Tier 3 · Curiosities

Mile Rocks Light

Mile Rocks Light Station

San Francisco · San Francisco County · Bay Area

Mile Rocks Light is an active lighthouse on the Bay Area coast of California, first lit in 1906, owned by U.S. Coast Guard.

Active aidstandingRestricted accessdifficultU.S. Coast Guard

Photo coming soon

Year first lit

1906

Current structure built

1906

Tower height

Truncated ft

Focal plane

28 ft

Optic

Automated LED beacon

Light characteristic

Fl W 2.5s (flashing white every 2.5 seconds)

Owner

U.S. Coast Guard

Manager

U.S. Coast Guard

Coordinates

37.7825, -122.5122 Map

Current hours

Not open to public. Visible from Baker Beach and Lands End.

History

First lit 1906 on a submerged rock at the south side of the Golden Gate entrance. The original multi-story tower was demolished in 1966 and replaced with a helicopter pad and automated light. The stump of the original base is still visible at low tide.

Why it matters

One of the most dramatic offshore-rock lighthouse sites in California, and the engineering story of the truncation is its own thing.

The visit

No public access — offshore rock, active USCG aid. Best viewing from Baker Beach or Lands End on a clear day with binoculars.

Logistics

Recommended base

San Francisco

Accessibility

Visible from Baker Beach and Lands End in San Francisco. No public access.

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.

Lime Point Light

Sausalito, Bay Area

Tier 2Active aidPublic accessmoderate

One of the most photographed lighthouse positions in California by accident: it sits squarely under the Golden Gate Bridge. An active aid to navigation still doing the original 1900s job, automated. The light characteristic is Fl W 5s — flashing white every five seconds.

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Sources

Officialen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_Rocks_Light
Officiallighthousefriends.com/light.asp
Secondaryen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_Rocks_Light
Imagescommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mile_Rocks_Light.jpg

Image rights: USCG images public domain.

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