Fort Point National Historic Site
From its vantage point overlooking the spectacular Golden Gate, Fort Point defended the San Francisco Bay following California's Gold Rush through World War II. Its beautifully arched casemates display the art of 3rd system brick masonry and interacts gracefully with the Golden Gate Bridge.
About under an hour from San Francisco and 2 hours from San Jose by car.
Alerts
- CautionNPS ↗Auto-Theft Warning - Only Bring What You Need to the Park
You can prevent vehicle break-ins in parking lots and scenic overlooks. Before leaving your car for even a short period of time: 1) Remove all valuables, 2) Lock your doors. 3) Take your wallets, purses, backpacks, keys, key fobs, cell phones, and electronics with you. Read article for more details.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Fort Point National Historic Site | Varies by day ▾
|
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day | Closed |
When to go
August draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Fort Point National Historic Site ↗Passport stamp
Rangers at Fort Point provide information, tours and demonstrations. A small Sutler's Store in the fort offers park passport stamps and some merchandise related to Civil War and local history.
Explore
Things to do
- Revitalizing Fort Point's Narrative
Through these immersive and interactive exhibits, visitors to Fort Point are invited to embark on a journey through time, exploring the layers of history, significance, and enduring legacy encapsulated within this iconic structure overlooking the…
Opens on the Park Service site - Torpedo Wharf Fishing1-4 Hours
Fishing at Torpedo Wharf near Fort Point and Crissy Field.
Opens on the Park Service site - Take a Selfie at Fort Point1-2 Hours
Take in the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay from below at Fort Point.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore a Civil War Era Fort1-2 Hours
Explore a Civil War era fort on the west coast!
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Fort Point Talk10/1511:30 AM · runs through Apr 3 · free
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for California's national parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBrown Pelican 123× · Coyote 76× · Eastern Fox Squirrel 75× · California Sea Lion 68× · Great Horned Owl 58× · American White Pelican 57× · Harbor Seal 33× · Belted Kingfisher 30×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 41 birds, 2 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsRed-shouldered Hawk
Waterfowl & wadersBrandt's Cormorant · Brown Pelican · Clark's Grebe · Common Loon · Double-crested Cormorant · Eared Grebe · Pelagic Cormorant · Red-breasted Merganser · Red-throated Loon · Ruddy Duck · Western Grebe
Shorebirds & seabirdsElegant Tern · Forster's Tern · Glaucous-winged Gull · Heermann's Gull · Marbled Godwit · Mew Gull · Ring-billed Gull · Sanderling · Western Gull · Willet
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Rock Dove
Hummingbirds & swiftsAllen's Hummingbird · Anna's Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAmerican Goldfinch · American Robin · Brewer's Blackbird · Bushtit · California Towhee · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-backed Chickadee · Common Raven · European Starling · House Finch · Nuttall's White-crowned Sparrow · Pygmy Nuthatch · Song Sparrow · Surf Scoter · Western Scrub Jay
Small mammalsNorway rat
Marine mammalsharbor seal
Activities
Activity guides for this park Fishing in the national parks
Weather & climate
Fort Point is typically cold and windy throughout the year. Fog is especially common in the summer months. Come prepared with layers and windbreakers for maximum comfort.
Questions people ask
Does Fort Point charge an entrance fee?
No. Fort Point is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Fort Point?
Standard hours are 10:00AM - 5:00PM on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Fort Point right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Auto-Theft Warning - Only Bring What You Need to the Park.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Fort Point?
1,010,870 recreation visits in 2025, number 71 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Fort Point?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Fort Point established?
1848. It covers about 0.4 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Fort Point?
Fort Point is typically cold and windy throughout the year. Fog is especially common in the summer months.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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