Walk Through Crissy Field, Visit Torpedo Wharf, And Explore Fort Point
A favorite walk to experience the majesty of the San Francisco Bay.
This is part of a series of family-oriented day trip outings around the San Francisco Bay Area I look forward to enjoying once social distancing isn’t the norm any longer.
Photo by Michael Emono on Unsplash
Walk the Crissy Field Promenade
Stroll Torpedo Wharf and see what the fisherman are catching
Explore Fort Point
Whether you have spent your entire life here, or a first-time visitor to our lovely city, this breathtaking walk is a fantastic way to love San Francisco.
Crissy Field Promenade
Golden Gate National Recreation Area Details
Extensively restored, at the northern end of the Presidio, this former small airfield is now something closer to its original ecology. Crissy Field and the adjacent marsh is a gem of the transformation of the Presidio from an Army base to National Park.
This trail is a popular spot for runners and walkers, especially when the weather is good. It is also part of the “Bike the Bridge” route you can ride up to the Golden Gate Bridge, over to Sausalito or Tiburon and take the ferry back to complete your loop.
Try to find parking at East Beach, the eastern end of the Crissy Field. Failing that, you may find parking in the Marina or along the route toward Fort Point. (Note: In the Presidio, you may have to pay for parking. Read the signs and look for a payment station.)
This is a good trip to pack a picnic to bring with you. There are quite a few spots to stop and eat, although it might be windy.
Walk westerly along the promenade toward the Golden Gate Bridge.
Torpedo Wharf
Torpedo Wharf and the Warming hut - by Cody Tolmasoff
A popular recreational fishing spot, this pier dates back to 1908 with improvements in 1941. It was the former base for mine planters who worked to defend San Francisco Bay during WWII.
For those inclined to fish or crab, the San Francisco Bay is slightly hazardous because of heavy metals that have washed down into bay waters from the time of the Gold Rush and onward to the birth of Silicon Valley. However, this close to the opening of the bay, you have a better chance to catch fish freshly in from the Pacific Ocean. Plus the tidal changes here make for cleaner water.
I enjoy taking my girls out onto the pier to see what people are catching, and to get a sense of excitement walking along a pier with no railing.
As a kid, my pop would take us out here crabbing occasionally on weekends. It was a desolate spot seldom visited, and there were no facilities nearby, but we caught some great stuff over the years. Now you can find bathrooms here and The Warming Hut. (Note: the Warming Hut is evolving its operations at the time of this writing.)
When you are ready, continue westward toward Fort Point.
Fort Point
National Park Service Information
Fort Point is in remarkable condition considering it’s a pre-Civil-War era fort located so close to the ocean. Although it never saw action in battle, the “Plan of 1850” called for military fortifications on each side of the entrance to San Francisco Bay coupled with a third fortification on Alcatraz which would create a “deadly triangle” that could defend the bay from hostile forces.
Fortifications at Lime Point on the northern end of the opening of the bay never really got underway. Alcatraz had a military installation with a significant armory, but Fort Point was the most fortified spot at the entrance to the bay. Touring Alcatraz, you can still see parts of the Civil-War era fort, but most of the island changed to accommodate the prison once it took over the island.
Between Fort Point never seeing any military conflict, and the efforts to save the fort in the 1930s from being demolished to build the Golden Gate Bridge, we are left with a terrific spot to step into history. Fort Point is free to visit, and it’s worthwhile seeing if there is a Ranger lead tour to take.
My favorite time to visit is when they offer History Day’s, offered a couple of times a year. Volunteers come out to bring life to this old fort and give you the feel of what life was like for a soldier or their family back then. Also, an organization called PianFrancisco held an event here recently which was pretty fun. They placed piano’s around the fort (even up on the roof) for people to share their musical talent with.
There are some great photos you can take with the Golden Gate Bridge here, so don’t be afraid to extend your selfie arm and squeeze in with your kids.
And if you see a pair of hands on a plaque to the right of the fort as you approach, you can read more about Hoppers Hands here.
Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash
Where are you looking forward to visiting once this period of social isolation is behind us?
Cody Tolmasoff is an author and publisher for Adventuring.in. He is a recovering programmer and a San Francisco native, raising two daughters, and regularly finding new adventures around the SF Bay Area. This article is an excerpt from an upcoming book, 52 San Francisco Bay Area Weekend Adventures, Day Trips With Your Kids!
Find him on Twitter @codyo, and read his most recent title Adventures in Getting Out on Amazon, filled with advice on successfully getting your family out for day trip adventures.
Originally published on Medium on 14 March 2020