Walking Across the Golden Gate Bridge

Where to start

Start at the south end, in the Presidio. The Welcome Center opens daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and has toilets, the Round House café next door and the bronze statue of chief engineer Joseph Strauss in the plaza. From the plaza a path leads to the east sidewalk. The Muni 28 bus stops beside the Welcome Center, and the getting-there page lists the other buses and the parking.

If you are coming from Marin, Vista Point at the north end works just as well, with the view back over the deck to the city.

The rules of the east sidewalk

Pedestrians are on the east sidewalk only. The west sidewalk is for cyclists, and they also share the east side with you in the morning and overnight, so keep right and expect bells. Wheelchairs and mobility devices are welcome. Dogs are not, apart from service animals. E-scooters, skateboards, roller skates and drones are banned. The gates close automatically at closing time and reopen at 5:00 am; during the net works the east sidewalk has sometimes closed an hour early on weeknights, so check goldengate.org the day you go. The sidewalk page has the bike rotation.

What you see on the way over

The first quarter mile is the south approach, with Fort Point directly below and Crissy Field behind you. Then the south tower, 746 feet above the water, close enough to touch the rivets. Mid-span you are 220 feet above the strait, with Alcatraz to your right and the open Pacific to your left through the cables. The north tower comes up sooner than you expect, and then the deck slopes down to Vista Point. On a clear day the whole thing takes longer because you keep stopping.

Wind, fog and what to wear

The deck is exposed on both sides and the wind comes through the strait off the ocean. Even on a warm afternoon in the Marina it can be markedly cooler and blowing hard by the towers. Wear layers, a windproof outer, closed shoes, and something to hold your hat. Summer mornings are often fogged in until late morning; September and October are the clearest months. More on the best-time page and the what-to-wear page.

Toilets, food and the free tour

Toilets are at the Welcome Center on the city side. There are none on the bridge, so go before you start. The Round House café sells coffee and food at the south end. San Francisco City Guides run a free walking tour of the bridge on Wednesdays and Saturdays, meeting at the Strauss statue, lasting about 1½ to 2 hours and ending at the south tower; groups of seven or more must book a private tour through sfcityguides.org.

Getting back

You have two choices from Vista Point. Walk back, which doubles the distance and gives you the city-facing view. Or keep going downhill into Sausalito, from where the ferry runs to Pier 41 or the Ferry Building and Golden Gate Transit buses run back over the bridge; the ferry page explains both. The walk from Vista Point to Sausalito has a long descent, so leave time.

See the underside afterwards

The walk shows you the deck and the towers. The one thing it cannot show you is the view from beneath, 220 feet down, where the bay cruise passes. It leaves from Pier 43½ and takes an hour.

Frequently asked questions