Park guide · California
Best time to visit Golden GateWhen to catch spring wildflowers in the Marin Headlands and fall hawk migration over Hawk Hill
At Golden Gate, migrating raptors over Hawk Hill are best seen at midday, from 10 am to 2 pm, in September and October. Peak wildflower season on the park's trails runs from late February through June.
Checked against 8 official sources · How we check →
About Golden Gate
- What it is
- A National Recreation Area in California
- A little history
- In 2011, six acres became a restoration site for the mission blue butterfly and declining bird species. The non-native Monterey pines and cypresses there, likely grown from seeds in soil the army used during World War II, were replaced with thousands of native coastal scrub and prairie plants.
- Before you go
Year-round(1 tip)
- Photography: Golden Gate lies on the Pacific Flyway, so birds traveling between the tropics and the Arctic stop here to rest and feed.
Fall hawk migration over Hawk Hill · Sep–Oct(1 tip)
- What to bring: Binoculars and water for watching the hawks, and dress in layers.
Spring wildflowers in the Marin Headlands · Feb–Jun(1 tip)
- Trails: The Park Service names the Point Bonita Lighthouse, Tennessee Valley, Coastal, Wolf Ridge and Miwok trails among the best flower walks.
RIGHT NOW · OCT 4
- Latest reportNo dated report this season; the posters below show each usual window.
- This weekend (NWS)Sat mostly sunny, 62°F · Sun mostly cloudy, 76°F
- Park alerts4 current NPS alerts: Spare the Air Alert: Fire Restrictions in Effect October 3 - 4
When are you going?
Fall at Golden Gate
Next peak here after fall
Winter at Golden Gate
Good in winter
- Western snowy plovers spend the winter at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field Marsh
Nearby in winter
Next peak here after winter
Spring at Golden Gate
Summer at Golden Gate
Next peak here after summer
Month by month
| Month | What to see | |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| February | ||
| March–June | ||
| September–October | ||
| November | ||
| December | ||
Where to go at Golden Gate
Visitor points on this map: William Penn Mott Jr. Presidio Visitor Center (3 mi) · Lands End Lookout Visitor Center (3.4 mi)
What you'll see here
Best spots
Tennessee Valley Trail
Best spot
One of the Park Service's named best flower walks in the Marin Headlands; bobcats turn up in the valley on nice spring days too
Good for: Spring wildflowers in the Marin HeadlandsNational Park Service ↗
Point Bonita Lighthouse Trail
Best spot
Another of the named best flower walks, near the park's visitor center and Bicentennial Campground
Good for: Spring wildflowers in the Marin HeadlandsNational Park Service ↗
Hawk Hill
Best spot
Up to 19 kinds of raptors, more than 20,000 birds, pass over in fall; best at midday in September and October, with views over the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge
Good for: Fall hawk migration over Hawk HillNational Park Service ↗
Rodeo Lagoon
Best spot
Bird Island off the lagoon is one of northern California's largest brown pelican roosts; several hundred land in the lagoon each fall
Good for: Fall hawk migration over Hawk HillNational Park Service ↗
Next 7 days at Golden Gate
- TodayMostly Clear– / 61°1% rain
- SunMostly Cloudy76° / 60°1% rain
- MonSunny75° / 61°–
- TueSunny75° / 61°–
- WedSunny74° / 59°–
- ThuMostly Sunny71° / 58°6% rain
- FriMostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain65° / 57°15% rain
Heads up: Park closure: Alcatraz Island to Temporarily Close in Fall for Dock Repairs; Park closure: China Beach Construction & Seacliff Avenue Closures Fall - Winter 2026.
Today: sunrise 7:08 a.m., sunset 6:51 p.m., light until 7:18 p.m. · moon waning crescent, 43% lit (our calculation)
Plan your visit
Entrance
No entrance fee anywhere in the park except Muir Woods National Monument, which charges $15 per person aged 16 and older. Other fees may apply at some locations.
Official page ↗Reservations
Muir Woods needs a parking or shuttle reservation for every vehicle and shuttle rider, even on fee-free days. Visiting Alcatraz Island also needs a reservation.
Official page ↗Things to do
- Hawk Hill OverlookWide views over San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory runs docent programs here on Saturdays and Sundays in September and October.
- Gerbode Valley loopA five-mile loop through grassland and coastal chaparral in the Marin Headlands, with wildflowers each spring. Park at the Smith Parking Lot on Bunker Road.
- Lands End Lookout Visitor CenterVisitor information, with indoor exhibits and videos on the natural and cultural history of Lands End, Sutro Baths and Sutro Heights, and an outdoor 3-D model of the area.
Around Golden Gate
Other places to visit: Sutter National Wildlife Refuge 95 mi · Colusa National Wildlife Refuge 97 mi
Next season here: Spring wildflowers in the Marin Headlands, from late February through June.
Towns nearby
- Oakland, CA · 15 miFirst frost ~Dec 23
- Novato, CA · 18 miFirst frost ~Dec 21
- Fairfield, CA · 39 miFirst frost ~Dec 14
- Santa Rosa, CA · 44 miFirst frost ~Dec 1
Show all 6 towns
- San Jose, CA · 52 miFirst frost ~Dec 25
- Stockton, CA · 66 miFirst frost ~Dec 8
First frost: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at each town's nearest station.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see migrating hawks at Golden Gate?
Midday, from 10 am to 2 pm, in September and October, at Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. Bring binoculars and water, and dress in layers.Source: National Park Service, Raptors at Hawk Hill - Golden Gate National Recreation Area ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When do wildflowers peak at Golden Gate?
Peak wildflower season on the park's trails runs from late February through June. Flowers bloom most of the year there, and grasslands are usually the first to show color.Sources: National Park Service, Wildflowers of Golden Gate (park brochure, PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Wildflowers - Golden Gate National Recreation Area ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Does Golden Gate charge an entrance fee?
Only at Muir Woods National Monument, $15 per person aged 16 and older. Muir Woods also needs a parking or shuttle reservation for every vehicle and shuttle rider, even on fee-free days.Source: National Park Service, Fees & Passes ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where can I see brown pelicans at Golden Gate?
At Rodeo Lagoon in the Marin Headlands, where several hundred land each fall. Bird Island, just off the lagoon, is one of northern California's largest roosts for the endangered brown pelican.Source: National Park Service, Birds - Golden Gate National Recreation Area ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where do snowy plovers spend the winter at Golden Gate?
At Ocean Beach and Crissy Field Marsh in San Francisco. Western snowy plovers are federally threatened.Source: National Park Service, Birds - Golden Gate National Recreation Area ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where can I see bobcats at Golden Gate?
In the Gerbode and Tennessee valleys of the Marin Headlands, most likely on nice spring and summer days. They're mostly active at night but often show in the early morning or evening.Source: National Park Service, Gerbode Valley - Golden Gate National Recreation Area ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How we know
- Oct 2Park ServiceWildflowers of Golden Gate (park brochure, PDF) (round 33, spring 2027)Source (opens National Park Service, Wildflowers of Golden Gate (park brochure, PDF) in a new tab)
- Oct 2Park ServiceRaptors at Hawk Hill - Golden Gate National Recreation AreaSource (opens National Park Service, Raptors at Hawk Hill - Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a new tab)
- Oct 2Park ServiceBirds - Golden Gate National Recreation AreaSource (opens National Park Service, Birds - Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a new tab)
- Oct 2Park ServiceGerbode Valley - Golden Gate National Recreation Area (round 33, spring 2027)Source (opens National Park Service, Gerbode Valley - Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a new tab)
- Oct 3Park ServiceFees & PassesSource (opens National Park Service, Fees & Passes in a new tab)
- Oct 2Park ServiceHawk Hill OverlookSource (opens National Park Service, Hawk Hill Overlook in a new tab)
- National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.
Show all 8
- Sep 30Park ServiceOfficial NPS record for Lands End Lookout Visitor CenterSource (opens National Park Service, Lands End Lookout Visitor Center in a new tab)
- Oct 2Park ServiceWildflowers - Golden Gate National Recreation AreaSource (opens National Park Service, Wildflowers - Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a new tab)
- National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.