Lobos Creek Trail

Right behind our new home there's a playground and, at the back of the playground, a trail. A fork in the trail gives you options: up the hill, into the forest, or downhill into a narrow valley. We chose the valley and ended up on the Lobos Creek boardwalk.
Most trails in the Presidio are unmarked, unsigned, and unrestricted. This trail is different. Many signs remind you to stay on the boardwalk and that the surrounding dunes are all sensitive habitat that is under restoration. Lobos Creek flows from a natural spring, one of just a few in San Francisco. The project here is attempting to restore the dunes surrounding the creek into their natural state. All invasive plants have been removed and only natives have been allowed to flourish. The result is a walk that looks very different from all others in the Presidio.
As amazing as it may sound, half of San Francisco was once sand dunes and this tiny little valley may be the only place left that lets one see what that dune ecosystem looked like before the modern era introduced buildings, streets, and thousands of non-native plant species.
It's easy to overlook or forget the goals and visions of many of our Parks. A closer look shows that they are working to preserve a part of history and the result is just as remarkable as anything found in our city's museums. This is one museum we're glad to have right outside our doorstep.