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Free audio guideSan Francisco1 min

Crissy Field

A military airfield turned back into a marsh, and the best frame in the city.

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Quick answer

Crissy Field Army airfield was the first air coast defense station on the Pacific Coast, named for Major Dana Crissy, who was killed in 1919 during the first transcontinental reliability test. It served as a military runway for decades. In 2001 the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy removed the asphalt, restored a tidal marsh and planted 100,000 native plants.

1Major Dana H. Crissy and his observer died on 8 October 1919 crashing a de Havilland DH-4B while landing at Salt Lake City
2The flight was part of a 61-airplane transcontinental reliability and endurance test run by the Air Service
3The Army closed Crissy Field to airplanes in 1974 at the end of the Vietnam war; helicopter operations continued for several years

Full transcript

1

The Airfield

In 1919 the Air Service put 61 aeroplanes into a transcontinental reliability and endurance test, to settle whether aircraft could cross the country at all. One of them was flown by Major Dana Crissy. On the 8th of October he and his observer went down attempting a landing at Salt Lake City, and this field carries his name because of it. The Army flew from here until 1974, and by the 1990s the runway was cracked asphalt over contaminated soil, a dead strip between the Presidio and the bay.

2

The Restoration

In 2001 the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy tore up the asphalt and restored the tidal marsh that had been buried underneath. More than 3,000 volunteers planted over 100,000 native plants of 110 species, the dunes went back, and a promenade opened along the water. The marsh now holds 17 species of fish, and 135 species of bird have been counted over it. This is what Crissy Field looks like today: a wide green lawn, a restored wetland, a sandy beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge filling the western horizon. On a windy afternoon it is the best kite flying field in the city.

3

The Photograph

Stand at the east end of the promenade, near the St. Francis Yacht Club. Turn west. The bridge rises on the left, the Marin Headlands on the right, and the city skyline sits behind you. This is the photograph that appears on San Francisco travel brochures, and it costs nothing to take. Come in the morning — the sun is behind you.

The checkable facts

  • Major Dana H. Crissy and his observer died on 8 October 1919 crashing a de Havilland DH-4B while landing at Salt Lake City
  • The flight was part of a 61-airplane transcontinental reliability and endurance test run by the Air Service
  • The Army closed Crissy Field to airplanes in 1974 at the end of the Vietnam war; helicopter operations continued for several years
  • The restored Crissy Field opened to the public in May 2001
  • More than 3,000 volunteers planted or seeded over 100,000 native plants representing 110 species
  • The restored tidal marsh hosts 17 fish species and 135 recorded bird species
  • The Army flew from here until 1974, and by the 1990s the runway was cracked asphalt over contaminated soil, a dead strip between the Presidio and the bay.
  • Regular flight operations moved to Hamilton Field in Marin County by 1936, and the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge made approaches over the strait awkward.
  • The Army kept the strip for light and rotary aircraft into the 1970s.
  • The Presidio, including the field, passed to the National Park Service in 1994.
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What travelers say

Distilled from Google, TripAdvisor, Reddit and Chinese-language posts — every claim links to its source.

Reddit

"It includes several informational displays throughout the trail (all flat and"

Tip: Use the flat nature trail with informational displays if you want an easy, interpretive walk rather than a strenuous hike.
easy walking recommendation
Reddit

"even on sparsely traveled trails runners are still not moving over or yielding to anyone"

Tip: Assume runners may not yield on Crissy Field trails, so stay alert and leave room when passing.
runner etiquette warning
Reddit

"Bring snacks, get some coffee at Lady Falcon Coffee Truck or eat and edible and lie around."

Tip: Pack snacks and plan a low-key grass-lying visit instead of expecting a full-service beach day.
local casual visit tip
TripAdvisor

"Crissy Marsh has brackish waters, making an ideal habitat for many bird species along the Pacific Flyway."

Tip: Bring binoculars and spend time near the marsh for birding along the Pacific Flyway.
birding/wetland signal
TripAdvisor

"I would not recommend it. Despite the pleasure of Crissy Field, this is stil part of a HUGE US City."

Tip: Treat Crissy Field as a daytime visit and avoid going there late at night.
nighttime safety caution
TripAdvisor

"It's not that easy to get to Crissy Field by bus."

Tip: Expect awkward bus transfers to Crissy Field, so check a route with a transfer or choose another arrival method.
transit access friction

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Frequently asked

Who was Dana Crissy?
A major in the Army Air Service who commanded the field at Mather in Sacramento. He flew in the 1919 transcontinental reliability test, a coast-to-coast contest meant to prove the military value of aircraft, and was killed with his observer while attempting to land near Salt Lake City on the first leg. The Presidio airfield was named for him.
When did Crissy Field stop being an airfield?
Regular flight operations moved to Hamilton Field in Marin County by 1936, and the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge made approaches over the strait awkward. The Army kept the strip for light and rotary aircraft into the 1970s. The Presidio, including the field, passed to the National Park Service in 1994.
What lives in the restored marsh?
Egrets, herons, ducks and shorebirds use the lagoon, and harbor seals occasionally haul out on the sand beyond it. The marsh is tidal, connected to the bay through a channel that has to be reopened mechanically when sand seals it. Dogs are kept off the wetland edge for the same reason.
Where is the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge here?
From the eastern end of the promenade near the yacht harbor, looking west along the shoreline so the span sits to the left of the frame with the Marin hills behind it. Morning light comes from behind the camera; by late afternoon the bridge is backlit. Fog tends to clear from the eastern end first.

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