Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge: Walking It, Viewing It, and the Specific Problem of Morning Fog

The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937 and was the world’s longest suspension bridge for 27 years. It spans 2.7km and stands 67 metres above the water at mid-span. The International Orange paint was chosen over the US Navy’s preferred yellow and black stripes – a decision that made it one of the most photographed structures in the world rather than a navigational hazard that happened to be large. The orange reads as red against the dark Marin hills and grey fog. The fog is both the bridge’s most photogenic companion and the reason many tourists spend their one morning in San Francisco looking at cloud.

San Francisco’s marine layer sits in the Golden Gate channel for much of the morning from May through August. On summer days the bridge is frequently completely obscured until noon or later. The clearest conditions for photographs are October through April, and specifically in the late afternoon when the marine layer has burned off and low sun hits the eastern towers. If you arrive on a June morning to find the bridge in cloud, take the ferry to Sausalito and look back from the north in the afternoon.

Walking the Bridge

The eastern pedestrian path is free and open 05:00-21:00. The full crossing from the Marin toll plaza to the San Francisco Visitor Pavilion on the south end is 2.7km; crossing and returning takes 45-60 minutes at walking pace. From mid-span you look east toward Alcatraz and the city skyline, west toward the open Pacific. Wind on the span is consistent in any season; a jacket is necessary regardless of what the temperature was in downtown San Francisco.

Cycling across is permitted. Bike rental from shops near Fisherman’s Wharf or Embarcadero costs USD 35-55 per day. The standard tourist cycle route crosses to Sausalito and returns by the Blue and Gold Fleet ferry – USD 14.50 per bike and rider, about 30 minutes.

Best Viewpoints

Battery Spencer, the first pull-off on Conzelman Road immediately north of the bridge in the Marin Headlands, is the easiest elevated north-side viewpoint and the one used in most wide-angle photographs. Turn left immediately off the bridge onto Alexander Avenue, then follow Conzelman Road.

Hawk Hill, 2km north in the Marin Headlands, requires a drive up Conzelman Road (closed to vehicles above the ridge on weekends; park at Battery Spencer). Both towers visible with the city behind them; sunset here is excellent.

Fort Baker (Cavallo Point) on the north side gives the classic view south along the bridge toward the city – the symmetrical view that appears in the most-shared photographs.

Baker Beach on the Presidio’s Pacific coast gives a ground-level view looking up at the bridge’s western tower. The view is different from every other angle and worth the walk.

Getting There

Muni Bus 28 from the Caltrain station at 4th and King reaches the Bridge Pavilion. Bus 38 from Embarcadero BART also runs. You can ride over the bridge on a public bus for USD 2.50 on a Clipper card. The bridge has dedicated parking on the south side at USD 10-15 per day – it fills on weekends before noon.

Crissy Field, the restored wetland on the bay side of the Presidio, has a flat walking path from the Ferry Building area to the bridge approach with consistent views across the water. One of the better free walks in San Francisco.