National
Wildlife Refuge
Berkeley
Alcatraz
Marin Headlands
FIC
78 shipwrecks
species
See below
for detail
Bolinas Lagoon
758 historic structures
San
Rafael
Marin Municipal
Water District
1
10,000 years of history
S AN PAB L O
B AY
Samuel P. Taylor
State Park
Olema Valley
36,000 park volunteers
35 threatened or endangered
Novato
Point Reyes
National Seashore
81,000 acres of parklands
29,000 yearly raptor sightings
Vallejo
Tomales Bay
CI
Fort Funston
San Francisco
Maritime National
Historical Park
101
S AN
F R ANC IS C O
B AY
Milagra Ridge
280
12 sand beaches
OC
3 lighthouses
EA
1 Golden Gate
N
Come here for the natural cathedral of coast redwoods at Muir
Woods or to experience for yourself the harsh conditions on
Alcatraz Island. But don’t overlook the out-ofthe-way places to savor the scents of bay laurel and sage, cool morning fog, waves crashing
on the headlands, or a tapestry of native spring wildflowers. Golden Gate National Recreation Area invites you to
enjoy, explore, and find your own way to experience the parks
at the Golden Gate.
GOLDEN GATE
BY THE NUMBERS
PA
At nearly 81,000 acres, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
is the nation’s largest national park unit in an urban setting.
It extends well north and south of San Francisco (see map at
right). Along with other public lands and waters in the
region, it is recognized by the United Nations as Golden
Gate Biosphere Reserve. Offshore, Gulf of the
Farallones and Monterey Bay national marine
sanctuaries protect ocean habitat and many
threatened and endangered species,
while allowing for compatible
human uses. The national recreation area’s role as the Bay Area’s backyard continues to evolve in ways its early proponents
never imagined. Renewable energy powers public buildings and
transportation. People of all abilities use accessible trails and
other facilities, engaging in activities that promote health and
wellness. Volunteers do everything from conducting tours to
helping restore native habitat.
Golden Gate NRA
legislative boundary
Countless things to discover
Golden Gate NRA water
legislative boundary
Other public land
0
Mori Point
Pacifica
1
Rancho Corral
de Tierra
Sweeney Ridge
San Francisco
Peninsula
San
Watershed
Mateo 101
Half Moon Bay
North
0
See other side
for detail
10 Kilometers
Monterey Bay
National Marine Sanctuary
35
Phleger Estate
1
10 Miles
1
280
Experience Your Parks
Park volunteers contribute
to just about every aspect of
your experience at Golden
Gate National Recreation Area.
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVANCY / EDDIE ARAUJO
WHERE TO BEGIN
Golden Gate National
Recreation Area includes
Alcatraz, Fort Point National
Historic Site, Muir Woods
National Monument, and
dozens more natural and
historic places (see maps on
both sides of this brochure).
There are visitor informa
tion centers at Alcatraz,
Fort Point National Historic
Site, Golden Gate Bridge
Pavilion, Land’s End, Marin
Headlands, Muir Woods Na
tional Monument, Pacifica,
and Presidio.
Information and schedules
are available on site or at
www.nps.gov/goga. For a
calendar of events and
interactive trip planning
map, go to www.parks
conservancy.org.
Alcatraz Reservations
highly recommended: 415981-ROCK (415-981-7625)
or www.alcatrazcruises.com.
Ferries leave from Pier 33
(see map at right). Be
advised that America the
Beautiful Pass does not
cover ferry ride.
Muir Woods National Monument Reservations
required! Visit early in the
day for a more relaxed and
crowd-free time in the
redwoods. Make parking or
shuttle reservations at:
GoMuirWoods.com or call
1-800-410-2419.
(www.bart.gov), Marin
Coun
Stinson Beach
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
History
Shell mounds found near the beach suggest
that Coast Miwoks were one of the first
human residents of the area. They thrived
on local salmon, trout, mussels, and clams,
building homes and boats of willows and tule
reeds.
By 1822, California was claimed by Mexico.
The beach and lagoon areas, named "Rancho
Baulinas" for the local baleen whales, was
given as a land grant to Rafael Garcia by 1836.
Over the years, cattle ranching and an apple
farm brought economic prosperity to the
quiet region. However, with no roads leading
Transition & Tradition
The town began to evolve in the 1890's, when
Nathan and Rose Stinson began to set up
tents among the beach-side willow trees.
They were calling their new tourist destination
"Willow Camp." In 1896, the Mill Valley and
Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railroad brought rail
service to nearby West Point Inn. Visitors
could now ride a ferry and train from San
Francisco and then catch a stagecoach down
to Willow Camp, all within one day.
The community blossomed following the
1906 earthquake, when displaced families
from San Francisco built some of the town's
earliest businesses. Automobiles which made
travelling to remote locals more accessible
started appearing in the town renamed
Stinson Beach in 1916. With the completion
of the Panoramic Highway in 1928 and the
Golden Gate Bridge in 1937, Stinson Beach
became a popular weekend destination for
weary San Franciscans.
During World War II, the threat of attack
changed the quiet community.
The
surrounding hills bristled with gun
emplacements and military personnel became
a common sight. Following the war, the guns
were removed, but many soldiers who served
in the area stayed to make Stinson Beach their
home.
During the late 1800s, Stinson was part of
a popular resort area, and continued to
attract tourists. In 1839, the County of
Marin purchased it for camping and
picnicking, and the US Coast Guard used part
of it during WWII. The beach was turned
over to the State of California in 1950 to
help preserve the quiet charm of Stinson
Beach. By the latter half of the 20th century,
modern transportation made the area easily
accessible, and the pastoral setting was in
danger.
Soon after the establishment of the Golden
Gate National Recreation Area in 1972, the
beach, as well as much of the land east and
north of town, came under the jurisdiction
of the National Park Service.
Emma Reiman was an early
winner in the Women’s Dipsea
“Hike,” run from 1918-1922.
Preservation
to the village until 1870, visitors were few and
far between.
Over the last century one tradition has
endured — the annual Dipsea Race. Begun in
1905 and run each June, it attracts runners
from all over the world. The rigorous and
historic Dipsea Trail is over 7 miles long, from
Mill Valley to Stinson Beach, passing through
forests and meadows, hills and valleys. The
race is the second oldest footrace in the
United States.
Today, visitors continue to experience the
pleasures of this quiet beach community.
Whether hiking, enjoying a picnic,
exploring the town, or relaxing on the
beach, people continue to find Stinson
Beach a great place to escape from the
frantic pace of everyday life, just as it has been
for over a century.
In Case of
Emergency:
• Emergency 911
OR cell 472-0911
• Park Dispatch 561-5510
For Further
Information:
(all 415 area code)
• Information and
Weather 868-1922
• Lifeguard Tower
868-0942
• Muir Woods 388-2596
• Pantoll Ranger Station
(Mt. Tamalpais
State Park) 388-2070
• Golden Gate Transit
455-2000
• Special Park
Uses Office (Permits)
561-4300
• Parking lot cars left in
the parking lot after
closing will be
ticketed. If you are
unable to remove your
vehicle please contact
a ranger or leave a note
on the windshield and
notify park dispatch.
Recreational Activities
Park Hours
Safety
Stinson Beach is open year round every day.
The entrance gates open at 9:00 a.m. Closing
times vary depending on season. Check the
posted sign when you enter the parking lot.
Swimming is only recommended from late
May to mid-September when lifeguards are
on duty. Watch your children and keep them
in reach at all times. Never turn your back on
the ocean. Unexpected large waves, called
"sneaker waves,” can wash farther up the
shore than expected. People entering shallow
water can be caught in rip currents and
quickly pulled out into deep water. Rip
currents are strong, swift-moving channels of
water rushing from the shore out to sea. If you
are caught in a one: stay calm and swim
parallel to the beach until you are out of the
current, then swim toward the shore with
incoming waves. If you need assistance, wave
your arms and yell for help.
Facilities
Stinson Beach facilities include rest rooms,
showers, picnic areas, and BBQ grills. A snack
bar is open during summer months at the
base of the main lifeguard tower. Rest rooms
are located along the beach a
Cliff House & Sutro Baths
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Cliff House
Since 1863, visitors have been attracted to the western shore of San Francisco to
refresh themselves at the Cliff House. There have been three different Cliff Houses,
each with a story of its own.
Original Cliff House
(1863–1894)
The first Cliff House was a modest structure built in 1863, and enlarged in 1868. The
guest register bore the names of three U.S.
presidents as well as prominent San Francisco families such as the Hearsts, Stanfords
and Crockers. Patrons would drive carriages
across the dunes to Ocean Beach for horse
racing and recreation. In 1881, the Cliff House
was bought by Adolph Sutro, a self-made millionaire, philanthropist, and later mayor of
San Francisco. A few years later, Sutro and his
cousin began construction on a railroad that
would later bring the public to this seaside
attraction. On Christmas Day, 1894, the first
Cliff House was destroyed by fire.
Victorian Cliff House
(1896–1907)
Sutro spent $75,000 to rebuild and furnish
the Cliff House in grandiose style. Opened in
1896, the Victorian Cliff House stood eight
stories tall, with spires and an observation
tower 200 feet above the sea. It was an elegant
site for dining, dancing and entertainment. At
ground level, there was a large dining room,
parlor, bar, numerous private dining rooms
and kitchens. Upper floors offered private
lunchrooms, a large art gallery, a gem exhibit,
a photo gallery, a reception room, parlors
and panoramic views from large windows
and an open-air veranda. This was the most
resplendent of all the Cliff House buildings,
but it was to be short lived. Surviving the 1906
earthquake, the grand structure succumbed
to a raging fire the following year.
Today’s Cliff House
(1909–Present)
Above: Today’s Cliff House, circa 1940 San Francisco Historical Center, San Francisco Public Library
Cover: Victorian Cliff House, 1896-1907 GGNRA, Park Interp, 80-63
(rev. 12/07)
Sutro’s daughter Emma built a third Cliff
House, which opened in 1909 and is largely
the building that exists today. It was neoclassical in design and carried on the tradition
of sumptuous dining. World War I and the
Great Depression took their toll on the area,
however, and the Sutro family sold the Cliff
House in 1937 to other operators. The Cliff
House was remodeled several more times
before the National Park Service acquired it
in 1977 to become part of the Golden Gate
National Recreation Area. Start in 2002, the
Cliff House underwent a two year rehabilitation to return it to its neoclassical design. An
adjacent Sutro Wing was added at that time to
improve access to ocean views, allowing diners
and visitors alike to continue the long tradition
of enjoying the magnificent Pacific from the
Cliff House high above Seal Rocks.
Point of Contention
Above: Sutro Baths Main
Entrance, circa 1900
Marilyn Blaisdell Collection
Right: Sutro Baths Interior,
looking south, circa 1900
California Historic Society, FN24140
The concrete ruins just north of the Cliff
House are the remains of the grand Sutro
Baths. In 1881, Adolph Sutro bought most
of the western headlands of San Francisco
and made his home there. Fifteen years later,
Sutro Baths opened to a dazzled public at an
estimated cost of over $1-million. Spread
over three acres, the Baths boasted impressive engineering and artistic detail.
A classic Greek portal opened to a massive
glass enclosure containing seven swimming
pools at various temperatures. There were
slides, trapezes, springboards and a high
dive. Together the pools held 1.7 million
gallons of water and could be filled in one
hour by high tides. There were 20,000 bathing suits and 40,000 towels for rent. Balmy
temperatures and abundant plants enhanced
“California’s Tropical Winter Garden.” The
Baths could accommodate 10,000 people at
one time.
Entertainment
Sutro’s dream was realized as San Franciscans streamed to the Baths on one of three
railroads connected to the city. An amphitheater, seating up to 3,700 people, provided
a variety of stage shows. Three restaurants
could accommodate 1,000 people at a sitting.
There were natural history exhibits, galleries of sculptures, paintings, tapestries and
artifacts from Mexico, China, Asia, and the
Middle East and the Middle East, including
the popular Egyptian mummies.
Enjoy a Safe Visit
For all their glamour and excitement, the
Baths were not commercially successful. Sutro’s grandson converted part of the
Baths into an ice-skating rink in 1937, a task
expanded on in the early 1950’s by new owner
George Whitney. Sutro Baths never regained
its popularity and the ice-skating revenue
was not enough to maintain the enormous
building. In 1964, developers bought the site
with plans to replace the Baths with high-rise
apartments. A fi e in 1966 quickly fi ished the
demolition work, but the apartment scheme
was never realized.
The Baths became part of the Golden G
Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915
The World Meets in San Francisco
Begin the walk under the rotunda of the Palace of Fine Arts.
Stop 1: Come to the Fair
In 1915, San Francisco welcomed nearly 19 million people from
all over the world for a grand experience, the Panama-Pacific
International Exposition. The dramatic and ornate “Jewel City”
stretched for three miles along San Francisco’s northern coastline.
Each day, throngs of people visited the exposition, strolling along
wide boulevards and elegant gardens, visiting massive palaces
and pavilions that displayed the world’s cultures, art, objects and
advances in technologies. For 288 days, the International Exposition
exhibited human ingenuity, determination and a more connected
world. The cultural and technological influences of the Exposition
would spread from a local to a worldwide stage.
1
Panama-Pacific International Exposition: The World Meets in San Francisco
The Panama-Pacific Exposition Company, led by ambitious San
Francisco businessmen and politicians, created the fair in part to
celebrate the 1914 United States completion of the Panama Canal,
an engineering wonder that shortened travel between the east and
west coasts of North America by 8,000 miles. In planning this event,
the company faced almost insurmountable trials: the destructive
San Francisco earthquake, huge fundraising challenges, the massive
infrastructure required to create a world’s fair and the violent
beginning of the Great War in Europe.
In 1904, Reuben Hale and his group of San Francisco Merchant
Associates were so confident of the city’s economic role in the
United States that they proposed to host an exposition. Like the
very popular Chicago and St. Louis World’s Fairs, this exposition
would draw visitors to their beautiful city, create significant revenue
National Park Service
2
and highlight the city’s income potential. However, in April 1906,
a violent earthquake hit San Francisco. The earthquake and
subsequent fire, declared one of America’s worst natural disasters,
destroyed five hundred city blocks and displaced over half of the
city’s population. Despite the loss of their businesses, the San
Francisco merchants held fast to their grand idea and continued to
encourage political support for the fair, even as they rebuilt their
shattered city.
San Francisco citizens threw themselves into the city’s campaign
to be the official Panama Exposition location. Their tremendous
congressional lobbying and aggressive fundraising efforts paid
off. In 1911, President Howard Taft declared San Francisco the
official winning site, beating out New Orleans, San Diego, Boston
and Washington, D.C. With just over four years to opening, the
exposition managers launched into frenzied planning to design
and construct the most impressive fair city ever experienced by the
world. Fair planners, committees and artistic directors designed and
constructed buildings, sculptures, gardens and every imaginable
amenity for expected visitors.
Walk north towards the San Francisco Bay. Carefully cross Marina Boulevard/
Mason Street, turn left and walk west staying on the paved trail that runs along
Mason Street towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Stop after crossing the exit for
East Beach and when the row of white buildings to your left ends. Turn to your
left and face south, towards the Presidio.
Stop 2: Inviting the World
Directly in front of you were located the Canadian, Chinese and
Argentinian pavilions, along the Avenue of Nations that ran
diagonally from here to Lombard Street. In 1911, President Taft
issued an invitation to the world, encouraging nations to participate
in the fair and display their resources, their industries and their
progress. Exhibition event planners suggested grand international
events such as an Around the World Flight and a parade of world
3
Panama-Pacific International Exposition: The World Meets in San Francisco
The pavilion of Siam (today’s Thailand) portrayed a royal Buddhist temple
(left). The Canadian Pavilion (right) was a massive structure. Though the
exposition buildings appeared to be huge and imposing, they were
constructed with their temporary lifespan in mind.Most had wood or steel
framing, but were covered with wire and plaster for speed of construction
and ease of removal at the end of the fair. Images courtesy of the California
State Library.
naval fleets; however, they had to abandon these plans with the
onset of the war in Europe. Exposition President Charles Moore
made a quick response to the press reports of war and questions
about its impact on the fair…
“Tragic as the situation was it opened new possibilities and set a new
purpose for the Exposition: to help keep the torch of civilization
burning and the feeling of international amity alive, and to go
forward might become an instrument in the restoration of peace.
The world needed the Exposition and its opening would not be
postponed.”
National Park Service
3
4
Though the war affe
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Fort Barry History Tour
Fort Barry - Marin Headlands
Golden Gate National Parks
An Army Post Standing Guard Over the Marin Headlands
Fort Barry soldiers with dairy
cows. In the early years, the
military and the dairy community lived peacefully side-by-side.
However, cows did not always
respect military boundaries and
occasionally Fort Barry soldiers
had to round up wayward dairy
cows. (Photo circa 1920)
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM
Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks
(rev. 1/2011)
Marin Headlands
Visitor Center
FORT BARRY
Bunker
Road
Rode
o
on
Lago
Battery
Smith-Guthrie
Battery
Alexander
1
Fie
l
d
Battery
Mendell
ds
6
Historic
Rife Range
2
(one
way)
Length:
5 miles
Time required:
From 1–2 hours, depending on your means of travel.
Accessibility:
The route around the post is paved but watch for steps and
cracked pavement. The batteries are not wheelchair accessible.
Restrooms:
Public bathrooms are located at the west end of the Marin
Headlands Visitor Center parking lot.
For your safety:
If you are driving, please pull over to take photographs. Take
extra caution when walking around the batteries as they have
deteriorated in some places. Many of the buildings referenced
on the tour are occupied by “park partner” non-proft groups
conducting business; please be respectful during your visit.
Bonita
Cove
3
1
Tour Stop
Accessible
Parking
North
Restrooms
Point
Bonita
1
This tour leads you through diferent parts of historic Fort Barry, covering 5 hilly
miles through the Marin Headlands. Stop #1 and Stop # 2 are a comfortable,
1-mile walk where you can spend a pleasant hour wandering through the historic
buildings. Stops # 3 to # 7 are farther apart and cover approximately 4 miles so
they are better accessed by car. This tour also intersects with the Lagoon Trail and
the Coastal Trail.
Number of stops: 7
Battery
Rathbone/McIndoe
Battery
Wallace
4
Simmon
5
Hostel
Co
nz
elm
an
Road
Nike
Site
YMCA
7
Stables
Headlands
Center for
the Arts
The Route
Fort Barry History Tour: An Army Post Standing Guard Over the Marin Headlands
Welcome to Fort Barry, a 1908 army post that
protected San Francisco with a line of gun batteries perched at the edge of the Pacifc Ocean.
Fort Barry is one of three historic military posts
located in the Marin Headlands. Fort Barry,
Fort Baker and Fort Cronkhite were all constructed at different times and the army managed each post separately. However, during
wartime, all three posts fell under the jurisdiction of the Harbor Defenses of San Francisco.
National Park Service
Cover: Fort Barry soldiers
on their day off visit Battery
Mendell with their lady friends.
(Photo circa 1908)
All images from Golden Gate
National Recreation Area,
Park Archives and Record Center, unless otherwise noted.
2
1 The U.S. Army in Marin County
From the Marin Headlands Visitor Center
parking lot, please take a moment to look at
the landscape around you at Fort Barry to the
east and Rodeo Lagoon and the Pacifc Ocean
to the west. Keep in mind that San Francisco
and the Golden Gate straits are close by, just
over the hills to the south.
In response, Secretary of War William C.
Endicott made sweeping recommendations
for all major seaports, and proposals to
modernize and re-arm all the seacoast forts.
The “Endicott Program,” as it was informally
known, became an expression of America’s
new awareness of herself as a growing
imperial power, the rise in the country’s
industrial strength, and the new developments in military technology.
Before Europeans arrived here, the Coast
Miwok lived on these lands for centuries.
During the 18th and 19th century the Span- After the Spanish-American War (1898)
ish and then later the Mexicans settled here. was over, the army turned its attention
During the 19th century, prior to the U.S.
towards the Marin Headlands, focusing
military moving into the area, Marin County on the seacoast fortifcations at the outer
was best known for its very successful dairy
line of defenses north of the Golden Gate.
ranching community. The open land to the
Between 1901 and 1905, the army connorth was once dotted with small, indistructed fve powerful batteries at Fort
vidual ranches that produced quality milk
Barry that represented the new Endicottproducts for San Francisco. San Francisco
period upgrades: Battery Mendell, Battery
Bay, just over the ridge to the south, with
Alexander, Battery Smith-Guthrie, Batits sheltered harbor, rich natural resources,
tery Samuel Rathbone and Battery Patrick
and mile-wide entrance, has long been
O’Rorke.
recognized as an ideal location for defense
of the naval and port facilities by seacoast
fortifcations at the harbor entrance. By the
From the Marin Headlands Visitor Center,
1850s, the U.S. Army realized that Marin’s
carefully walk from the parking lot, crossproximity to the ocean made for excellent
ing Field Road onto Bodsworth Street, and
defense sites an
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Fort Cronkhite History Walk
Fort Cronkhite - Marin Headlands
Golden Gate National Parks
A World War II Army Post That Helped Defend San Francisco
Fort Cronkhite soldiers stand at ease.
(Photo circa 1941)
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™
(Rev.Francisco
11/2010)
Fort Cronkhite History Walk: A World War II Army Post That Helped Defend San
1
National Park Service
2
FORT CRONKHITE
SAUSALITO, CA
2
RODEO
BEACH
1 WALK STOP
North
ACCESSIBLE
PARKING
TELEPHONE
M IT C
HELL
ROAD
1057
1050
1060
4
1058
5
ET
1061
1059
1049
6
RE
3
7
1071
ST
1056
1062
1070
1033
ET
EET
1034
1044
GG
1055
1063
8
1069
1045
1046
e
TO BA
TT
(COAS ERY TOWN
TAL TR
SLEY
AIL)
N STR
T
idg
1054
1064
E D IS O
STREE
1068
1077
t Br
1065
Restroom
1067
1042
AT R IC
K
Foo
1
K IR K P
HA
1066
RODEO
LAGOO
N
The Route
Length:
Number of Stops:
Time required:
Access:
About a ½ mile
8
About 45 to 60 minutes
The walking route follows paved roads but watch for
uneven surfaces. There is a short hill up Hagget Street
to Kirkpatrick Street.
Welcome to Fort Cronkhite! This
former military post, which was
established during WWII and used
through the Cold War, stands at
the edge of the Pacific Ocean and
was part of San Francisco’s first
line of defense against enemy
attack. In the early 1940s, the U.S.
Army constructed hundreds of
similar wood-frame, military posts
across the country. Now, nearly 70
years later, very few unaltered
examples of this type of military
architecture still exist. This selfguiding brochure takes you on a
walking tour of Fort Cronkhite,
providing you with historic
information about how the men
at this post lived during the war.
While a specific walking route
is suggested, please feel free to
wander, exploring what interests
you most.
Below: Fort Cronkhite soldiers conduct military
training in the area that is now the paved
parking lot. (1941)
Cover photo: Fort Cronkhite right after completion. (Photo circa 1941
Be Advised
If you are in a wheelchair, or need to
minimize walking, you can still enjoy
the tour by going down Edison Street,
where halfway down on the south
side between Buildings 1057 and 1058
there is an accessible concrete pad that
offers an overlook onto Building 1049
and Rodeo Beach. Non-profit groups,
our “park partners,” occupy most of the
Fort Cronkhite buildings and visits to the
buildings’ interiors are not allowed. Please
be respectful during your visit as people are
conducting business.
Restrooms can be found at the west end of the parking lot, adjacent to
Rodeo Beach. It is advisable to dress for wind and fog.
Questions? Please stop by the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, in the historic chapel building at the intersection of Bunker and Field roads. The visitor
center is open daily from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, or phone (415) 331-1540.
Please visit Marin Headlands at: www.nps.gov/goga/marin-headlands.htm
All images courtesy of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Park Archives and Record Center, unless otherwise noted.
1
Fort Cronkhite History Walk: A World War II Army Post That Helped Defend San Francisco
National Park Service
2
Battery Townsley
Fort Cronkhite
cantonment
Fort Cronkhite cantonment nestled into the Marin Headlands and Battery Townsley perched
above. If enemy attack came from the Pacifc, troops from Fort Cronkhite would man Battery
Townsley and other harbor defense installations dotting the beaches and hills. (Photo circa 1965)
Start the tour at the west end of the parking lot, near the information kiosk. Look towards
the buildings just across the parking lot.
1 Harbor Defenses of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay, with its sheltered harbor, rich natural resources, and single mile
wide entrance, has long been recognized
as an ideal location for military defense.
The Spanish established the Presidio of San
Francisco in 1776 to protect their interests
in the bay. During the 1850s and 1860s,
the United States Army identifed harbor
defense as one of the principle means for
protecting the seacoast, and therefore the
country. After the Gold Rush, the United
States Army constructed harbor defense
forts at Alcatraz, Fort Point, Angel Island
and Fort Mason.
3
Beginning in the 1890s, in order to use the
most modern military technology, the War
Department began upgrading the nation’s
seacoast forts by constructing new concrete
gun batteries and mounting state-of-theart artillery pieces. This modernization
program led to the construction of modern
fortifcations in the Marin hills overlooking
the Golden Gate. Between 1895 and 1905,
ten massive Coast Artillery batteries were
constructed and the army designated the
lands as Forts Baker and Barry. But by the
1920s, as a result of wartime technological
advances, the existing harbor defenses had
Fort Cronkhite History Walk: A World War II Army Post That Helped Defend San Francisco
become obsolete. Recognizing its inadequacies, the army declared that
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Park Service
Fort Funston
"it •
4
Hi
Disassembling the guns during "Operation Blowtorch" in 1948
Swords to Plowshares
The U.S. Army acquired these bluffs in 1900 to add a link in the chain of coastal artillery batteries lining the Golden Gate.
The fort is named for Major General Frederick Funston, famed for organizing relief efforts after the 1906 Earthquake. The
guns of Battery Richmond Davis(1938) could fire a shell 25 miles. Nike anti-aircraft missiles stood guard here from the
1950's until the fort's closure in 1963. Transferred to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1974, Fort Funston now
preserves military history, wildlife habitat and open space. The missile-mens' barracks house the Ranger Station and
Environmental Science Center, and the Nike Missile magazines lie below the main parking area.
Preserving the Dunes
Sand dune habitat once dominated San Francisco's
west side. Fort Funston preserves some of the area's
last natural dune systems. Exotic plants like Iceplant
threaten this habitat by displacing the native plants
upon which wildlife depend. Volunteers and park
staff have begun restoring habitat for Bank Swallows
and other wildlife by removing exotic species,
working in our native plant nursery and planting
native vegetation. Join us!
Native wildflowers of the dunes
(Aciual length 5")
Drawing by E.H.Gunderson
Bank Swallows: Life of the Edge
These dunes are home to Bank Swallows, which build their nests
in the steep, sandy banks of rivers or coastal cliffs. Once abundant,
-Bank-Swallow habitat-has swindlod-due to coasiaJ. dovolopmei^
and riverbank reinforcement, and in 1988 the State of California
listed Bank Swallows as a threatened species. Bank Swallows nest
here from April to July, and you can see their burrows year round
from the beach below Foil Funston's northern cliffs.
Protect Your Park and Yourself!
"Watching Hang Gliders: Best views are from observation deck. Avoid launch and landing areas.
Hiking Funston's Trails: Stay on designated trails; sandstone cliffs crumble easily.
Beachcombing: Please do not remove kelp or other natural debris, as shorebirds forage on it.
Walking your dog: Dogs must be leashed while in the Bank Swallow Site. Elsewhere, they must be either leashed or
under voice control at all times. You must carry a leash. Always pick up dog litter.
;t If you see any disturbance, call Park Dispatch at(415)561-5505. For more infonnation about Fort Funston, call (415) 239-2366.-*?
If you'd like to volunteer in the GGNRA,call (415)561-4325.
J.
Wildflowers of Golden Gate
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Golden Gate
National Recreation Area
Indian Paintbrush
Crimson Columbine
California Poppies
Franciscan Paintbrush
Mission Bells
Yellow Bush Lupine
Silver Bush Lupine
Their names are quaint reminders of the poetic language used by early
settlers: Footsteps-of-Spring, Baby Blue Eyes, Mission Bells, Milkmaids.
Their colors are vivid, although sometimes you have to crouch low to see
them. A walk on the park’s trails during peak wildflower season from late
February through June is a chance to appreciate the profusion of
wildflowers that once graced all of California. For more information about
wildflowers, stop at any of our park Visitor Centers.
Red / Pink Flowers
Checker-bloom;
Wild Hollyhock
Sidalcea malvaeflora
[March-May, grasslands]
Sticky Monkeyflower
Yarrow
Seaside Daisy
Coast Onion
Allium dichlamydeum
[April-July, rocky and serpentine soils]
Seaside Daisy
Erigeron glaucus
[March-May, grasslands]
Shooting Star
Dodecatheon hendersonii
[January-March, rocky northface slopes]
Wild Buckwheat
Eriogonum latifolium
[June-November, rocky northface slopes]
Coast Rock Cress
(Threatened)
Orange Flowers
Arabis blepharophylla
Seep Spring
Shooting Star
[January-March, rocky northface slopes]
California Poppy
Cobweb Thistle
Eschscholzia californica
Cirsium occidentale
[March-November, grasslands]
[March-May, grasslands & scrub]
Sticky or Bush Monkeyflower
Crimson Columbine
Mimulus aurantiacus
Aquilegia formosa
[June-November, scrub]
[March-May, rocky northface slopes]
Cow Parsnip
California Buttercup
Franciscan Paintbrush
Brown Flower
Castilleja subinclusa ssp. franciscana
[March-May, grasslands]
Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja affinis
[March to August/September, sandy
coastal flats and dune]
Douglas Iris
Footsteps-of-Spring
Pink Sand Verbena
Abronia umbellata
[March- November, sandy coastal flats
and dune]
Presidio Clarkia
Ithuriel’s Spear
Blue-eyed Grass
Mission Bells; Checker Lily
Fritillaria affinis
[March-May, rocky northface slopes]
Yellow Flowers
California Buttercup
Ranunculus californicus
[March-May, grasslands & rocky
northface slopes]
(Federally Endangered)
Footsteps-of-Spring
Clarkia franciscana (Presidio Area)
Clarkia rubicunda (Marin Area)
Sanicula arctopoides
[April-July, serpentine outcrops]
[January-March, grasslands]
Checkerbloom
Cobweb Thistle
Stonecrop
S.F. Wallflower
Angelica
Blue Dicks
Presidio Clarkia
Mule-ears
Lizard Tail
Soap Plant
Beach Strawberry
Purple Sanicle
Coastal Buckwheat
Western Hound’s Tongue
California Blackberry
Sky Lupine
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
—William Blake
Coast Onion
Sun Cup
Coast Rock Cress
Pink Sand Verbena
Tidy Tips
Milkmaids
Lizard Tail
Cow Parsnip
Ithuriel’s Spear
Eriophyllum staechadifolium
Heracleum lanatum
Triteleia laxa
[June-November, scrub]
[March-May, scrub]
[March-May, grasslands]
Monkeyflower; Seep Spring
Franciscan Wallflower
Rock Phacelia
Mimulus guttatus
Erysimum franciscanum
Phacelia californica
[January-May, rocky northface slopes]
[January-May, grasslands & rocky
northface slopes]
[March-May, rocky northface slopes]
Wyethia angustifolia
Milkmaids
Lupinus albifrons
[March-May, grasslands]
Cardamine californica
Stonecrop
[January-March, rocky northface
slopes]
[March-May, grasslands & rocky
northface slopes]
Mule-ears
Sedum spathulifolium
[April-July, rocky northface slopes]
Sun Cup
Beach Strawberry
Sky Lupine
Lupinus nanus
Fragaria chiloensis
[March-May, grasslands]
[February to August, sandy coastal flats
and dune]
Camissonia ovata
[January-March, grasslands]
Silver Bush Lupine
Soap Plant
Western Hound’s Tongue
Cynoglossum grande
[January-March, rocky northface
slopes]
Tidy Tips
Chlorogalum pomeridianum
Layia platyglossa
[March-May, grasslands & scrub]
[March-June, gravelly Ridges, grassy
slopes and coastal mesas]
Yarrow
Trina Kvale - California Poppies, Silver Bush Lupine,
Achillea millefolium
Sticky Monkeyflower, Seaside Daisy,Douglas Iris, Coastal
Yellow Bush Lupine
[June-November, scrub]
Lupinus arboreus
[March-September, sandy coastal flats
and dune]
White Flowers
Blue / Violet Flowers
Blue Dicks
NPS Photos:
Buckwheat, Pink Sand Verbena, California Blackberry.
Will Elder - Yarrow, Seep Spring, Ithuriel’s Spear,
Checkerbloom, San Francisco Wallflower, Blue Dicks,
Presidio Clarkia, Mule-ears, Lizard Trail, Soap Plant, Coast
Onion, Coast Rock Cress, Tidy Tips
Parks Conservancy Photos:
Dichelostemma capitatum
Michael Chasse - Indian Paintbrush, Mission Bells,
[March-May, grasslands]
Jessy Bergeman - Yellow Bush Lupine, Crimson
Angelica hendersonii
Blue-Eyed Grass
Columbine, Cow Parsnip, California Buttercup, Blue-eyed
Grass, Cobweb Thistle, Stonecrop, Sun Cup, Sky Lupine
[January-November, rocky northface
slopes]
Sisyrinchium bellum
Lynn
Protecting the Snowy Plover
A Bird in Danger
Western Snowy Plover resting on
Ocean Beach.
YOU play an important
role in the recovery of the
Western Snowy Plover!
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
In March 1993, the Western Snowy Plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) was listed
as a threatened species, protected under
the Endangered Species Act. Up to 100 of
the estimated 2,300 birds remaining on the
Pacific Coast can be found in Golden Gate
National Recreation Area (GGNRA).
The Snowy Plover is a small shorebird
that stands about 6 inches high, with dark
markings across the forehead, behind the
eyes, and a partial breast band. Snowy Plovers
use sandy beaches, mudflats and salt ponds
in San Francisco Bay and along the outer
coast for breeding, resting and foraging. The
Western Snowy Plover and its beach habitat
are threatened by urban development, the
spread of European dune grass, increased
predation, intense recreational use, and
human-caused disturbance.
Western Snowy Plovers at GGNRA
Although Western Snowy Plovers do not
nest at GGNRA, they do spend up to ten
months of the year on portions of Ocean
Beach and Crissy Field. During their time
here (approximately July until May), Snowy
Plovers spend their days resting in shallow
depressions in the sand (such as footprints),
where they are camouflaged and out of the
wind. They also build up their fat reserves
for breeding by eating small invertebrates in
debris left by the tides. In spring they move
up and down the coast and to inland salt
flats to nest.
The National Park Service, established in
part to protect America’s vanishing wildlife,
faces an important challenge in protecting
the Western Snowy Plover.
A Snowy Plover’s natural response is to run
or fly from danger. Continuous or repeated
disturbance uses up their stored energy
reserves and may jeopardize future breeding
success.
To protect the Western Snowy Plover,
GGNRA has created two seasonal (July
until May) protection areas—see maps on
reverse:
• Ocean Beach Snowy Plover Protection
Area (Stairwell #21, just south of the
Beach Chalet, to Sloat Blvd.—including
all tidelands.)
• Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area
(west end of Crissy Field Beach)
When you are in the Snowy Plover
protection areas, you should:
• Keep your dog on leash. Snowy Plovers
perceive dogs as predators; dogs often
chase them and other shorebirds.
• Walk, jog, or ride your horse on the wet
sand away from the upper parts of the
beach where Snowy Plovers are most
likely to be found.
• Fly your kites, play frisbee and throw balls
in the areas close to the water, away from
where Snowy Plovers rest.
• Dispose of garbage properly to avoid
attracting predators.
• Leave kelp and driftwood on the beach—
these provide resting and feeding areas
for the Snowy Plover.
• Call Park Dispatch at (415) 561-5505 if you
notice any disturbance or threat to the
Western Snowy Plover.
The following are prohibited in these
protection areas:
• Dogs off leash (36 CFR 1.5(a)(2))
• Disturbing wildlife (36 CFR 2.2)
• Disturbing threatened species (16 USC
1538)
Well hidden within the beach sand, these tiny birds blend into their
environment. Please use the beach close to the water.
The Community of
Shorebirds
Snowy Plovers are often seen with other
wintering and migratory shorebirds such
as Marbled Godwits, Willets, Heerman’s
Gulls, Caspian Terns, and Sanderlings, many
of whom travel hundreds of miles during
migration. These birds are also susceptible to
the effects of constant disturbance. Because
half of the shorebirds in North America are
in decline, effective protection strategies
must consider all shorebirds and not just a
single species.
YOUR actions make a
difference!
Please help protect the Western Snowy Plover
and other shorebirds from human-caused
disturbance.
To volunteer to monitor the Western Snowy
Plover or improve habitats in the park call
(415) 561-4755.
Together we can help the Western Snowy
Plover survive and thrive.
Top: Western Snowy Plover feeding at the high tide
line. Bottom: Shorebirds feeding at the water’s edge.
Western Snowy Plover Protection Areas
Top: Map of Crissy Field Wildlife Protection Area. Bottom: Map of Ocean Beach Snowy Plover Protection Area.
(rev. 10/06)
Printed on recycled paper.
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
www.nps.gov/goga