The Lighthouse Circuit

Access, tours, hours, fees, and closures change often. Always verify with the official source before driving.

Tier 3 · Curiosities

Yerba Buena Island Light

Yerba Buena Island Light Station

San Francisco · San Francisco County · Bay Area

Yerba Buena Island Light is an active lighthouse on the Bay Area coast of California, first lit in 1875, owned by U.S. Coast Guard / U.S. Navy.

Active aidstandingRestricted accessdifficultU.S. Coast Guard / U.S. Navy

Year first lit

1875

Current structure built

1875

Tower height

20 ft

Focal plane

95 ft

Optic

Automated LED beacon

Light characteristic

Fl W 4s (flashing white every 4 seconds)

Owner

U.S. Coast Guard / U.S. Navy

Manager

U.S. Coast Guard

Coordinates

37.8057, -122.3583 Map

Current hours

Not open to public

History

First lit 1875 on Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco Bay — known historically as Goat Island. The island is now jointly used by the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard and is the mid-span anchorage point for the Bay Bridge.

Why it matters

One of the most-photographed islands in California and one of its least-known lighthouses, because the Bay Bridge has been the main thing here for almost a century.

The visit

No general public access to the lighthouse. Portions of the island are slowly transferring from Navy to City of San Francisco use; confirm current access policy before going.

Logistics

Recommended base

San Francisco or Oakland

Accessibility

Located on Yerba Buena Island, accessible via Bay Bridge but no public access to USCG/Navy areas.

Nearby lighthouses

Alcatraz Island Light rising above the former federal prison

Alcatraz Island Light

San Francisco, Bay Area

Tier 1Active aidPublic accessmoderate⚠ Verify

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.

Oakland Harbor Light

Oakland, Bay Area

Tier 3Active aidRestricteddifficult

One of only a few spark-plug lighthouses on the Pacific Coast — a structural type more common on the East Coast — and an unusually personable piece of Oakland's working-waterfront history.

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Sources

Image rights: USCG images public domain.

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