On the former U.S. Army base, home of the refurbished Crissy Field and Crissy Marsh (reopened in 2001), the 14 acres of new parklands that emerged from a large pile of rubble atop the two tunnels of Presidio Parkway (formerly known as Doyle Drive) will be converted into a multifaceted play space for all.
Connecting the waterfront recreation areas to the Presidio’s Main Post, the land will be home to a bevy of projects slated for completion by fall 2021. An expanded Crissy Field Center Youth Campus, including a Field Station and open-air Outpost, will provide ample opportunity for more young adults and children to explore and discover the native habitat of the Presidio.
A hike up a new set of Presidio Steps will help visitors navigate the area’s elevation changes, en route to a Cliff Walk with native bluff plantings of windswept pines and a 360-degree panoramic view. Two large meadows, studded with overlooks, picnic grounds and a dedicated Campfire Circle (for ranger talks and other gatherings), will lead to the Presidio Visitor Center and Gateway Plaza.
Should your feet be tired from all that walking and adventuring, know that the coming plaza site is near the Presidio’s transit hub, home of the Transit Cafe, a great spot to savor a cup of coffee and watch the world go by.
Christina Mueller is a long-time Bay Area food writer. She hails from the East Coast and has spent way too much time in South America and Europe. She discovered her talent as a wordsmith in college and her love of all things epicurean in grad school. She has written for Condé Nast Contract Publishing, Sunset, and the Marin Independent Journal, among others. She volunteers with California State Parks and at her childrens’ schools, and supports the Marin Audubon Society, PEN America, and Planned Parenthood. When she is not drinking wine by a fire, she is known to spend time with her extended family.
