Quartermaster's Reach Marsh

The newly restored Quartermaster's Reach marsh.

NPS/Sarah Merlau

Quick Facts

Amenities

2 listed

Benches/Seating, Scenic View/Photo Spot

What is Quartermaster Reach?

Quartermaster Reach is a restored seven-acre tidal marsh along the Presidio’s northern shoreline near Crissy Field. It is here that the freshwater stream from the Presidio’s largest watershed (known as Tennessee Hollow) flows into the saltwater Crissy Marsh and ultimately to San Francisco Bay, creating valuable brackish habitat where plants and animals thrive.

The site is named for the U.S. Army’s Quartermaster Corps, which operated in the area when the Presidio was a military post. Quartermaster Reach Marsh is located just east of the Presidio Tunnel Tops, which open to the public in fall 2021. Together, the sites will create a wonderful new experience of the waterfront.

Connect with Nature

Visitors can enjoy an up-close experience of nature along an elevated pedestrian bridge and trail that winds through the marsh. Native salt marsh and riparian plants grown at Presidio Nursery create an extraordinary habitat for fish, crabs, and oysters. Bring your binoculars – Quartermaster Reach is a great place for birding.

For the first time, visitors can use this new section of the Tennessee Hollow Trail to walk from Crissy Field’s East Beach, through Quartermaster Reach, under the Presidio Parkway, and along the 1.2 route tracing the watershed’s springs to their origin near Inspiration Point.

Access + Amenities

Quartermaster Reach is located south of Mason Street at Crissy Field, not far from East Beach. The MUNI 30 bus stops nearby at the intersection of Mason Street and Halleck Street. The site is also just a five minute walk from the Presidio Transit Center and the Presidio Visitor Center. Parking is available at a lot to the west on Mason Street and at East Beach. The nearest restrooms are at East Beach.

About the Marsh Restoration

Quartermaster Reach Marsh restoration is the latest milestone in the 20-year revitalization of the Tennessee Hollow Watershed.

An Army-era landfill placed over the former saltmarsh was recently removed at Quartermaster Reach, enabling us to bring an 850-foot length of stream once contained in a pipe back to the surface. Box culverts were then installed beneath Mason Street at Crissy Marsh to allow the fresh water of the stream to flow into the saltwater marsh and San Francisco Bay.

Specially fabricated fiberglass panels installed within the culverts, and concrete and shell “reef balls” placed in the marsh channels, promote the resurgence of the native Olympic oyster. The Presidio is planting 23,000 plants - including more than 40 different species of saltmarsh and dune plants grown in the Presidio Nursery - to create habitat for migratory shorebirds and water animals like fish and crabs.

Restoration was sponsored by the Presidio Trust, the National Park Service, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.