The National Park Service (NPS) has released its General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) and Muir Woods Monument. MCL has reviewed and issued comments on the Draft Plan and Draft EIS.

This plan is the culmination of several years of effort involving the thoughtful input and participation of thousands of individuals, dozens of public agencies, and numerous outside organizations and stakeholder groups.  This plan replaces the 1980 GMP which effectively guided the park for more than three decades.

The new plan identifies the preferred alternatives -  

Connecting People with the Parks (for parkland in San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties)

Focusing on National Treasures (for Muir Woods and Alcatraz Island)

- as reshaped by public comments on the Draft GMP/EIS. The plan includes a summary of comments and the NPS responses to them.

You may download a copy of the plan at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GGNRA_GMP

A limited number of CDs and printed documents will be available at GGNRA headquarters in Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco. Printed copies have been sent to the following libraries: San Mateo County-Main, San Francisco-Main, Marin County-Civic Center.

A Record of Decision (ROD) documenting the ultimate choice of the alternatives, mitigation measures, and decision rationale will be prepared for the Regional Director's signature. Following the required 30-day waiting period after the Notice of Availability for the Final GMP/EIS is published in the Federal Register (requested for April 25, 2014), the ROD may be signed. With the signing of the ROD, the plan can then be implemented.

If you would like to have a convenient summary edition of the plan mailed to you once the ROD has been signed, please contact the park at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (415) 561-4700.

The draft plan contains various ideas for future management of the park. Some of these came from the public and park partners, and other build upon earlier successes or from lessons learned by day-to-day management of the park since 1972 as directed by the 1980 General Management Plan.The planning process explored a range of alternatives and  the National Park Service's preferred alternative encompasses what it believes are the best ideas.

2011 Documents and Correspondence

December 15, 2011 - MCL comments on the GGNRA Marin Equestrian Plan
November 4, 2011 - MCL comments on the GGNRA Draft General Management Plan