Battery Recharge

Presidios New Battery East Vista

01.05.2016

There's a cool new point of view for San Francisco's icon of the bay, the Golden Gate! Battery East Vista, located at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge is open for hikers, bikers, walkers, and sightseeing revelers. It's also ADA accessible. Next to it is the new, improved, and now open parking lot (formerly filled with bark chip). Offering easy access, it's a paved entry point to Battery East, with bench seating for prime bay viewing. (The nearby Merchant Road has also been paved.) As part of the Coastal Trail, Battery East Vista connects south to the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond. In fact, its a connector to one of the best urban coastal hikes in the West. We call it the "Grand Walk". From Battery East, head up to the Golden Gate Bridge, then along the Batteries-to-Bluffs Trail, then down the 243-step sand ladder to Baker Beach, and back up to Sea Cliff where you'll connect to the Coastal Trail and follow it as far as Lands End and the Cliff House. Way to charge your Battery!

TIP: Batter East is also a great spot for watching sunsets.

The Battery East Vista is at the intersection of Lincoln Blvd. and Pilot’s Point, or directly across the street from 955 Lincoln Blvd. (a private residence). Photo by Paul Myers, Parks Conservancy. Dog-friendly! 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Mike Zakowski (aka Mike the Baker) standing in front of his wood-fire oven at the Sonoma Valley Farmers' Market

    NEW! Walkin' and Talkin': Break Bread, Go On a Panoramic Hike

    What’s a world-traveling, medal-winning baker’s favorite local hike? Weekend Sherpa co-founder Brad Day caught up with Mike Zakowski (aka Mike the Baker) at Sonoma’s Friday farmers' market, where his wood-fired loaves draw loyal crowds. Between bites of fresh-baked bread, they talk baking, travel, and why Sonoma's Overlook Trail is one of his favorite quick, panoramic hikes.

    View

  2. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

    View

  3. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

    View
  4. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

    View

  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

    View

  4. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

    View