Angel Island State Park (Blog Hike #284)

Trails: North Ridge and Sunset Trails

Hike Location: Angel Island State Park

Geographic Location: an island in northern San Francisco Bay (37.86845, -122.43460)

Length: 5 miles

Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: July 2009

Overview: A loop climb and descent featuring great views from Mount Livermore.

Park Information: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=431778
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Angel Island can only be accessed by ferry.  Several options are available, but I chose to sail on Blue and Gold Fleet, which departs from Pier 41 at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.  All ferries dock in Ayala Cove, the starting point for this hike.

The hike: Less famous but far more inviting than its neighbor Alcatraz Island, Angel Island is the largest island in the San Francisco Bay.  The island’s size has made it an important point in the Bay throughout human history.  The Coast Miwok Indians first hunted and fished from the island some 2000 years ago.  In 1775, Juan Manuel de Ayala, a Spanish explorer, sailed into the Bay and named the island Isla de Los Angeles, hence the present name Angel Island.

Alcatraz and Golden Gate bridge, as seen from ferry

As settlement progressed, Angel Island’s development grew.  The Union army established Camp Reynolds on the island during the Civil War, though no fighting ever occurred here.  In 1891, a quarantine station to contain disease brought by merchant ships from Asia was opened on the island.  During World War II, the island was a major embarkation point for the Pacific theater, and during the Cold War, a NIKE missile battery was placed on the island for a short time.  Small pockets of the island are still used by the Coast Guard and hence are off limits.

Remnants of this military history can still be seen on the island, but by far the best preserved structure is the immigration station, established in 1910.  Over the 30 years this station was in operation approximately 175,000 Chinese immigrants passed through this island, many of whom endured long detainment periods; some were even denied entry.  Today, the station is open for guided tours, but advanced reservations are required.

In spite of all of this development, much of the island still remains in its natural state.  Angel Island State Park comprises the entire island except the small areas used by the Coast Guard, and an extensive road and trail system allows access to most of the park land.  The centerpiece of the park is 788-foot Mount Livermore, which offers fantastic views of the entire Bay Area, weather permitting.  Two trails run from Ayala Cove to the mountain’s summit: the North Ridge Trail and the Sunset Trail.  Since the Sunset Trail is slightly steeper than the North Ridge Trail, this description will head up the North Ridge Trail and come back down the Sunset Trail.

One minor warning: the biggest weather enemy on this trail is fog.  Indeed, on the Saturday morning when I hiked this trail, the fog at the summit was so thick I could not even see the base of the mountain, much less anything else in the Bay Area.  Since the fog often lifts in the afternoon, plan an afternoon visit to Angel Island during the dry season to maximize your chances of getting a clear view.  In spite of the fog, I still had a fabulous hike.

The North Ridge Trail starts on the left (east) side of the cove at a small wooden sign attached to a wooden railing.  Immediately the trail climbs a long set of wooden steps up the steep hillside.  Fortunately, the steps are small, and a picnic area about one-third of the way up gives an opportunity to rest and a great view of Ayala Cove.  At the top of the steps, the trail crosses the paved Perimeter Road which, true to its name, traces the perimeter of the island.  The tram to the Immigration Station departs from this point, so most of the people around you will stop following the trail here.  They may think the rest of the trail is as steep as this first part, but in fact the hardest part of the climb is already over.

View of Ayala Cove

            After climbing the first 140 feet of elevation in less than 0.1 miles, the trail crosses the Perimeter Road and continues climbing at a gradual rate, using switchbacks to ease the grade.  Vegetation varies between shady, moist groves of coastal oak, Monterrey pine, and eucalyptus and dryer exposed areas covered mostly with grass.  The moister areas dominate here at the lower elevations, but the area around the summit is almost entirely exposed.  The trail is wide, but take care not to go off the edge to the left: it is a long way down to the Perimeter Road.

At 0.7 miles, the trail makes a sweeping right turn as it reaches the crest of North Ridge.  At 0.9 miles, you will reach the Fire Road, a two-track dirt road which circles the island at around 400 feet of elevation.  In addition to helping fight fires, the fire road also gives access to several campsites located on the side of the mountain.

Climbing on the North Ridge Trail

            The trail crosses the Fire Road and continues climbing, soon to reach a particularly dense stand of coastal oak.  After a couple of gradual switchbacks, you will leave the oak grove and enter a grassy area as the trail levels out at roughly 575 feet of elevation.  For the next 0.3 miles the trail maintains a relatively constant elevation as it heads along an arm of North Ridge.  On a clear day, nice views can be had of Ayala Cove to the right.  When I hiked this trail, I could not see the cove due to fog, but I did see some burn marks on the ground, evidence of a recent fire.

At 2.2 miles, the trail curves right and begins the final climb on the North Ridge Trail.  At 2.5 miles, the North Ridge Trail ends at an intersection with the Sunset Trail.  The trail going straight is the return route; to visit the summit, you should turn sharply right and continue climbing on the Sunset Trail.

Approaching the summit of Mt. Livermore

            The final push to the summit consists of a pair of broad switchbacks through the exposed grassy highlands.  Expect high winds and, in season, chilly temperatures, even if it was warm down at the cove.  At 2.8 miles, you reach a trio of areas with benches at the summit.  On a clear day from here, you can see all major landmarks in the Bay Area.  The Golden Gate Bridge appears roughly 4 miles to the west.  The distance and angle make this summit one of the best viewpoints to see this famous landmark.  You can also see the other three major bridges in the Bay Area: the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge lies to the north, while the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge lie to the south.  Of course, the skylines of San Francisco and Oakland lie on their respective sides of the Bay.  The benches at this summit make for a great place to rest, have a snack, and see what you can see.

To begin the return trip, retrace your steps back down the Sunset Trail.  Where the North Ridge Trail exits sharply left, continue straight on the Sunset Trail, which maintains a constant elevation as it heads across the south face of Mount Livermore some 100 feet below the summit.  At 3.4 miles, the wide, unmarked Ida Trail heads southeast down the mountain toward the Fire Road.  The Ida Trail does not lead back to Ayala Cove, so this hike will continue on the signed single-track Sunset Trail which turns sharply right.

The trail now heads down the exposed west flank of the mountain while descending very gradually.  Views of Tiburon and San Rafael can be had straight ahead while the Golden Gate Bridge sits to your left.  The winds will be quite a bit stronger here than on the climb up, so dress accordingly.  At 3.8 miles and at the end of the western ridge, you come to another set of benches which provide another fantastic view of the Golden Gate to the left and the San Rafael straight ahead.

View of Tiburon on Sunset Trail

            Past the benches, the real descent back to the cove begins via a long series of switchbacks.  The switchbacks start in the exposed grassy area, then continue into the brushy area, and finally into the shadier, moister groves of coastal oak and Monterrey pines.  The descent is never steep, but it continues at a moderate grade for its entire length.

At 4.6 miles, the Sunset Trail ends at the Perimeter Road near the Hill Picnic Area.  A paved trail leads down through a picnic area, but the more scenic route involves taking the gravel bike trail, which descends much more gradually via a single switchback and away from the crowded picnic area.  Both trails arrive at the cove right beside the Visitor Center.  The Visitor Center covers both the island’s natural and human history as it contains numerous photographs and a film about the island.  The center is well worth the visit, but make sure you don’t miss the ferry back to the mainland after completing your visit to Angel Island.