|
Mile-long Baker Beach lies at the foot of the rugged cliffs on the
western shoreline of the Presidio.
The view from the
beach—with the tawny wilds of the Marin
Headlands and the Presidio flanking the Golden Gate Bridge—is
spectacular.
Baker Beach can be warm enough for sunbathing and picnicking. A
picnic area with tables, grills, and restroom facilities is tucked in
the cypress grove at the east end of the parking lot.
|
VISIT BAKER BEACH: TIPS AND HIGHLIGHTS
|
|
Tips For Visitors
- On sunny weekends, be prepared for crowds and parking congestion.
- Look for the display of historical military photographs inside the
Battery Chamberlin magazine.
- Hikers can pick up the Coastal Trail on the cliffside.
- The northernmost end of Baker Beach is frequented by
clothing-optional sunbathers.
|
|
|
Nature
Serpentine—California’s
State Rock
Outcrops of gray-green
serpentine protrude among the steep oceanfront cliffs between Fort
Point and Baker Beach. Serpentine forms when rocks deep in the
earth’s crust are altered and forced to the surface. Once on the
surface, serpentine yields soils unusually high in magnesium and low in
calcium, which in turn results in special adaptations and rare species
among plants. The best views of San Francisco’s serpentine cliffs are
from the overlooks on Lincoln Boulevard, north of Baker Beach.
|
|
|
History
Battery Chamberlin
The army built Battery
Chamberlin on Baker Beach in 1904 to protect the harbor’s
minefields. The battery’s “disappearing” guns could be cranked in and
out of their hidden emplacement on the beach. In 1977, the Golden Gate
National Parks acquired a 97,000-pound cannon of the type originally
emplaced here; it is the only gun of its kind that can still
“disappear.”
The City’s Water Supply
In 1858, John
Bensley dammed Lobos Creek at its mouth near Baker Beach and built a
redwood flume that carried the water around to Fort
Point and modern-day Fort
Mason, marking the advent of the city’s first permanent water
supply.
|
Maps and Information
For a map, driving directions and satellite views of this park from Google™ Maps, click here.
Address: Battery Chamberlin Road, Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129
Phone: (415) 561-4323
Please use the links below for more park information:
National Park Service Resources
