Tier 2 · Notable

Farallon Islands Light

Southeast Farallon Island Light Station

San Francisco · San Francisco County · Bay Area

Active aidstandingRestricted accessdifficultU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / U.S. Coast Guard

Southeast Farallon Island in the Gulf of the Farallones — Photo: Jan Roletto / NOAA· Public domain· Wikimedia Commons

Year first lit

1855

Current structure built

1855

Tower height

41 ft

Focal plane

358 ft

Optic

Automated LED beacon; original Fresnel lens removed

Light characteristic

Fl W 15s (flashing white every 15 seconds)

Owner

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / U.S. Coast Guard

Manager

USFWS – Farallon National Wildlife Refuge

Coordinates

37.6981, -123.0027 Map

Current hours

Not open to public. Boat tours from San Francisco pass nearby (Oceanic Society).

Fees

Lighthouse . Oceanic Society tours: approximately $125/person.

History

Built 1855. Located on the Farallon Islands, a National Wildlife Refuge 27 miles west of San Francisco. No public access. Oceanic Society runs wildlife boat tours that pass nearby.

Logistics

Recommended base

San Francisco

Accessibility

No public access to island. Oceanic Society runs wildlife boat tours that pass within viewing distance. Lighthouse visible from boat.

Nearby lighthouses

Point Bonita Lighthouse

★ Flagship 12

Sausalito, Bay Area

Tier 1Active aidPublic accessmoderate⚠ Verify

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.

Point Reyes Lighthouse

★ Flagship 12

Point Reyes Station, Bay Area / North Bay

Tier 1Active aidPublic accessmoderate⚠ Verify

One of the windiest spots in North America — the lighthouse was built to withstand 100+ mph gusts. The preserved first-order Fresnel lens is one of the finest examples in California. The 308-step descent to the lighthouse is itself a memorable experience.

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Sources

Officialfws.gov/refuge/farallon
Secondarylighthousefriends.com/light.asp
Secondaryen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Light
Imagescommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Farallon_Islands_Light.jpg

Image rights: USFWS images generally public domain. Wikimedia Commons has CC-licensed images.

Research confidence: medium · Last verified 2026-05-13