Tier 2
Farallon Islands Light
Southeast Farallon Island Light Station
San Francisco · San Francisco County · Bay Area
One of the original eight West Coast lighthouses and the most remote. The Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge has no landing rights for the general public, making this active light station as close to inaccessible as any in California.
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
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Check in at Farallon Islands Light to collect your digital stamp. Add your name if you like.
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From the field
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Visit essentials
Access
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Accessibility
The light
Year first lit
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The story
Southeast Farallon Island Light was first lit in 1855 as one of the original eight West Coast light stations. The U.S. Coast Guard removed the stone tower in 1969 when it renovated the lighthouse and automated the light. The active lighthouse remains under Coast Guard jurisdiction on refuge land.
The visit
No public landing. Oceanic Society runs all-day wildlife boat tours out of San Francisco that pass close enough to view the islands and active light station. Whale, shark, and seabird viewing is the actual reason most people go. Schedules vary; book ahead and expect weather cancellations.
Make a day of it
Base yourself in
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.
Point Reyes Lighthouse
★ Flagship 12Point Reyes Station, Bay Area / North Bay
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.
Help keep this guide accurate: report changed access, a broken link, or a factual correction.
Sources
- Officialfws.gov/refuge/farallon_islands
- Secondarylighthousefriends.com/light.asp
- Secondaryen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Light
- Imagescommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Farallon_Islands_Light.jpg
Image rights: 2008 hero photograph used with permission from Gerry McChesney, USFWS. USFWS images generally public domain. Wikimedia Commons has CC-licensed images.
Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-08-20