Marshall’s Beach
The Verdict
"Check a tide table and go on a falling tide, because at high water there is no beach left to stand on."
What you need to know
What’s There
A narrow strip of sand and rock at the base of the Presidio’s coastal bluffs, directly south of the Golden Gate Bridge. It gives you the bridge from below and at an angle almost nobody photographs it from.
There are no facilities of any kind here. No restrooms, no water, no food. The nearest are at Baker Beach, about a mile south.
The Story
The only way in is on foot, down the Batteries to Bluffs Trail, which the Presidio Trust built through former army coastal defense ground. The round trip from the trailhead is about seven tenths of a mile, a good part of it stairs cut into the bluff.
The beach is popular with clothing optional sunbathers, which is worth knowing before you bring the family.
Visiting
Neighborhood: The Presidio
Cost: Free
Hours: Open at all hours, but access is governed by the tide rather than by a gate.
Best time to go: A falling tide on a clear afternoon.
What to know: At high tide the beach is fully submerged and there is nothing to stand on. The northernmost section is reachable only at low water and the scramble to it is awkward. Check a tide table before you commit to the walk down.
Getting There
Transit: Muni 29-Sunset to the Baker Beach stop, or the Presidio GO shuttle to Lincoln Boulevard at Pershing Drive.
Parking: Free at the Langdon Court lot off Lincoln Boulevard near the Golden Gate Overlook, then walk in on the trail.
Combining: Baker Beach is south along the same trail system, and the Golden Gate Bridge welcome area is a short drive north.
