Hike The Point Bonita Lighthouse Trail

The hike to Point Bonita Lighthouse is an amazing adventure. This half-mile trek in the Bay Area winds through the Marin Headlands, a hand-carved tunnel, and crosses a beautifully designed suspension bridge with stunning views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean.

It’s a short half-mile trip, though steep in some areas and mostly up-hill on the way back (see Point Bonita Lighthouse Map). But the walk is wonderfully relaxing – you’re surrounded with calming ocean views and blooming wildflowers in the spring. Down in the water below you can also spot wildlife, like harbor seals.

The path heads through a hand-carved tunnel around the halfway point. If you’re planning on visiting, keep in mind that access to the tunnel is only open for a few days every week. Visiting hours are on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 12:30pm-3:30pm.

Not long after the tunnel, the path leads up to a suspension bridge with steel cables. It was built back in the ’50s and has been closed a few times over the years for repairs. By 2012 it was finally replaced by a wider, sturdier bridge.

Crossing the bridge is a thrilling experience of its own. The steps are wobbly, and the views are nothing short of perfection. From the bridge you get a 360-degree perspective of the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.

Built in 1855, the historic light still aids ships today and is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. For more information, visit the National Park Service website here.

Point Bonita Lighthouse is easy to locate just after (or before) crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, in the Marin Headlands. Here’s where you can find it: