Point Bonita is located at the extreme southwestern tip of the Marin Headlands. The steep, half-mile walk to Point Bonita Lighthouse takes you along a narrow ridge, through a hand-chiseled tunnel, and over a heart-stopping suspension footbridge (temporarily closed) to what seems like the end of the world.

Point Bonita is still an active lighthouse maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. Old army buildings near Point Bonita are now used by the YMCA Outdoor and Conference Center, available to groups and conferences for environmental education programs.

VISIT POINT BONITA: TIPS AND HIGHLIGHTS

• No more than five cars may park at Point Bonita parking area. Available parking is limited, often crowded, and is not guaranteed.
• Battery Wallace, near the Point Bonita trailhead, is one of the parklands’ most scenic picnic spots, complete with tables and grills overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge (no water on site).
• Apart from the lighthouse, sights along the trail include the ruins of an historic Coast Guard rescue station, wildflowers, and pillow basalt rock formations.
• Take a guided tour or explore the lighthouse on your own. Check times of tours in advance.
• Accessibility: This site presents extreme difficulties to visitors with disabilities.

The tunnel to the suspension bridge/lighthouse is open Saturdays and Sundays, from 12:30–3:30 pm. However the lighthouse is not accessible due to the suspension bridge closure. Currently the bridge is due to be replaced and open to the public in the Spring of 2012.

A Beacon in the Fog
Originally sited on a hill above the current location, the lighthouse was first built in 1855 (the third lighthouse to be built on the West Coast) after San Francisco’s infamous fog sent many ships crashing against the Headlands’ rocky shoreline. It was moved to its current location in 1877.