Bay Area Ridge Trail: The Golden Gate Bridge to Marin Headlands is a 1.7 mile heavily trafficked point-to-point trail located near San Francisco, California that offers the chance to see wildlife and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round.
This famous bridge span, dedicated in 1937, is one of the world’s most spectacular and visited sites. A trip by foot, bike, or wheelchair offers visitors an excellent opportunity to understand Bay Area geography and the route of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. The bridge can be windy and/or foggy, so wear layers. For more information, see the Bay Area Ridge Trail site here: https://ridgetrail.org/golden-gate-bridge/ This trail description is excerpted from the 2019 Guidebook. For details on all of the Bay Area Ridge trails, trailheads and more buy the book from Wilderness Press: https://www.wildernesspress.com/product.php?productid=16685&cat=274&bestseller=Y Accessibility: There is a wheelchair-accessible ramp leading from the Visitors Center on the south end up to the bridge entrance with handrails and a gentle slope. Once on the bridge, the path is paved with cement with steel sections, flat (estimated 1% grade or less), and typically at least 6 feet wide. There is a safety barrier protecting pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicle traffic on the bridge. There is an infrequent painted center dividing line (reduces the width). There is a wheelchair-accessible bathroom with grab bars in a separate building across from the Visitor Center. There are at least 3 designated wheelchair-accessible parking spaces at waypoints #1 and #7.
There are bathrooms and a cafe at the southern end of the bridge.
San Francisco can be a cold city because of the winds and the fog, especially near the water. As Mark Twain famously said, "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco." It's best to dress in layers with something to protect you from the wind. A nice sunny day can quickly become very cold once the fog rolls in.
There are many bike rental companies within the city that allow you take bikes across the bridge for the day. There are also parking lots available on the southern side of the bridge.
Very muddy , very steep . Parking is hard to find . Good hike overall .
I loved looking back to what we accomplished. From one side of the ridge to the other .