Rodeo Beach and Battery Townsley

Rodeo Beach sits in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Pebbles instead of sand—dark stones mixed with bits of red and green. Surfers come here when the waves are good.

Getting There

From San Francisco, cross the bridge and take the first exit to Conzelman Road. Follow signs to Rodeo Beach. Parking lot fills up on weekends. About 20 minutes from the city.

Same area as Point Bonita Lighthouse and the Marine Mammal Center. You can hit all three in one trip.

Battery Townsley

Half-mile hike up from the beach. WW2 gun battery built in 1940. Two massive 16-inch guns that could shoot 25 miles out to sea. Coast defense against potential Japanese naval attacks that never came.

The Hike

• Trail: Coastal Trail
• Distance: 0.5 miles one way
• Time: 15-20 minutes up
• Difficulty: Easy, some incline
• Views: Pacific Ocean, cliffs, bit of Golden Gate Bridge

You can walk around the old gun emplacements, see where they mounted the artillery—concrete bunkers everywhere, observation posts. The guns are gone but the infrastructure remains.

Going Inside

The trail and battery exterior were accessible on our 2023 visit. Interior access depended on ranger-led open-house dates, so check the National Park Service schedule before planning around it.

Bring water and a layer. The half-mile climb is exposed and windier than the parking lot.