---
title: "Baker Beach | Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/ed9b9b72-1bbd-4a1f-8b45-c24b05522f73
source_url: "https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/baker-beach"
stack: https://stacklist.com/stack/3803f8c1-1dea-4b02-8872-aeaac9130014
summary: "Baker Beach is a scenic mile-long coastal retreat on the Presidio's western shoreline in San Francisco, offering spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, and California's State Rock (serpentine). The beach features historical attractions like Battery Chamberlin, picnic facilities, hiking trails, and opportunities to spot harbor porpoises."
tags: "baker-beach, san-francisco, coastal-trail, golden-gate, serpentine, battery-chamberlin, hiking"
key_entities: "Baker Beach (location), San Francisco (location), Golden Gate Bridge (location), Marin Headlands (location), Presidio (location), Fort Point (location), Fort Mason (location), Serpentine (concept), Battery Chamberlin (concept), John Bensley (person), Golden Gate National Parks (organization), Golden Gate National Recreation Area (organization), Golden Gate Historic Landscaping and Maintenance (event)"
classification: "reference"
content_hash: "sha256:16a137053193e2ad894bcee88672a15cdfc5c26fec3faae2fef1f1a84ba53bd1"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 761
visibility: public
agent_accessible: true
status: "final"
---

# Baker Beach | Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Baker Beach Stretching a mile below the rugged cliffs on the Presidio’s western shoreline, Baker Beach’s spectacular outside-the-Gate views of the Bridge and the Marin Headlands are unsurpassed. Keep your eye out for harbor porpoises frolicking in the surf and for California’s State Rock (serpentine). Learn about an early 20th-century “disappearing gun.” Picnic and restroom facilities available. Share this: facebook twitter email Hours Open 24/7 Location Park Activity Service Legend Highlight on the map: Type Driving Walking Cycling Transit Select the type of directions you would like. Starting address Enter your starting address in a single line. Tips and Highlights On sunny weekends, be prepared for crowds and parking congestion. A picnic area with tables, grills, and restroom facilities is tucked in the cypress grove at the east end of the parking lot. Baker Beach can be warm enough for sunbathing and picnicking. Look for the display of historical military photographs inside the Battery Chamberlin magazine. Hikers can pick up the Coastal Trail on the cliffside. The northernmost end of Baker Beach is frequented by clothing-optional sunbathers. Nature California State Rock: Serpentine Outcrops of gray-green serpentine protrude among the cliffs between Fort Point and Baker Beach. Serpentine forms when rocks deep in the earth’s crust are altered and forced to the surface. Serpentine yields soils unusually high in magnesium and low in calcium, which spur special adaptations among rare plant species. The best views of San Francisco’s serpentine cliffs are from the overlooks on Lincoln Boulevard, north of Baker Beach. History Battery Chamberlin The army built Battery Chamberlin on Baker Beach in 1904 to protect the harbor’s minefields. In 1977, the Golden Gate National Parks acquired a 97,000-pound cannon of the type originally emplaced here, and visitors today can still see this “disappearing” gun that can be cranked in and out of its hidden emplacement. Early San Francisco Water In 1858, John Bensley dammed Lobos Creek at its mouth near Baker Beach and built a redwood flume that carried the water around to Fort Point and modern-day Fort Mason, marking the advent of the city’s first permanent water supply. Contact Information 1504 Pershing Drive, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA 94129 (415) 561-4323 Events Golden Gate Historic Landscaping and Maintenance Thu, May 28, 2026, 10:00am - 1:00pm Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 10:00am - 1:00pm Baker Beach Access Trailhead Golden Gate Historic Landscaping and Maintenance Thu, May 28, 2026, 10:00am - 1:00pm Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 10:00am - 1:00pm Baker Beach Access Trailhead Activities and Trails Park Activities and Trails Battery Chamberlin Trail Difficulty Level: Easiest Trail Length: 0.15 miles round trip Lobos Creek Trail Difficulty Level: Easiest Trail Length: 0.68 miles round trip More Related Content Park E-Ventures Article Hot Tips for Cooling Off: The Best Beaches at Golden Gate Article Seven Places to Gaze at the Golden Gate Bridge