The ridge is critical habitat for the endangered Mission blue butterfly and home to Red-tailed Hawks, which can often be seen spiraling overhead. Wildlife at Milagra Ridge, especially the endangered species, relies on the efforts of volunteers to ensure their survival and ongoing health. Volunteer efforts organized through the Park Stewardship program offer drop-in workdays and special projects.. The scenic amble along Milagra Ridge can be a walk through history. First used by native Ohlone people, this land was later claimed by Spanish settlers and Mexican rancheros. The U.S. Army installed a gun battery here in the 1940s, and during the Cold War built a Nike missile station on Milagra and nearby Sweeney Ridge. Remnants of post-World War II’s Battery Construction #244 and a Nike missile launch site dot the ridge. In 1987, Milagra Ridge became part of the Golden Gate National Parks, and today is the focus of community efforts to restore the wildlife habitat and help ensure the survival of a number of rare and endangered species found within this national parkland.
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