A DAY ON ANGEL ISLAND
Leader: Edward Joy
Leader Email: edward@edwardjoylaw.com
Leader Phone: 415-608-6727
Meeting Date and Day: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Meeting Place: San Francisco Ferry Terminal, Gate B to purchase tickets and for departure.
Meeting Time: 10:00 am at the San Francisco Ferry Building, Gate B. Unless you have a Clipper Card, you’ll need to purchase two tickets (one for the outbound and one for the return) at the main Golden Gate Ferry Terminal located about 100 yards South of Gate B. The round-trip total fare is $31.00 without the Clipper Card, $19.50 with the Clipper Card, and $16.00 for seniors.
Departure Time: 10:15 am at the Ferry Building, Gate B. Alternative ferry option for hikers from the East or North Bay: meet at 9:45 am at Angel Island Tiburon Ferry dock in Tiburon; ferry departs Tiburon at 10:00 am. Purchase tickets online at https://angelislandferry.com/schedule. Tickets are round trip only, and the full fare is $19.08 for adults and $17.00 for seniors. Email the hike leader if you’ll be coming from Tiburon. San Francisco ferry riders will arrive at Angel Island around 10:45 am. Tiburon ferry riders, please wait for us near the restrooms. Both the San Francisco return ferry and the Tiburon return ferry depart Angel Island at 3:20 pm.
Rating: Level-3
Mileage: (Option 1): 6.5 miles, leaving at 3:20PM;
(Option 2): 8-10 miles, leaving at 4:50PM.
Elevation Gain: Option 1 = 500'; Option 2 = 1000'
Description: The hike described below is a bit different from the one originally posted. The schedule change for the ferry means that we can either take the 3:20PM ferry and do the (shorter) hike described below, or take the 4:50PM ferry and go at a more leisurely pace and include the hike to the top of Mt. Livermore.
Immediately upon arrival at Ayala Cove on Angel Island (San Francisco ferry riders will arrive at Angel Island around 10:45 am), we’ll assemble just to the left of the restrooms. For the most part, we will use Perimeter Road the entire day for our gentle clockwise loop around the island. Our first stop is the Immigration Station, often called the “Ellis Island of the West.” Unlike its eastern counterpart, Angel Island carries a far darker history. We’ll pause here for about 15 minutes so hikers can explore the museum. From there, we’ll continue along Perimeter Road to the ruins of Fort McDowell and then on to Quarry Beach, a hidden stretch of white sand offering stunning, unobstructed views of the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. As we progress, the road opens up to sweeping vistas that include San Francisco, and the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in a single panorama. Next, we’ll stop at Camp Reynolds and Point Stuart (with an optional side trip to Perle’s Beach, time permitting). From there, the loop will return us to Ayala Cove. Throughout the hike, we’ll enjoy a mix of landscapes—lush woodlands on the north side of the island and chaparral scrub on the south side. We’ll catch return ferries at Ayala Cove: the ferry to Tiburon and the ferry to SF both depart at 3:20 pm (arriving back at Tiburon at 3:40 pm and the Ferry Building at 3:50 pm). For those who want a significantly more challenging hike, I will point out options to add about 4.5 miles to your hike by taking the Ida Trail or Sunset Trail up to Mt Livermore (788 ft). The hikers taking the longer route will likely have to take the last ferry back to SF at 4:50 pm, and the 4:20 or 5:20 pm ferry back to Tiburon.
Bring/Wear: Water, snacks, lunch, sturdy shoes, jacket/layers of clothing (expect a windy day), hat, and sunscreen.
Rain Policy: Canceled in the event of heavy rain
Meeting Place: In San Francisco, Ferry Terminal Gate B is just north of the Ferry Building. The ferry departs from Gate B.
Alternative Meeting Place: Alternative ferry option for hikers from the East or North Bay: meet at 9:45 am at Angel Island Tiburon Ferry dock in Tiburon; ferry departs Tiburon at 10:00 am. Purchase tickets online at
https://angelislandferry.com/schedule. We'll all be departing Angel Island around 3:20 pm. Read above for the option to do a longer hike and leave at 4:50PM.
