Kirby Cove Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

My family and I spent two nights at campsite #5.  We had a really great experience here!

We visited Kirby in March 2024 and the weather was not as bad as I thought it would be.  The temperature was in the 50's for the most part.  There was decent amount of wind but not enough to make a stink about.  I was comfortable in pants and a sweatshirt the whole time, never had to break out my jacket.  During the day, it was warm enough to wear a t-shirt.  It rained a little bit overnight both nights we were there but we were equipped to deal with the conditions.

Each site has three square shaped wood-framed plots to pitch your tent on.   Two of them are covered in a bed of rocks and one of them was raised about two feet off the ground.  The third plot on our site did not have rocks.  I would recommend bringing a tent footprint to prevent the rocks from damaging the bottom of your tent.   Our site's fire ring was equipped with a thick steel BBQ grate that swivels laterally over the fire ring.  Our fire ring's grate covered a good portion of the fire ring so it was useful for cooking.  I'd like to note that not all campsites are equipped with the same style of fire ring as our site had.  Campsite #5 also had three picnic tables (two of them were bolted to the ground, one of them was not) and a bearproof storage container.

The campgrounds itself is relatively small (only 5 overnight sites).  You will receive a gate code emailed to you upon reservation which you will need to unlock a gate that leads you down a long dirt road to the bottom of a valley where the campgrounds are located.  The parking lot is sort of small but finding a spot wasn't an issue.  The parking lot is sitting on top of a hill, overlooking the entire campgrounds.  The sites themselves aren't too far away from the parking lot, but hauling your gear back uphill to your vehicle after camping a couple nights can be tiresome.  There are a few pit toilets scattered throughout the campgrounds that were relatively clean.  There is no running water at Kirby, so make sure you bring enough water!  The old military ruins (I believe from the late 1800's)  were also cool to explore.  The views of the Golden Gate and the city are breathtaking.  We got to watch between 10-12 large shipping vessels float in and out of the bay, very cool!  

All in all, we loved our stay at Kirby and will definitely be camping there again during the warmer months!

Great time camping here in early November 2022. Stayed in spot 4, its furthest back into the canyon and I think it helped cut down on the wind. The walk to the beach was 60 seconds and the ocean can be seen from the site. Cool ww2 structures. You get a code to open the gate uptop and drive down to park for your stay.

Strange semi loud sounds during the night reminded me of the show Lost. Wind and rain hard in the night but the morning brought beautiful skys.

I would camp here again in a heartbeat.

Spots are separated substantially from each other.

Spot 4 looked like it had pads for 4 tents.

Spot 1 looked like they could see the bridge from it, but directly on the wind path.

The reservations are very difficult to get and must do in advance as there are a few limited sites for Mount Tamalpais. It was not crowded but the weather in the evening was cold due to Summer fog! Incredible views, and wild life Do not depend on WiFi as you are camping on a mountain. Great picnic areas and numerous hikes too many to mention! Can pick up guides to Mt. Tam

I grew up a stone’s throw from here and this is one of my favorite spots.

• Bring layers! Yes, even in the summertime. Expect damp, chilly fog. Expect some wind. Expect 55F temperatures. A clear, sunny, windless day in Kirby Cove is kind of like winning the lottery.

• Similarly, I totally recommend getting in the water, but it’s cold. Quick dry towels are your friends here.

• Get out and explore the batteries, the Nike missile base, the marine mammal rehabilitation center. The hostel is amazing if you need a break from the elements. Take the one way tunnel. Marvel that all this is minutes from SF.

• The raccoons are persistent because people have been negligent and fed them in the past. Don’t be part of the problem. They will get into virtually any container. Think of it like bear country and secure everything.

Love the coziness of the place ! Small and quaint! Great place to fish out on delta!

This is an incredible spot, if you can get a reservation. Worth hiking to for the day if you can't. Right at the base of the Golden Gate with an easily accessible beach. BRING EARPLUGS. The fog horn doesn't quite if its foggy. And its LOUD

I lucked out and got a reservation at site 1 a few years back. HUGE site with amazing views of the city and the GG bridge. Three things to know before you camp there 1) There are only 5-6 sites in the whole campground, so check the website for availability the SECOND the reservation window opens, 2) the parking lot is a bit of a walk from the sites, so pack on the light side.(but wheelbarrows are provided) 3)I’ve been camping my whole life and NEVER have I seen raccoons so persistent. Not aggressive. Just persistent. And fearless. They. Will. Not. Leave. You. Alone. From like 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm they will stalk your site looking for ANY unsecured food. So just know this before you go. It was a magical experience, but between the schlep from the car to the site and the raccoons, once was enough for me.

If you can get a reservation, you’ve got to experience this campground. The view of the City from here at night is incredible and otherworldly when the fog starts to set in. Beware of the raccoons, they are quite aggressive and persistent in wanting to get to your food.

Nearly impossible to reserve, the five sites at Kirby Cove are large and spread out, giving the feeling of true isolation while being a two minute walk from the beach under the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s spectacular. You can Uber there if you have to. If you forget the salad at home, just go get it. SF and Marin are less than 15 mins away. The foghorns can be quite loud at night so consider earplugs. Good luck getting a weekend res!

Kirby is a unique and unforgettable experience. Make sure you’re on top of the reservation window on recreation.gov, because there are only 5 super popular spots. Site 001 is the most popular for the views, but any of the sites are good, and most work well with groups of up to 10 people, and 2-3 medium size tents. Tent pads are provided, so try and avoid bribing your 15-person tent cabin.

Plan ahead: 1- if the fog roles in, prep for an all-night symphony of fog horns. Bring ear plugs. 2- the raccoons are vicious and fearless. Store all food and ANYTHING with a scent in the bear box. If you plan to leave your cooler outside of the bear box make sure it has a lock or secure latch. 3- you get a gate code and parking pass to drive down, but have to walk your gear the last 500-1,000 ft. to your site. Wheel barrows are provided, but packing a bit on the lighter side is best. 4- No water is available, so make sure to bring enough for drinking, cooking, washing up, and putting the fire out.

Fun: Relax and let the Insta-gold views fill up your like quota, but expect to be joined by plenty of day trippers making the long hike down to the beach. Expect it to empty back out again around dinner time. Spend your day on the beach or exploring the rest of the Marin Headlands. Check out the Nike Missile site, Point Bonita Lighthouse, Rodeo Beach, and the endless miles of hiking and biking trails.

Aoit a half mile hike or less to the camp sites, a locked gate at the entrance and only five sites. If you can get a spot, camp here. It's worth every bit of time. The camp has it's own beach and is right by an old missile sight you can check out. Highly recommended.

Kirby Cove is a campground different than I have ever experienced before. You’re clearly very close to everything (i.e. San Francisco), while feeling like you are away from everything at the same time.

The campground is located in the spectacular Golden Gate National Recreation Area and down a 1-mile dirt road from Hwy. 1. You’ll get a gate code when you make a reservation so you can access the road.

All sites are walk-in, so depending on which site you get you might want to bring a cart of backpack to haul your gear to your site. We camped in site #1, which was awesome, but also the furthest from the parking lot at about 800 feet each way.

The views from site #1 are spectacular. You’ve got front row seats to the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco to your south. The site is located on a bluff just above the Kirby Cove beach.

Battery Kirby is right there at the campground and interesting to explore. Active from 1898 to 1934 the battery in quite interesting to walk through, despite the vandals that have clearly spent a lot of time there. Aside from the battery there isn’t a lot to do at the campground and we spent half a day picking up garbage at the beach.

There is however a ton of wonderful hiking in other parts of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, but you will need to drive to access the other trailheads.

Before camping here we were warned about the fog horn going off all night, but we didn’t hear it once during the night, so maybe we got lucky.

Very easy to get to from San Francisco. We had amazing views of the bridge and the city and were lucky enough to have a clear day (which is rare in SF!). We biked across the Golden Gate bridge and back. We hung out on the beach and had amazing views of the Golden Gate bridge from there. We had a great time in this area and would definitely recommend.

You can't find a better spot to see the Golden Gate bridge and the SF city skyline! The weather is almost always chilly in the evening and night so be prepared with jackets and GOOD sleeping bags. Honestly you could get away with a 0 degree bag here, which is so un common in Marin!

Be sure to walk the GG Bridge while you are here, even with the amount of people always present it is worth it. During the night go up to the look out point just south of the 101 exit before the golden gate. It is the closest and best location to view the GG Bridge at night with all its lovely lighting!

Absolutely beautiful site under a canopy of trees and protected from stiff winds. Three minute walk to the beach with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. You will pass Battery Kirby on the way to the beach. There are only five sites at this campground so you will be secluded. Carry in water and firewood.