Crissy Field to Fort Point Promenade

The Crissy Field to Fort Point Promenade is a flat waterfront walk along the northern edge of the Presidio in San Francisco, California, ending beneath the south anchorage of the Golden Gate Bridge. The usual starting point is East Beach at 1199 East Beach, where free parking lots serve Crissy Field. Visitors without a car can use the free PresidiGo shuttle to the Presidio Transit Center and walk down, or take the Muni 30 Stockton bus to the Marina and walk west along the shoreline. No permit or fee is required, and the area is managed by the Presidio Trust and the National Park Service. The out-and-back route is about 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip and takes 1 to 1.5 hours, with only about 30 feet (10 m) of elevation change, making it one of the easiest walks in the city. The surface is a mix of wide, compacted gravel path and paved sections, with sand along the beach and a short boardwalk section. Exposure is high, because the path is open to the bay with little shade, and the afternoon wind can be strong. Landmarks include the restored tidal marsh, the grass airfield where visitors fly kites, the Warming Hut cafe and bookstore near the halfway point, and the historic brick Fort Point, a Civil War era masonry fort built under the bridge. The Warming Hut is the usual rest stop, with restrooms, food and water, and also makes a good turn-around point for shorter outings. Views stretch across the bay to Alcatraz, Angel Island and the Marin Headlands, with windsurfers and kiteboarders often on the water. Morning is typically calmer and clearer than the afternoon, when wind and fog commonly build. Dogs are common on the promenade, and visitors should note that some beach areas have leash or habitat restrictions.