Point Bonita Lighthouse Tour | Marin Headlands
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Point Bonita Lighthouse | Fort Barry, Building 948, Sausalito, CA
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Submitted by the Event Organizer
Point Bonita Lighthouse Tour | Marin Headlands
Meet Point Bonita docents along the lighthouse trail. This hidden, historic setting offers breathtaking views and many stories of what life was like living at the head of such perilous waters.
A secret jewel of the Bay Area, the Point Bonita Lighthouse, built in 1855, was the third lighthouse built on the West Coast and helped shepherd ships through the treacherous Golden Gate straights. Today, the lighthouse is still active and is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Point Bonita Lighthouse Tour
Every Sunday and Monday | 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Point Bonita, Marin Headlands
FREESite is subject to closure due to rain or on certain holidays. Visit the Point Bonita website or Contact the Marin Headlands Visitor Center 1-415-331-1540 for updates before heading out.
Tips and Highlights
- The half-mile trail is steep in places.
- Very limited parking availability.
- The tunnel halfway to the lighthouse is open only during visiting hours: Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Battery Wallace, near the Point Bonita trailhead, is one of the parklands’ most scenic picnic spots with tables and grills overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Bring your own water when visiting.
- Sights along the trail to the lighthouse include the ruins of an historic Coast Guard rescue station, wildflowers, and pillow basalt rock formations.
- Discover Point Bonita’s wild landscape, geology, and fascinating history with a guided tour. Visit the online calendar for details. Or explore Point Bonita on your own
Directions to Point Bonita Parking Lot
Fort Barry, Sausalito, 94965
From San Francisco:
1. Drive north across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exit at Alexander Avenue (just beyond the Vista Point).
2. Drive 0.2 miles on Alexander Avenue. Turn left onto Bunker Road (marked by a brown sign: Fort Baker/Marin Headlands Tunnel Route).
3. Drive to the 1-way Baker-Barry Tunnel, which is controlled by a 5-minute light. When the light is green, proceed through the tunnel.
4. Drive through the housing area. Stay on Bunker Road for approximately 2 miles.
5. Turn left onto Field Road (follow sign to Visitor Center)
6. The Visitor Center will appear on your right, in a historic military chapel. Continue 0.6 – 0.7 miles to the Point Bonita Parking Lot. The lot is on the right-hand side of the road and the following sign will appear before it:
Parking Lot for: Handicap; Battery Alexander; Pt. Bonita Lighthouse; Bird Island; Coastal TrailFrom the East Bay/North Bay:
1. Travel south on Highway 101.
2. Take the second Sausalito exit (it’s just before the Golden Gate Bridge). Bear right, and go back under the freeway. After 0.2 miles, turn left at Bunker Road (brown sign, Fort Baker/Marin Headlands Tunnel Route).
3. Follow directions from #3 above.
Updated 1/12/2020 – Event info last checked via website.
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
Cost: FREE
Categories: *Top Pick*, Outdoors, Walks & Tours
