Bay Nature Bioblitz: Find Your Biobliss

Join Bay Nature and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for our second find your biobliss bioblitz on Saturday, October 25, from 10am – 12:30pm at El Polin Spring, located in the Presidio. Attendees will arrive at 10am, where we will all gather for introductory remarks. Then we will go for a group walk around the El Polin Loop to see what animals and plants we encounter along the way. This serene and beautiful natural spring is home to countless species of plants and animals—we're bound to see a number of them at our event! Attendees are welcome to bring a packed lunch and join event staff after the event concludes. Click here for a link to our iNaturalist project. This is a free event and all ages are welcome to attend. Please email lia@baynature.org if you're planning on bringing children or if you have any access needs.

Event location: Click here for a Google Maps link for where to meet up, at 860c MacArthur Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129.

Parking and bathrooms: A handful of free parking spots and bathrooms are available at the trailhead. Additional free parking is available near the Presidio Wall Playground Park and in nearby Pacific Heights. Paid parking lots in The Presidio are behind the Inn at the Presidio and along Presidio Blvd.  All are a short distance away. Public Transit options include the 43 Muni bus line and the Presidio GO Shuttle.

Event length & difficulty: The loop we'll be walking is approximately 2 miles long and features 200 - 300 feet of elevation change. It is a relatively flat, well maintained trail that is mostly paved with some sandy sections. 

This is a free event open to the general public. All ages are welcome to attend. Come explore local nature and learn how to identify the plants and animals you see! Also, please dress up if you're interested! Prizes will be given to the best nature-inspired costumes on the day of the event.

Weather note: Rain will postpone this event. 

What to bring? Water, sunscreen, layers, fully charged smartphone with the iNaturalist app installed. Please make a free account prior to arriving. No prior iNaturalist experience is required. 

What makes this a biobliss? A traditional bioblitz is an event where participants use the iNaturalist app to record as many species as possible within a designated location and time period. Our event is a biobliss, where we encourage participants to observe and record species that spark their curiosity.

Why participate? Participating in bioblitzes connects you with local nature and with each other, and it also provides useful data for scientists! iNaturalist data has been used in more than 4,000 research papers, and its users have identified new species.

Photo by Amir Aziz