Conzelman Road Vista Points

Take in views of San Francisco and beyond from Marin Headlands roadway.

On a clear day, Conzelman Road, the southernmost Marin Headlands roadway, yields awe-inspiring perspectives on San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the East Bay. The road begins just north and west of the bridge, but getting to particular vista points – three favorite ones are described below – can be tricky, as the road is one-way at opposite ends.  See Getting to the Conzelman Road Vista Points, below, for driving instructions.

Battery East

If you’re able to snag a parking space at the two vista points nearest the bridge (they’re often full up), you may experience a sense of déjà vu—shots from these angles have appeared in countless TV shows and feature films. The views from Battery East (lead photo), reached by a short path from the parking area closest to the bridge, may well make you gasp.

Hawk Hill

Note: Portions of Hawk Hill will remain closed through 2025 for site upgrades.

Conzelman winds along a craggy ridge (follow the Coastal Route sign at the traffic circle) past a few other vista points to Hawk Hill, an excellent place to view falcons, hawks, kestrels, and other birds of prey soaring above. From late August into December, you may see volunteers conducting the annual raptor count. Year-round, the short Coast Loop Trail to Battery 129 tunnel at Hawk Hill delivers you to magical Pacific Ocean views. Back out at the parking area’s western edge, a path leads up to the Nike Missile Site SF-87 platform (not to be confused with the nearby Nike SF-88L facility), which also affords ocean and city views.

South to the Lighthouse

After Hawk Hill, Conzelman Road, now one-way, rapidly descends west, passing the trailhead to Black Sands Beach and a few abandoned military structures until it dead-ends at Field Road, which leads south (turn left) to Point Bonita Lighthouse.

---

Getting to Conzelman Road Vista Points

To ease congestion on popular Conzelman, the road is one-way on the photogenic portions nearest the Golden Gate Bridge. Traffic is routed through the one-lane Baker-Barry Tunnel, which alternates directions every five minutes or so (i.e., expect to wait). After exiting the tunnel heading west, drive a mile to McCullough Road and turn left. Drive south up McCullough until you reach the traffic circle. If you’re going to visit Hawk Hill, it’s best to take the circle’s first exit (follow the signs), walk around Hawk Hill, and then backtrack past the circle to the vista points closest to the bridge. (If you visit those vista points first, you’ll have to route back through the tunnel to get to Hawk Hill.) Alternatively from Hawk Hill, you can also continue on Conzelman Road (which is one-way west beyond Hawk Hill) to Point Bonita.

One-lane Baker-Barry Tunnel.

If heading north from San Francisco: After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, take the Alexander Avenue exit, and turn right; after a tenth of a mile, turn left onto Bunker Road to the Baker-Barry Tunnel.

If heading south on U.S. 101 from anywhere in Marin: Take the Alexander Avenue exit and turn right. You’ll pass under U.S. 101 before turning left (about a quarter-mile from the exit) on Bunker Road to reach the tunnel.

If heading south from downtown Sausalito: Drive south on Bridgeway, turning right on Richardson Street, left on Second Street, and left on South Street, which becomes Alexander Avenue. Turn right at Bunker Road a little less than a mile later.

---

Itinerary

Conzelman Road Vista Points appears in Scenic Marin Headlands Escape.

This story first appeared online in 2017; it was fact-checked and updated in 2025.