Point Bonita Lighthouse – An active lighthouse miles from San Francisco
Point Bonita Lighthouse
The Point Bonita Lighthouse is an active lighthouse in the Marin Headlands which is used by ships coming from the Pacific Ocean into San Francisco Bay.
The Lighthouse is perched away from the cliff and requires you to take a suspension bridge to get to.
As a part of the National Parks Service’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area it’s less than 10 miles from the San Francisco, and 20 min from Muir Woods, which is a great stop off point when visiting the area.
Getting to Point Bonita Lighthouse
Parking by the trail-head is limited with only 6-7 parking spaces. There is way more parking in the alternate lot by Battery Alexander. The second lot is about .3 miles away from the Point Bonita Trailhead.
The Trail to the lighthouse itself is around .5 miles one way. Follow the trail down the hill to the tunnel entrance. Looking down to the rocks in the water you can usually spot some seals laying around. During specific hours the tunnel is open which takes you through the rock structure to the lighthouse itself. During peak hours there will be a ranger controlling access across the suspension bridge.
Point Bonita Lighthouse Hours
The lighthouse is only open on limited days since it is a working lighthouse. You can double check the hours at the official website but typically is open 12:30 to 3:30 on Sat – Mon. The trail up to the tunnel is open at all times but the tunnel which you must pass through to access the lighthouse is only open during the specified hours.
Things to do nearby
There is a free Point Bonita Lighthouse night tour available on most full moons. Check the website and schedule for details. Reservations for the night tour are required. Muir Woods, Battery Spenser, Muir Beach Overlook, and Sausalito are popular nearby attractions that you can combine on a day trip north of San Francisco.
Trail Profile
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Resources
https://www.nps.gov/goga/pobo.htm
http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/point-bonita.html