Tier 1
Alcatraz Island Light
Alcatraz Island Light Station
San Francisco · San Francisco County · Bay Area
The first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. The Alcatraz connection makes it one of the most-visited lighthouse sites in the United States. The lighthouse is often overlooked by visitors focused on the prison — a compelling story angle.
Labels
- Tier 1–3
- Editorial browse cues for prominence and context—not circuits, checklists, or achievements.
- Active aid
- The light currently serves navigation. It does not mean the tower, grounds, or interior are open to visitors.
- Public / restricted access
- Some approved visitor access versus a legal viewpoint, special arrangement, or no ordinary public entry. Always check the official guidance.
- Flagship 12
- The curated statewide circuit. It is separate from the editorial tier labels.
Your lighthouse passport
Stamp my passport
Check in at Alcatraz Island Light to collect your digital stamp. Add your name if you like.
Lighthouse Circuit is here to inspire real visits. To collect a location-verified stamp, you’ll need to be at the lighthouse with location access enabled. Need help adding past visits? Email us and we’ll be happy to add them manually.
Your passport is tied to this browser. Open My Passport to back up your personal marks.
From the field
Visited recently? Share a condition update for the next visitor.
⚠ Verify before you drive
NPS staff confirmed on August 19, 2026 that the lighthouse is viewable from outside only; the interior is closed. Ferry schedules and pricing change, so book and verify with the official concessioner.
Visit essentials
Access
Current hours
Tours
Reservations
Fees
Accessibility
The light
Year first lit
Current structure built
Tower height
Focal plane
Optic
Light characteristic
Stewardship & location
Owner
Manager
Coordinates
National Register
The story
The first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast (1854). Current tower dates to 1909. Located on the famous former federal penitentiary island. Active USCG aid to navigation. Visited by over 1.5 million people annually.
The visit
Ferry from Pier 33 (book well in advance). Visitors can view the lighthouse exterior from the island, but the lighthouse interior is not open. The active light is visible above the former prison, with extraordinary views across San Francisco Bay.
Make a day of it
Base yourself in
Food / coffee
Stay nearby
Nearby lighthouses
Point Bonita Lighthouse
★ Flagship 12Sausalito, Bay Area
The guardian of the Golden Gate. One of the most dramatic lighthouse settings in the United States — perched on a rocky point, accessed by a suspension bridge over crashing surf. The very limited access (one Saturday per month) makes planning essential.
East Brother Island Light Station
Richmond, Bay Area
The only lighthouse B&B in the San Francisco Bay Area. Boat-only access. Victorian architecture intact. A unique overnight experience in the Bay.
Help keep this guide accurate: report changed access, a broken link, or a factual correction.
Sources
- Officialnps.gov/places/000/alcatraz-lighthouse.htm
- Officialnps.gov/alca/index.htm
- Officialalcatrazcruises.com
- Secondarylighthousefriends.com/light.asp
- Secondaryen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_Island_Light
- Imagescommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alcatraz_Island_Light.jpg
Image rights: NPS images generally public domain. Wikimedia Commons has CC-licensed images.
Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-08-19