Explore Pont Bonita for free! This hidden, historic setting offers breathtaking views and many stories of what is it like living at the head of such dangerous 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.

Join the Point Bonita Lighthouse Tour this Saturday, April 14, 2018 from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm at Marin Headlands.

Site 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 trial 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 calendarfor 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 Trail

From 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.

 

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