Fort Funston

Picnic
Accessible Restrooms
Accessible Parking

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Features

Picnic
Accessible Restrooms
Accessible Parking

Information

Website:: nps.gov
Address:: Fort Funston Road, San Francisco, CA, 94132
Region:: San Francisco Bay Area
Phone:: Info: (415) 561-4700
Hours:: Dawn to dusk
Dogs:: Off leash
Last Visited:: January 2018

Reviews

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This former military site, now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is a wonderful spot to watch hang gliders leap off the ocean bluff and to meet a wide variety of dogs; it's a very popular dog walking area. At the west end of the parking lot is a boardwalk that leads across sand to a clifftop viewing deck next to the hang gliders’ take-off point. On a clear day you can see far down the long beach; when it’s foggy you may feel you’re sitting at the edge of an abyss.

Trails and Pathways

Trail:: Sunset Trail
Time to Complete:: 30 minutes
Trail Length:: Under one mile total

Typical Width:: 4 ft. & above
Typical Grade:: Mostly gentle
Typical Terrain:: Hard

Trail Overview: From the northern end of the parking lot, the paved Sunset Trail runs through the dunes and along the top of the bluff. Although it's a loop trail wheelchair riders will need to backtrack because the last section of the 1-mile loop travels across the dunes.

The trail starts with a gentle uphill before it levels off. Benches with nice views are along the way. After less than 1/8 mile you reach a junction; leading steeply uphill is the .2-mile trail towards Battery Davis and the beach, or contine forward on the more gentle Sunset Trail. From the northern side of the battery you get a panorama of the city, with Lake Merced inland and downhill, Ocean Beach to the north, and the Marin Headlands beyond the Golden Gate. This spot begs for binoculars. There are severe cross slopes on the beach trail. The trail drops down towards the beach and ends at the dunes or you can follow it steeply uphill to reconnect to Sunset Trail.

Back on Sunset Trail, as it curves south Lake Merced comes into view but so does traffic from nearby Skyline Blvd. You may even hear target practice coming from the San Francisco Police Dept. pistol range. You will need to backtrack once you reach the sand trail that crosses the dunes to complete the loop trail.

More Info: You may find that sand has blown across the path in places but the hard surface below makes wheelchair passage possible. The Beach Trail has some severe cross slopes. The section leading uphill from the beach to reconnect to Sunset Trail is bumpy.

Accessibility Features

The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.

Accessible Parking:: Yes – designated accessible parking, van accessible, firm, level or slope no greater than 2%;
Several spaces are at the west end of the large lot.
Accessible Restroom:: Yes – Located at the north end of the parking lot.
Accessible Picnic Table:: Yes – firm & stable path to tables, firm & stable surface, 27" or greater knee clearance