Marshall's in Town

Hike to hidden Marshall's Beach in San Francisco

Everyone has a favorite view of the Golden Gate Bridge. And ours? With respect to all the great options, we’ve got to say it’s from San Francisco’s Marshall’s Beach. What makes this tucked-away haven in the Presidio so good? For starters, you’ve gotta hike about half a mile to get to it, and that includes a lengthy wooden stairway. Locals and tourists alike don’t seem to frequent the beach late day, toward sunset, which is an absolutely sublime time to be here (pro photographers are onto this too). Second, it’s about as close as you can get to the big golden beauty without being underneath it.

Access to Marshall’s Beach is currently limited to one specific route, due to trail closures along many sections of the coastal trail network. So park by Battery Godfrey/Fort Winfield Scott (see italics) and follow the signs to Marshall’s Beach, descending the trail and paralleling the coast for a bit before the wooden steps take you down to the beach, a long, wide crescent-shaped swath backed by cliffs and flanked by sea stacks the closer you get toward a close-up of the bridge.

And while we said that just before sunset is a great time to be here, full moons might be spotted at any time. Marshall’s Beach has clothing-optional visitors too, sometimes. So, enjoy the sunset (or the full moon … just don’t let it photo-bomb your selfies!).

Park by Battery Godfrey/Fort Winfield Scott off of Lincoln Blvd. Map. Follow the Batteries to Bluffs Trail toward Marshall’s Beach. Return the way you came. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

    View
  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Sponsored

    Tram to Cool Treks

    Elevate your fun, getting whisked from palm trees to alpine wilderness on the world’s largest rotating tramcar. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway transports you up and away on a 2.5-mile scenic route from the desert floor to the refreshing wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

    View
  3. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  4. Woman hiking down the stairs to Coast Royale Beach in Orange County

    Secluded Royale

    Panoramic coastal views and a killer leg workout combine on this 2.7-mile (round-trip) out-and-back hike to secluded Coast Royale Beach in Orange County

    View