Nature Walk: Explore Sand Dune Habitat at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach

Join Nature in the City and SF Recreation & Parks on a free walk exploring the unique and sensitive habitat of the Ocean Beach dunes. We’ll learn about efforts to revegetate the dunes with native plants to create a more natural, beautiful, and healthy habitat.

This will be a one-way, transit-friendly walk: we'll start at the N-Judah turnaround, and end at the L-Taraval.

Brian Stokle is an urban planner with SF Recreation & Parks. He works on complex, multi-jurisdictional projects, such as the JFK Promenade and the Ocean Beach Master Plan, designing streetscapes on park edges to ensure people can easily reach parks and open space. As an undergraduate he majored in geology and history at UC Davis and he has a masters of urban planning from Columbia University.

Helen J. Doyle is a California Naturalist and educator dedicated to the environment, public education, and equity and justice. A biologist by training, she shares her love of nature as a docent and writer. She volunteers with several Bay Area organizations, such as Año Nuevo State Park, the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, the Alcatraz Historic Gardens, and the Amah Mutsun Land Trust. Helen serves on the advisory council of Nature in the City, a San Francisco nonprofit that connects people to nature, and represents Nature in the City on the Reimagining San Francisco steering committee and the SF Crosstown Trails coalition.

Total length of walk about 1.5 miles, mostly flat with some walking over dunes and on sand. Restrooms available at start and end. Optional “no-host” food and drink at Underdogs at Taraval and 46th Avenue at end of walk.

Bring layers for fog and wind and sun protection, and wear shoes for walking in sand. Bring water and snacks, if desired.

Meet at the end of Judah at the Great Highway, in front of the Public Convenience Station, facing the N Judah turnaround (see map). Walk will end at Taraval at the Great Highway.

The start and end of the walk are accessible by SF Muni – N Judah and L Taraval lines. Free street parking is also available. Remember that the Great Highway is closed to cars on weekends.

Heavy rain will cancel. We will send out an announcement the morning of the walk if we decide to cancel.

This walk is FREE to attend (with RSVPs kindly requested).

Donations (in cash) can be made to Nature in the City on the day of the event. Special bonus! Everyone who donates $10 and above will receive a copy of the Nature in the City Map.

Or join Nature in the City today and receive early-bird invitations to all our future walks, among other fun perks.

Host or Publisher Nature in the City