Presidio Coastal Scrub

A trail beckoned to us from the battery we were exploring in the Presidio; my folks, husband, and I answered the call. The trail followed the bluff, high above the rocky shoreline, giving us more grand views of the Golden Gate Bridge, ocean, and hills to the north. We were buffeted by the wind, blowing unabated across the ocean. I wished we had brought our walking sticks to help ground us!

Coastal scrub and Golden Gate Bridge (did I mention windy?)

In this area, a coastal dune scrub plant community replaced the coastal dune community of Baker Beach. Low lying grasses and bushes grew along the bluffs, holding them in place, along with a few gnarly trees. You can learn more about the coastal dune scrub plant community on the National Park Website: http://www.nps.gov/prsf/naturescience/coastal-dune-scrub-community.htm

Beckoning trail high on the bluffs



Wild coastal vistas, just a few miles from downtown San Francisco

Many of the flowering plants are small and low to the ground, similar in size to the miniature plants we see growing in the harsh conditions of the tundra in Alaska and Canada. Some of the plants that grow in the Presidio area are common natives and non-natives, others are rare or endangered.

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After a day of exploring the wild side of the Presidio, we headed back to the East Bay for dinner at one of our local neighborhood Chinese restaurants and good conversation. I recommend visiting the Presidio for a day of recreation with family or friends, or studying plant communities that could influence unique garden designs.