Golden Gate National Recreation Area Trails

Find your path to discovery and adventure

For many of us, the sprawling and spectacular trail system at Golden Gate is how we experience the parks and encounter their many wonders. More than just a line through the woods or a swath across a bluff, the trail is where we can marvel at nature, learn about culture, and understand history. Trails are as unique and complex as the ecosystems they help protect, or the extraordinary people who help care for them. Stay up to date on any closures. Introduce yourself to one of the trails in the Golden Gate National Parks. And get ready to meet magic.

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A staircase leads downward amid spiky agave plants at Alcatraz Island.
Trail
Wrapping around the southern edge of the island, this trail literally presents a "different side" of The Rock. This 0.6-mile, easy walking trail features plenty of its spiky succulent namesake (planted to slow erosion and serve as a verdant fence), as well as breathtaking views of the San Francisco skyline...
Habitat restoration volunteers work on Alta Ridge
Trail

Length

5.02 miles round-trip
This is a long but gradual climb from the eastern side of the Marin Headlands . This fire road is in good condition, making for an easy route to meander along.
Baquiano Trail up Sweeney Ridge
Trail
Difficulty: Moderate

Length

2.22 miles round-trip
Driving up to the parking area is steep, and it's a premonition of what the trail will be like. You guessed it, the ascent will be too. However, switchbacks make the climb much easier. Near the top of the ridge, it flattens out and becomes a fire road. Be sure...
Battery Alexander near Battery Mendell
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.97 miles round-trip
This trail involves walking along a dirt trail through several Civil War-era military batteries near a cliff edge. It also includes several areas where terrain varies and involves stairs.
Batteries to Bluffs Trail, Golden Gate Bridge
Trail
Difficulty: Strenuous

Length

0.70 miles round-trip
Stretching from just south of the Golden Gate Bridge to Battery Crosby, the trail offers spectacular coastal panoramas, views of the Golden Gate, and a safe descent to Marshall’s Beach.
Ranger leads a demonstration at Battery Chamberlin
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.15 miles round-trip
The army built Battery Chamberlin on Baker Beach in 1904 to protect the harbor’s minefields. In 1977, the Golden Gate National Parks acquired a 97,000-pound cannon of the type originally emplaced here, and visitors today can still see this “disappearing” gun that can be cranked in and out of its...
Battery Crosby in the Presidio
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.27 miles round-trip
This short segment of the Batteries to Bluffs Trail takes visitors to Battery Crosby, an Endicott-era battery completed and armed in 1900 to protect the underwater minefield outside the Golden Gate. On the first Saturday and Sunday of each month (from 11 am to 3 pm), you can see a...
Bridge overlook off the Battery East Trail
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.80 miles round-trip
One of the signature trail improvement projects of the Parks Conservancy, the multi-use Battery East Trail features eye-popping views of the soaring towers of the Golden Gate Bridge , as well as an overlook/seating area to admire the span and San Francisco Bay.
Sunrise from Battery Spencer
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.86 miles round-trip
Battery Spencer Trail is a 0.5 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Sausalito, California that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking and is accessible year-round.
Battery Wagner along the Kirby Cove Road in the Marin Headlands.
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.13 miles round-trip
The 0.8-mile Battery Wagner Trail affords visitors a stellar view of the Golden Gate Bridge, perfect for snapping some photos.
Golden Gate Bridge view from Battery Yates at Fort Baker
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

0.30 miles round-trip
After visiting Cavallo Point and the beautifully restored Colonial Revival buildings along the main parade at Fort Baker , be sure to make a side trip to Battery Yates, located just off Satterlee Road. The trail to Battery Yates (named after an Army officer killed at the Battle of Little...
Presidio National Cemetery Overlook
Trail

Length

3.80 miles round-trip
From: Arguello Gate To: the Golden Gate Bridge and back Explore the charm, seclusion, natural wonders, and historic and cultural variety of the Presidio . Stunning views await you on this short trip through forests and grasslands and along coastal bluffs, from the Presidio's south-central entrance to its northwest tip...

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