Latino American Heritage

Join National Park Service rangers for free campfire talks at Presidio Tunnel Tops' Campfire Circle near the Presidio Visitor Center everyday at 3 pm - 3:30pm through Labor Day. Park rangers will present histories of the diverse people who have passed through the Presidio through time – this includes indigenous history, military stories including the Buffalo Soldiers' stories, Japanese Americans interned during WWII, and more.

The exhibit commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Anza expedition by exploring both the expedition itself and the environment the settlers found when they arrived in Monterey. Panels discuss the founding of Monterey, early buildings and structures, the Anza expedition, and three Voyages of Discovery (La Perouse, Malaspina and Vancouver) that visited Monterey relatively soon after the settlers arrived. Reproductions of 22 drawings created by voyage artists provide a visual sense of place and time. An NPS Anza Trail poster will be displayed, and brochures and travel guides will be made available to visitors.

As part of the national Anza 250 commemoration, the Cupertino Historical Society & Museum welcomes all to view an exhibit marking the 250th anniversary of Juan Bautista de Anza's expedition leading colonists to the San Francisco Bay — passing through Cupertino along the way — and the United States Semiquincentennial. This exhibit traces that journey alongside the broader story of the Santa Clara Valley — from the Indigenous peoples who called it home, through the Spanish expeditions that first mapped it, to the founding of Mission Santa Clara and the expedition's legacy. Drawing on expedition diaries, historical records, and Indigenous histories, the exhibit offers visitors an opportunity to engage with a formative chapter in California history from multiple perspectives. Also featured is a uniform worn by reenactors and other items associated with the 1976 Bicentennial commemoration of the De Anza expedition.

Forest Stewards tend to young trees in the Presidio’s reforestation areas. Learn about urban forestry and arboriculture, while assisting with forest maintenance through planting, weeding, mulching, and other stewardship activities!

Nike Missile Site Open House is the first Saturday of every month . Rangers and volunteers - including veterans of the Nike program - come to the site to share their stories with visitors. Guided tours are offered at 12:15PM, 1:15PM, and 2:15PM. The SF-88 Nike Missile Site is the most fully restored Nike missile site in the country. During the tense years of the Cold War, from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated close to 300 Nike missile sites in the United States. These sites were designed to be the last line of defense against H-Bomb carrying Soviet bombers that had eluded the Air Force’s interceptor jet aircrafts. SF-88 in the Marin Headlands was one such site. Today, Golden Gate National Recreation Area works together with a dedicated group of volunteers to preserve the site as it was during operations to remind visitors of the physical and psychological effects of the Cold War on the American landscape. The only restrooms available at Nike are Port-a-Johns. However, about a mile before the Nike Missile Site on Field Road is a larger rest-stop / parking lot with larger restooms and running water. It is recommended to stop and use these if needed, prior to arriving to Nike. For more information, please email GOGA_MarinHeadlands_Info@nps.gov

Habitat Stewards help restore and preserve the natural areas of the Presidio of San Francisco. Habitat Restoration is a proactive, hands-on way to revitalize damaged ecosystems and promote environmental health! Learn about the plants and animals found in our local creeks, dunes, grasslands, woodlands, and other natural landscapes. Activities often include planting, watering, weeding, or spreading mulch!

Open the first Sunday of every month (12pm - 4pm) Tours are given periodically throughout these open house hours Battery Townsley, at Fort Cronkhite, was San Francisco's most extensive—and most secret—World War II military fortification. From 1940 to 1948, it mounted two massive battleship guns and housed more than 100 soldiers in an extensive network of underground tunnels; during the Cold War, it was used as an underground research facility. Long closed to public access, Battery Townsley has been refurbished thanks to volunteer labor and community contributions and is now ready for tours. The public is invited to visit and explore this labyrinthine fortification! In fall 2012, the park brought to this site a 16-inch gun, from the USS Missouri . The gun, identical to the one that was once mounted at Battery Townsley, helps tell the story of the coastal defense system that later gave rise to these parklands. Learn more about this new addition . Battery Townsley is reached via a moderately strenuous hike up the Coastal Trail, approximately one-half-mile north of the Rodeo Beach parking lot. For more information, and further assistance to the site, please email GOGA_MarinHeadlands_Info@nps.gov

Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards help care for the landscaped areas at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, while learning about the unique mixture of native and non-native plants growing on the site. Activities will include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening activities.

Walk the Tunnel Tops and the historic Main Post of the Presidio with an expert NPS guide, and see the many layers of nature and history that have evolved since the Ohlone People were colonized, up until an Army base became a National Park for all people. Walk is ½ mile and flat but wear good shoes and layered clothing for the cold season.

Point Bonita Lighthouse has been a guiding light welcoming people and ships to the San Francisco Bay since 1855. The last 170 years have left the lighthouse with many fascinating stories to tell - about its lighthouse keepers, how it came to be in its current location, and more! Rangers offer a "light chat" 15-minute program at 12:15PM before opening the Point Bonita lighthouse trail from 12:30-3:30, allowing visitors to get out to the viewing platform and see the lighthouse. Additional light chats may take place during the open hours. Please note: the suspension bridge at the end of the trail is currently closed for maintenance. The lighthouse itself will be inaccessible during open hours due to this closure.

Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards help maintain the landscaped areas of Presidio Tunnel Tops while learning about the unique mix of native and non-native plants at the site. Activities include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening tasks. Registration is required on the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy volunteer website . The specific meeting location will be provided in the registration confirmation email. All ages are welcome at this volunteer program! Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the parental consent section of the registration form signed by a parent/legal guardian or they will not be allowed to participate. Volunteers under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone. Review our Youth Policy Guidelines (PDF) for youth under the age of 15.

Walk the Tunnel Tops and the historic Main Post of the Presidio with an expert NPS guide, and see the many layers of nature and history that have evolved since the Ohlone People were colonized, up until an Army base became a National Park for all people. Walk is ½ mile and flat but wear good shoes and layered clothing for the cold season.