An easy walk down to a quiet beach that offers great views of Golden Gate Bridge. Several campsites and picnic spots near the beach.

Location: Marin Headlands

» Official Trail Map: Good map showing various trails.

Route in brief:

To Battery Spencer (0.7 miles): From the 'Vista Point' parking lot at the northern end of Golden Gate Bridge, follow a foot bridge that goes under Highway 101 to reach a parking lot on the other side of the highway. Follow the Coastal Trail for about 0.3 miles to reach Conzelman Road. Turn left and walk along the road to reach Battery Spencer in 0.2 miles. Explore Battery Spencer (0.2 miles). Views of Golden Gate Bridge are awesome from this location.

To Kirby Cove: From Battery Spencer, follow Kirby Cove Trail, a large fire road (1.2 miles) to reach Kirby Cove, a quiet sandy beach that offers many picnic spots, camping and awesome views of Golden Gate Bridge. Explore Kirby Cove by walking along the beach. There are trails connecting the entrance to both ends of the beach.

To Golden Gate Vista Point Parking Lot: From Kirby Cove, follow the Kirby Cove Trail all the way to Battery Spencer (1.2 miles). Then follow a trail adjoining Conzelman Road (0.2 miles). Turn right at a single track hiking trail (0.3 miles) to reach the parking lot on the west side of Highway 101, then go under the bridge through a tunnel to emerge at the parking lot to the east side of Highway 101.

Location: 'Vista Point' Parking Lot at the northern end of Golden Gate Bridge, CA . No street address. Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.

Directions: From San Francisco, drive over Golden Gate Bridge going north. The first exit beyond the bridge is for a 'Vista Point'.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: June 2012)

Capacity: Over 50 cars may be parked here. Parking is usually tight in peak hours.

Latitude: 37.833149     Longitude: -122.480897