On Monday, six Bay Area counties announced “shelter in place” orders for residents through April 7, 2020. As you likely know, residents are required to stay at home except when going outside for essential activities such as getting food, caring for loved ones (including pets), going to a medical appointment, or going outside for exercise.

ALERT: Coronavirus response – latest info on closures Update

While most park-operated public facilities will be temporarily closed (please see the full list below) and we have suspended Parks Conservancy-led programs and events during this period, we hope you will continue to safely enjoy the trails and open spaces of our Bay Area national parks.

What’s Open

Bay Area National Parks Trails And Open Spaces

The “shelter in place” directive does allow you to go outside, as long as we follow CDC guidelines for social distancing, which include: staying six feet away from others, covering our mouth and nose for coughs and sneezes, and staying at home if unwell.

Our parks are here for you. During this challenging time, the parks can be wonderful spaces to walk, hike, run and just appreciate the sun and fresh air. If you are able to visit a park, please remember to “pack in and pack out” any trash, since most services like trash collection have been suspended. We all can do our part to protect public lands and public health.

Always Check for Updates Before Visiting: Please note that currently all campgrounds and visitors centers are closed (through 4/7/20) and that the situation can change rapidly. Check the website for updates before attending.

San Francisco

• Alcatraz Island – CLOSED – site of a Civil War fort, military prison, and the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
• China Beach – a small beach located north of the Sea Cliff district in San Francisco near the Presidio of San Francisco
• Fort Funston – a former coastal fortification and Nike missile site SF-59L; now a popular hang gliding spot
• Fort Mason – the San Francisco Port of Embarkation National Historic Site now houses non-profit organizations and offers a variety of cultural activities
• Fort Miley Military Reservation – a former military base that now holds a Veterans’ Hospital and picnic areas
• Lands End – a natural preserve including the Coastal Trail which will bring one to scenic views of the Marin Headlands and Golden Gate. Includes Mile Rock, the site of a former lighthouse and, subsequently, a helipad located offshore at the southwestern edge of the Golden Gate
• Presidio of San Francisco – a former military reservation, and site of the initial Spanish fortification in San Francisco, including:
  • Baker Beach – birthplace of the Burning Man festival, a popular sunbathing spot that is clothing-optional at its northern end. Located at the southwestern corner of the Presidio
  • Battery Chamberlin – one of the last remaining coastal defense “disappearing guns” on the U.S. West Coast
  • Crissy Field – a former airfield restored to a 100-acre (40 ha) shoreline
  • Fort Point National Historic Site – CLOSED – a fort at the southern base of the Golden Gate Bridge that formerly housed 126 cannons to protect the bay against invaders. Completed just in time for the Civil War, but never fired a shot in combat
  • The San Francisco National Cemetery
• Ocean Beach – a popular surf spot on the western side of San Francisco
• The Sutro District – a collection of historic attractions developed by Adolph Sutro in the late 19th century, including:
  • The Cliff House – a historic restaurant first built in 1863, rebuilt following fires in 1894 and 1907. Also houses the Camera Obscura, a historic building containing a device which projects a 360° image
  • Sutro Baths – concrete ruins of an indoor swimming pool constructed in 1894 by former SF mayor Adolf Sutro dominate the southwest corner
  • Sutro Heights Park – public park and former estate of Adolf Sutro^[7]

Marin County

• Fort Baker – former Army post located on the northern side of the Golden Gate
• Headlands Center for the Arts – an artist residency program set in renovated military buildings in the Marin Headlands. Offers programs including performances, discussions and lectures, and displays a 1,800-square-foot (170 m²) project space with a rotating roster of artists open to the public
• Marin Headlands – hilly peninsula at the southernmost end of Marin County that includes The Marine Mammal Center, Rodeo Lagoon, Rodeo Beach, Muir Beach, Tennessee Valley and Gerbode Valley
• Muir Woods National Monument – CLOSED –  huge Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) fill this forest, along with Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum), Tanbark Oak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), and California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
• Oakwood Valley – bordered by Marin City to the north and the Marin Headlands to the south, Oakwood Valley contains the largest untouched woodland of Coast Live Oak and California bay trees in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area^[5]
• Olema Valley – 10 miles (16 km) of grassland and forest that stretch from Tomales Bay to Bolinas Lagoon
• Point Bonita Lighthouse – CLOSED – an active lighthouse maintained by the United States Coast Guard
• Stinson Beach – CLOSED – a beach north of San Francisco and south of Bolinas Lagoon
• Muir Beach Overlook – a former Army base-end station with a clifftop view of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco, on State Route 1
• Fort Cronkhite – a former World War II Army post located near Rodeo Beach.
• Nike Missile Site SF-88 – CLOSED – a decommissioned Army surface-to-air missile (SAM) site located near Fort Barry.

What’s Closed

Here are the area and park closures as a result of county “shelter in place” orders, effective March 16-April 7:

San Francisco County:

•    Alcatraz Island – Closed
•    Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center – Closed, but bridge is open
•    Lands End Lookout Welcome Center – Closed, but Lands End trails open
•    Presidio Visitor Center – Closed, but The Presidio is open
•    Fort Point National Historic Site – Closed

Marin County:

•    Muir Woods National Monument – Entire park and parking are closed
•    Marin Headlands Visitor Center – Closed, but Headlands trails open
•    Nike Missile site; Point Bonita Lighthouse – Closed
•    All park campgrounds (Kirby Cove, Bicentennial) – Closed
•    Stinson Beach – Closed

As always, thank you for supporting our parks to help make them a place where we can go in all times. Your support of our parks has ensured they are here when we need them most. Please take good care and be well.