Golden Gate National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area · CA · nps.gov page

White buildings with red roofs at Crissy Field with blue bay and Golden Gate Bridge and fog behind.
Visiting Crissy Field is an ever changing experience as the fog comes in and dissipates.Photo: NPS photo/Will Elder

Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansion and the growth of San Francisco. All of this and more awaits you, so get out and find your park.

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News

  • Alcatraz Island from the Ferry
    Alcatraz Island to Temporarily Close for Dock Repairs This Fall

    Alcatraz Island, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is scheduled to temporarily close beginning on October 26, 2026, while crews replace pilings that secure the ferry dock to the island. Repairs are expected to be completed by Nov. 18, 2026.

  • Alcatraz Coyote Wasn’t a City Boy After All

    After months of fieldwork and scientific analysis, National Park Service researchers have determined that the coyote that drew international attention in early 2026 after swimming to Alcatraz Island likely started his epic swim from Angel Island State Park

Photos

Mori Point view north with yellow an blue flowers, the blue-green Pacific Ocean and Mt. Tamalpais.
View north from Mori Point showing abundant spring flowers and Mt. Tamalpais in the background.Photo: Will Elder
View over the Pacific from Bolinas Ridge; Stinson Beach, Bolinas Lagoon and head in mid-ground.
Bolinas Ridge offers outstanding panaramas of the Pacific Coast, here including Stinson Beach and Lagoon.Photo: Kirke Wrench
Orange Golden Gate Bridge with waves crashing in foreground and storm clouds behind.
The Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic attraction year-round.Photo: Kirke Wrench
View south with family on road in foreground and Rodeo Beach and cove in front of Point Bonita.
Trails in the Marin Headlands offer a fun and spectacular hiking experience for all.Photo: NPS photo/Will Elder
Row of red brick barracks with white-columned porches where infantry soldiers lived.
The Presidio offers an outdoor museum of military architecture over the centuries.Photo: NPS photo/Will Elder
Closeup shot of Alcatraz Island showing lighthouse and prison with yellow flowers on slope in front.
Visitors can learn about the complex layered history of Alcatraz Island.Photo: NPS photo/Will Elder
Person jogging along a path with golden gate bridge in the background.
Golden Gate from Battery EastPhoto: NPS Photo

Park information and photos come from the National Park Service. This is not an official NPS site.