Tier 3 · Curiosities

Yerba Buena Island Light

Yerba Buena Island Light Station

San Francisco · San Francisco County · Bay Area

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

Photo coming soon

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

Yerba Buena Island Light (also known as Goat Island Light) was established in 1875 on Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco Bay. The island is now a US Navy installation and the site of the Bay Bridge's mid-span anchorage. The lighthouse was decommissioned and the island is not publicly accessible.

Why it matters

Historic lighthouse on the island that anchors the Bay Bridge. The island's military history and Bay Bridge connection make it a notable site, though inaccessible to the public.

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

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 the few surviving spark-plug (caisson) style lighthouses on the West Coast. Privately owned and not publicly accessible, but visible from the Oakland waterfront.

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Sources

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

Image rights: USCG images public domain.

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