A DAY ON ANGEL ISLAND
Leader: Edward Joy | edward@edwardjoylaw.com | 415-608-6727
Meeting Date and Day: Saturday, November 21, 2026
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, $20.00 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 $16.96 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: 7 miles
Elevation Gain: 1000'
Description: 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. We will start on Perimeter Road for our 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 because of the Chinese Exclusion Act. We’ll pause here 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 East Bay. Next, we’ll continue on Perimeter Road to the Ida Trail, then the North Ridge Trail, then the Sunset Trail, which will take us to the summit of Mt. Livermore (788 feet), where we’ll enjoy spectacular 360-degree views of San Francisco Bay. We’ll then descend via the North Ridge Trail and return 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).
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.
