Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansion and the growth of San Francisco. All of this and more awaits you, so get out and find your park.
About under an hour from San Francisco by car.
Alerts
- ClosureNPS ↗Alcatraz Island to Temporarily Close in Fall for Dock Repairs
Date Posted: 9/28/2026 Alcatraz Island, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is scheduled to temporarily close beginning on Oct. 26, 2026, while crews replace pilings that secure the ferry dock to the island. Repairs are expected to be completed by Nov. 18, 2026. For more information, please see news release linked here.
- ClosureNPS ↗China Beach Construction & Seacliff Avenue Closures Fall - Winter 2026
Park's China Beach renovation of bathhouse, lower terrace, and picnic areas is in progress. See 'more' for link to Phase 3 of China Beach project below. SFPUC waterline replacement project will cause parking restrictions, lane closures, and access controls along Sea Cliff Avenue. Visitors should expect SFPUC project on Sea Cliff Avenue to impact access to China Beach.
- 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.
- InformationNPS ↗Ocean Beach Fire Season in Effect through October 31, 2026
Fires allowed ONLY in park provided concrete fire rings between Stairwells 15 and 20. Do NOT make fire rings using rocks, logs or other items. When the Bay Area Air Quality Management District declares a Spare the Air Day, NO campfires, beach fires, or outdoor grills are allowed in the park. For more information, visit the beach fire regulations link below.
- InformationUpper Fort Mason Roads and Parking Area Closures Fall 2025 - Fall 2026
Roads and parking areas at upper Fort Mason will have closures during utilities and seismic retrofit projects. Closures planned Fall 2025 through Fall 2026. Lots will be fenced and used as staging areas for projects occurring at Fort Mason. Signs will be posted in advance of utilities work as project progresses through each area at Fort Mason. Read signs and do not park in posted areas.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area does not charge entrance fees except for at Muir Woods National Monument, which has an entrance fee of $15 per person (16 and older). A reservation is required to visit Alcatraz Island. Other fees may be charged at various locations throughout the park.
Parking: Parking/shuttle reservations are required for all vehicles and shuttle riders visiting Muir Woods National Monument. Entrance fees may be purchased in advance with your reservation via GoMuirWoods.com or upon arrival to the park at the visitor center.
Hours
| Parking Lots | Daily · All Day |
| Day Use Areas | Daily · 6:00AM - Sunset |
| Muir Woods National Monument | Daily · 8:00AM - 6:00PM |
| Point Bonita Lighthouse (beyond the tunnel) | Varies by day ▾
|
| Nike Missile Site | Varies by day ▾
|
| Battery Townsley | Varies by day ▾
|
Point Bonita Lighthouse (beyond the tunnel): hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas | Closed |
When to go
August draws the most visits here and February the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Kirby Cove Campground | 6 sites | |
| $40 a night · Closed Dec 1 to Mar 11 · 6 reservable | ||
| Hawk Campground | 3 sites | |
| $25 a night · Closed Dec 1 to Mar 10 · 3 reservable | ||
| Haypress Campground | 6 sites | |
| $25 a night · Closed Dec 1 to Mar 11 · 6 reservable | ||
| Bicentennial Campground | 3 sites | |
| Bicentennial Campground is currently open and reservations can be three weeks in advance. · 3 reservable | ||
| Rob Hill Campground ↗ | · | |
| $92 a night · Group camp sites are open for public tent camping from April 1 to October 31. | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- William Penn Mott Jr. Presidio Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
The visitor center is the go to place to find out what is happening and what there is to do in the Presidio. Discover the Presidio through a large relief map, inspiring video, engaging exhibitions on history and nature, interactive tools, and knowledgeable staff that can help you uncover the…
- Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center ↗Passport stamp
The plaza is the starting point for all your bridge-related adventures. From here, you can learn about the history of the bridge and its impact on the Bay Area with the help of interactive installations and models, including a cross-section of the bridge's main suspension cable.
- Lands End Lookout Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Facilities include visitor information and gift shop. Exhibits: Indoor exhibits and videos on the natural and cultural history of the Lands End area, Sutro Baths and Sutro Heights. Outdoor 3-D model of Lands End area.
- Muir Woods National Monument Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Please visit gomuirwoods.com for reservations. Starting Saturday, May 28 our new operating hours will be 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The Muir Woods Visitor Center is open 8:00 am to 30 minutes before the park closes.
Explore
Things to do
- Hawk Hill Birdwatching1-2 Hours
Birdwatching in the high hills of the Marin Headlands at Hawk Hill Overlook.
Opens on the Park Service site - Rodeo Lagoon Birdwatching1-2 Hours
Birdwatching in Rodeo Lagoon
Opens on the Park Service site - Nike Missile Site in the Marin Headlands30-90 Minutes
Visit and explore a Nike Missile site and learn about the role of the military installations here in the Marin Headlands.
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit the New Industries Building30-60 Minutes
Visit the New Industries Building to see exhibits on Prison Labor and the commemorative exhibit, Red Power on Alcatraz: Perspectives 50 Years Later. Red Power on Alcatraz tells the story of their 19 -month Occupation of Alcatraz, a watershed…
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike the Bolinas Ridge Trail1-11 Hours
Admire redwood forests and expansive views of the Olema Valley on this dog-friendly, multi-use trail. This up-to-11-mile-long trail begins at either at the Bolinas Ridge Trailhead along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or at the trail's southern end at…
Opens on the Park Service site - Walk the Cross Marin Trail1-5 Hours
The up-to-10.6-miles- roundtrip Cross Marin Trail is a relatively flat, easy trail that follows the historic North Pacific Coast Railroad right-of-way paralleling Lagunitas Creek.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Bike the Bolinas Ridge Trail1-3 Hours
Enjoy open, grassy hillsides, redwood forests, decent climbs, and bumpy downhills on this multi-use trail. This trail begins at either at the Bolinas Ridge Trailhead along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or at the trail's southern end at the…
Opens on the Park Service site - Presidio Birdwatching1-2 Hours
Birdwatching in the Presidio.
Opens on the Park Service site - Crissy Field Birdwatching1-2 Hours
Birdwatching in Crissy Field
Opens on the Park Service site - Archives Visit1-3 Hours
Always open by reservation, The Park Archives and Records Center is excited to host visitors, researchers, and park staff. Here the Presidio's past is bridged to its present by the images, documents, and objects preserved.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bike the Golden Gate Bridge1-4 Hours
Bike the Golden Gate Bridge!
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
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Campfire Program10/1403:00 PM · runs through Dec 5 · freeFire ring west of the visitor center. (Tunnel Tops)
- 09:00 AM · runs through Dec 25 · free · registration requiredPresidio of San Francisco. Specific meeting location will be listed in the registration confirmation email.
- Point Bonita Open House10/1712:30 PM · runs through Dec 19 · free
- Presidio Habitat Stewards10/1709:00 AM · runs through Dec 26 · free · registration requiredSpecific meeting location will be listed in the registration confirmation email.
- 11:00 AM · runs through Dec 27 · freeMeet at the Presidio Visitor Center 210 Lincoln near Anza.
- 12:00 PM · runs through Dec 5 · free
Show all 7Hide
- Battery Townsley Open House11/1412:00 PM · runs through Dec 12 · free
News
- Alcatraz Island to Temporarily Close for Dock Repairs This Fall ↗2026-09-28
Alcatraz Island, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is scheduled to temporarily close beginning on October 26, 2026, while crews replace pilings that secure the ferry dock to the island.
- Alcatraz Coyote Wasn’t a City Boy After All ↗2026-05-04
After months of fieldwork and scientific analysis, National Park Service researchers have determined that the coyote that drew international attention in early 2026 after swimming to Alcatraz Island likely started his…
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 89× · Coyote 70× · California Sea Lion 67× · Great Horned Owl 39× · Harbor Seal 28× · Fox Sparrow 25× · Belted Kingfisher 20× · American White Pelican 20×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 361 birds, 84 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Barred Owl · Broad-winged Hawk · Burrowing Owl · Common Black Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Crested Caracara · Ferruginous Hawk · Golden Eagle · Gray Hawk · Great Horned Owl · Long-eared Owl · Merlin · Mississippi Kite · Northern Harrier · Northern Pygmy-Owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Northern Spotted Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Prairie Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Rough-legged Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech-Owl · White-tailed kite
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Bittern · American Coot · American White Pelican · American Wigeon · Barrow's Goldeneye · Black-crowned Night-Heron · Blue-winged Teal · Brandt's Cormorant · Brown Pelican · Bufflehead · California Clapper Rail · Canada Goose · Cattle Egret · Cinnamon Teal · Clark's grebe · Common Goldeneye · Common Loon · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Eared Grebe · Eurasian Wigeon · Great Blue Heron · Great egret · Greater Scaup · Greater White-fronted Goose · Green-winged Teal · Harlequin Duck · Hooded Merganser · Horned Grebe · Lesser Scaup · Little blue heron · Long-tailed duck · Northern Pintail · Pacific Loon · Pelagic Cormorant · Pied-billed Grebe · Red-breasted Merganser · Red-necked Grebe · Red-throated Loon · Ring-necked Duck · Ross' Goose · Ruddy Duck · Sandhill Crane · Snow Goose · Snowy Egret · Tufted Duck · Tundra Swan · Virginia Rail · Western Grebe · White Ibis · Wood Duck · Yellow Rail · Yellow-billed Loon · green heron
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Avocet · American Black Oystercatcher · Arctic Tern · Ashy Storm-Petrel · Baird's Sandpiper · Bar-tailed Godwit · Black Skimmer · Black Tern · Black Turnstone · Black-bellied Plover · Black-footed Albatross · Black-vented Shearwater · Bonaparte's Gull · California Gull · California Least Tern · Caspian Tern · Cassin's Auklet · Common Murre · Common Snipe · Common Tern · Dunlin · Elegant Tern · Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel · Forster's Tern · Franklin's Gull · Glaucous Gull · Glaucous-winged Gull · Greater Yellowlegs · Heermann's Gull · Herring Gull · Horned Puffin · Killdeer · Laysan Albatross · Leach's Storm-Petrel · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Golden-plover · Lesser Yellowlegs · Long-billed Curlew · Long-billed Dowitcher · Long-tailed jaeger · Manx Shearwater · Marbled Godwit · Mew Gull · Mottled Petrel · Pacific golden-plover · Parasitic Jaeger · Pectoral Sandpiper · Pink-footed Shearwater · Pomarine Jaeger · Red Phalarope · Red-necked Phalarope · Rhinoceros Auklet · Ring-billed Gull · Ruddy Turnstone · Sabine's Gull · Sanderling · Semipalmated Plover · Semipalmated Sandpiper · Short-billed Dowitcher · Short-tailed Shearwater · Solitary Sandpiper · Sooty Shearwater · Spotted Sandpiper · Stilt Sandpiper · Thayer's Gull · Tufted Puffin · Western Gull · Western Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Phalarope · western snowy plover
Gamebirds & dovesBand-tailed Pigeon · California Quail · Mourning Dove · Pigeon Guillemot · Ring-necked Pheasant · Rock Dove · White-winged Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Lewis' Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Nuttall's Woodpecker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-breasted Sapsucker · Red-naped Sapsucker · White-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsAllen's Hummingbird · Anna's Hummingbird · Black Swift · Costa's Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · Vaux's Swift · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Cliff Swallow · American Crow · American Dipper · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · Ancient Murrelet · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Audubon's warbler · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Bay-breasted Warbler · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black Phoebe · Black Scoter · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-backed Wagtail · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-legged Kittiwake · Black-necked Stilt · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Gray Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Brant · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Creeper · Brown-headed Cowbird · Budgerigar · Bullock's Oriole · Bushtit · California Scrub Jay · California Thrasher · California towhee · Canvasback · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cassin's Kingbird · Cassin's Vireo · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-backed chickadee · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Chukar · Clark's Nutcracker · Clay-colored Sparrow · Common Moorhen · Common Poorwill · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Connecticut Warbler · Dark-eyed Junco · Dusky Flycatcher · Dusky Warbler · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Golden-crowned Sparrow · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Flycatcher · Great Knot · Great-tailed Grackle · Hammond's Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · Hermit Warbler · Hooded Oriole · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Hutton's Vireo · Indigo Bunting · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lawrence's Goldfinch · Lazuli Bunting · Least Flycatcher · Lesser Goldfinch · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · Macgillivray's Warbler · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Marbled Murrelet · Marsh Wren · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain chickadee · Nashville Warbler · Northern Fulmar · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Orange-crowned Warbler · Ovenbird · Pacific-slope Flycatcher · Palm Warbler · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Pinyon Jay · Prothonotary Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Pygmy Nuthatch · Red Crossbill · Red Junglefowl · Red Knot · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-masked parakeet · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rufous-crowned Sparrow · Sage Thrasher · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Song Sparrow · Sora · South Polar Skua · Spotted Towhee · Steller's Jay · Surf Scoter · Surfbird · Swainson's Thrush · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Townsend's Solitaire · Townsend's Warbler · Tree Swallow · Tricolored Blackbird · Tropical Kingbird · Varied Thrush · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Virginia's Warbler · Wandering Tattler · Warbling Vireo · Water Pipit · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood-Pewee · Whimbrel · White Wagtail · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-throated Sparrow · White-winged Scoter · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Wrentit · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-billed Magpie · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-headed Blackbird · african grey parrot · bobolink · nutall's white-crowned sparrow · oak titmouse · summer tanager · yellow warbler · yellow-green vireo
Small mammalsBotta's pocket gopher · California ground squirrel · California mouse · California vole · Merriam's chipmunk · Norway rat · Pacific shrew · Point Reyes jumping mouse · Point Reyes mountain beaver · Sonoma chipmunk · Trowbridge's shrew · Western Gray Squirrel · black rat · black-tailed jackrabbit · broad-footed mole · brush rabbit · deer mouse · dusky-footed woodrat · eastern fox squirrel · house mouse · muskrat · ornate shrew · piñon mouse · shrew mole · vagrant shrew · western harvest mouse
Marine mammalsBaird's beaked whale · Blainville's beaked whale · California sea lion · Cuvier's beaked whale · Dall's porpoise · Guadalupe fur seal · Pacific white-sided dolphin · Risso's dolphin · blue whale · common dolphin · fin whale · gray whale · harbor porpoise · harbor seal · humpback whale · killer whale · long-beaked common dolphin · minke whale · northern (Stellar) sea lion · northern elephant seal · northern fur seal · northern right whale dolphin · pygmy sperm whale · rough-toothed dolphin · sei whale · southern sea otter · striped dolphin
PredatorsCommon Otter · Western Spotted Skunk · badger · black bear · bobcat · coyote · ermine · gray fox · long-tailed weasel · mountain lion · raccoon · red fox · ringtail · striped skunk
BatsBrazilian free-tailed bat · California myotis · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Townsend's big-eared bat · Yuma myotis · big brown bat · fringed myotis · hoary bat · little brown myotis · pallid bat · silver-haired bat · western red bat
Also on the checklistDomestic Cat · Virginia opossum · domestic dog · wild pig
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
Winter is characterized by sporadic rain and cool weather punctuated by brilliant sunshine. In winter the grass greens. Trees and flowers dormant through winter start blooming in late February or early March and last until May or June. By July, summer fog predominates in most coastal areas of the park. Grasses and plants have now turned to the golden brown and muted grays characteristic of California summer and fall. September and October skies are clear and sunshine is abundant everywhere in the park.
Questions people ask
Does Golden Gate charge an entrance fee?
No. Golden Gate is free to enter, though some tours and ticketed sites inside charge separately.
Source: National Park Service
Is Golden Gate open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Golden Gate?
Yes. The Park Service lists 5 campgrounds in Golden Gate: Kirby Cove, Hawk, Haypress, Bicentennial, and Rob Hill. 4 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
When do Golden Gate campgrounds close for the season?
Kirby Cove is closed Dec 1 to Mar 11, Hawk is closed Dec 1 to Mar 10, and Haypress is closed Dec 1 to Mar 11.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Golden Gate right now?
5 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Alcatraz Island to Temporarily Close in Fall for Dock Repairs; China Beach Construction & Seacliff Avenue Closures Fall - Winter 2026; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Golden Gate?
15,748,676 recreation visits in 2025, number 2 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Golden Gate?
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 Golden Gate established?
1972. It covers about 118 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Golden Gate?
Winter is characterized by sporadic rain and cool weather punctuated by brilliant sunshine. In winter the grass greens.
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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