• Presidio Main Parade Lawn (map)
  • 85 Anza Avenue
  • San Francisco, CA, 94129
  • United States

2026 Nav-X GPS MAP TREK #4 @ San Francisco

Quick Info

  • Date: Tuesday 12 May to Sunday 12 July (Map Handout June 7)

  • Location: San Francisco (Presidio)

  • Courses: 2h & 4h GPS Map Trek

  • Price: $17 (2h) & $22 (4h); half price for juniors 20 and under

Register

INTRODUCTION

  • The 4th event of the 2026 Nav-X season will take place in San Francisco, CA in the Presidio park plus the Richmond neighborhood to the south.

  • Many spots will have sweeping views of San Francisco, the Bay, and the Ocean.

  • 68 checkpoints are marked on the map. You have 2 or 4 hours to try and get to as many checkpoints as you can.

  • The competitive window for this event is May 12 - July 12, 2026. Results during this time period will be included in the official results and accrue Nav-X series points but the course will still be available on MapRun until Dec 1, 2026, after which it will move to the archived courses. Upon registration, you will receive (1) registration confirmation, (2) within 24 hours, a separate email with links to map documents. 

  • Pre-printed maps are available by mail for $10 if you register for this option by June 1. Maps will generally be mailed to arrive in your mailbox within 7 days of registering.

  • Our in-person map handout is June 7 at 10am. The maps will be available from 9:30 - 10:30am. We will have a Nav-X team member there to hand out pre-printed maps if you register for this option ($6) by June 1. Since this is not an official event, there will be no signage so just meet the Nav-X staff member at the start in the Presidio Main Parade Lawn.

  • All the instructions including directions to the Start are below. Be safe and have fun!

REGISTRATION

EVENT INFORMATION

  • MAPRUN - Please see this page for instructions on how to use the MapRun smartphone app. It’s important that you load the course while you still have Internet service. Search for “2026 Nav -X GPS Map Trek San Francisco” and pick the right course (2 hr or 4 hr). Or you can click one of the links provided above to load the course.

  • START AND FINISH - The start is located a few meters from this spot on the Main Parade Lawn in the Presidio. There is ample paid parking available (Presidio Parking map). The parking rate is $3/hr or $15/day on weekends and slightly less during the week. Passes can be purchased from the machines in the parking lot. There is also free parking available at Crissy Field East Beach, which is just over a 1 km walk to the start. The start is marked on your map with a triangle. The finish is marked with a double circle and is located 230 meters south of the Start.

  • MAP PRINTING - We are providing a Zip file with the map documents in PDF format. The text checkpoint descriptions are on the map. The Zip package contains 3 files: the course map at 1:10,000 scale 8.5” x 11” paper (4 pages), the course map at 1:10,000 scale on 13”x19” paper, and separate symbolic & text checkpoint descriptions. You will need to print your own maps or choose one of the 2 pre-printed map options. For $10, you can have a map mailed to your address (allow 7 days for maps to arrive); For $6, you can pick up a map at the in-person meetup on Sunday, June 7 from 9:30 am- 10:30am; both option are available until June 1.

  • BATHROOMS: There are bathrooms located in the Presidio Visitor center north of the start or the Presidio Officer’s Club just south of the finish.

  • GEAR REQUIREMENT - you must carry the following on your course

    • Smartphone/GPS watch - goes without saying since we are using an app for timing.

    • Compass

    • Whistle for safety

  • GEAR RECOMMENDATION - We also recommend participants bring the following:

    • Gaiters or ankle coverings to prevent debris from entering your shoes

    • Snacks and water, especially if you are on the long course

  • TRASH - While on the course, practice Leave No Trace (LNT) - bring all trash back to the parking area.

  • BE DISCREET - We don’t have a permit to use any of the parks so try not to be too noticeable when entering or exiting off-trail areas.

MAP & COURSE NOTES

  • TERRAIN - The Presidio is an urban park with a plethora of trails and roads that connect to almost every corner. Please be respectful of private property in this area. A lot of people call the Presidio their home, and there are several off-limits areas marked on the map that respect these homes. Please avoid cutting through these communities unless on sidewalks and roads. You will see terrain ranging from steep cliffs, to stairs, to sandy trails and beaches. There is a lot of steep terrain you may encounter, but you will always have a trail as an option to navigate it. On the West (Ocean) side of the Presidio, there is a lot of steep loose terrain (cliffs). Please be careful along any steep trails beside these loose cliffs. You will also have to navigate through city streets in the Richmond neighborhood to get the southern checkpoints near the University of San Francisco campus.

  • MAP - The map for this event was created by combining BAOC’s Presidio map from 2002 (with significant updates in 2024 and 2026) with a 1:10,000 street map derived from mostly Open Street Map data for the neighborhood (Richmond) south of the Presidio. The symbols were all scaled to the same standard size and colors and the Presidio map contours were replaced with 5-meter contours derived from Lidar.

  • COURSE - There are 68 checkpoints varying in value from 30 to 120 points. The maximum point total is 4800 and the straight-line distance to get them all is around 25 km. This course is relatively fast with most checkpoints being navigationally fairly easy to get to. The challenge will lie more in the physical exertion of getting to some checkpoints as well as a good plan to maximize the points you get.

  • SCORING: Just like our other events, each checkpoint has a point value reflecting the difficulty (higher point value for tougher checkpoints). The point value is the “10 part” of the checkpoint code. Examples: 33 = 30 points, 56 = 50 points, 100 = 100 points, etc. The late penalty is the Nav-X standard 10pts/minute.

  • NO FLAGGING - Due to all checkpoints being located in high-traffic areas, there is no flagging anywhere on the course.

  • If you want to report any problems with the course, please email info@navxchallenge.com.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTES

  • YOU ARE DOING THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK - WE TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INJURIES OR DEATH. HAZARDS INCLUDE STEEP HILLS AND CLIFFS, LOOSE ROCKS, OCCASIONAL DENSE AND SHARP BRUSH, POISON OAK, AND CARS.

  • HOURS - The parks are only open from 8 AM to sunset. Please plan your course so that you will be out of the park by sunset.

  • CELL PHONE COVERAGE - There is cell phone service throughout the entire mapped area.

  • BE SMART - Due to the self-serve format, you may be completely on your own when you run your course. Be aware of this! Though the park has its normal visitors and rangers, you will be visiting areas away from trails where people don’t go. Be a bit more careful as you run, let a friend or family member know before you go, and check in with them once you’re back in cell phone range. You should definitely bring a whistle, at the very least, in case of emergency.

  • WATER - There is limited water at the parking area, and some options you may seek out when on the course. We recommend you carry all the water you’ll need.

  • DANGERS - Car traffic is the most prevalent danger on the map. Please follow the rules of the road, pay attention to traffic when crossing roads, and cross at marked crossings. There are some steep cliffs you will be near from time to time, but the fastest route is most likely on a safe trail.

Thanks for reading and have fun! - Andrew Peterson, Bill Cusworth and the Nav-X team.