Camp Observer1 of 5 photos
Kirby Cove Campground
$40.00/night
Overview
Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Visitors are awarded breathtaking views of San Francisco, its famous Golden Gate Bridge, and the rugged Pacific Coast of northern California. Please note: The parking area for the campground is a short walk from the campsites, so RV or car camping is not allowed at Kirby Cove Campground.
Recreation
Hiking, picnicking and taking in the beautiful views from Kirby Cove are among the park's most popular activities.
Visitors also enjoy exploring Battery Kirby, a historic army battery in use from 1898-1934. The Point Bonita Lighthouse and Nike Missile Site SF-88 are also close to the campsite.
Facilities
Kirby Cove offers five overnight camp sites and one day-use picnic site, all reached via driving on a steep access road. Vehicle parking is separate from the individual campsites - please be prepared for up to a 200 yard walk from the parking area to your campsite. There is no water available at this campground - campers must bring any water necessary for drinking, cooking, etc. The day-use site is available as an accessible picnic site for persons with a disability or otherwise limited physical mobility. Sites 2 and 5 are available as accessible campsites for persons with a disability or otherwise limited physical mobility. Access to the first Kirby Cove gate is available to all campers. Access to the second gate is only for persons with a disability or otherwise limited physical mobility. Contact the Marin Headlands Rangers at least 48 hours in advance by emailing your name, phone number, date of visit, and photo of your ADA vehicle placard to goga_marinheadlands_info@nps.gov to receive the second gate codes.
Kirby Cove gate codes can be made available to any park visitor with a physical disability, but only during the months that the campground is open. See the Need to Know section for instructions.
Natural Features
Kirby Cove offers a coarse-sand beach with spectacular views - when it's not foggy - of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and northern San Francisco, including the historic Presidio. The cove is nestled at the foot of the craggy Marin Headlands and has beach access.
A steep, mile-long trail to the cove begins at the parking area above Battery Spencer on Conzelman Road. The path descends through a stately grove of Monterey, cypress, pine and Blue Gum eucalyptus. Coastal sage and colorful Lupine dot the hillsides.
Temperatures are mild year-round. Expect lows from 50-55 degrees and highs from 60-65. Fog is prevalent in the summer months from May-Sept. It is best to bring clothing that can be layered. Lightweight summer clothes are rarely comfortable to wear at Kirby Cove.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (415) 331-1540.Nearby Attractions
The San Francisco Bay Area has no shortage of fun and interesting things to do and see. Awe-inspiring Muir Woods National Monument, with its old-growth coastal redwood forest and numerous hiking trails, is just a 20-minute drive from Kirby Cove. Mount Tamalpais State Park, with hiking and sweeping views of the Bay Area, is another 10 minutes past Muir Woods.Downtown San Francisco offers a myriad of restaurants, shops, museums and tourist attractions. Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz Island and Chinatown are popular destinations. Visitors love riding San Francisco's world famous cable cars up and down the city's hilly streets.
Charges & Cancellations
The Kirby Cove Day Use Site must be cancelled or modified more than 14 days before your check-in date otherwise it will be considered a late cancellation.
You may also refer to Recreation.gov's Rules & Reservation Policies. To initiate a refund request more than 7 days after your reservation, call the recreation.gov call center at 877-444-6777.
Camp site features
Across 5 camp sites:
- Picnic table: all 5 sites
- ADA accessible: 2 of 5 sites
- Longest rig: 15 ft
- Largest party: 10 people
Directions
**From San Francisco**(travelling north):
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and take exit 442 onto Alexander Avenue. This
will be the exit after the Vista Point. Continue straight for a few hundred
feet, and then turn left onto Bunker Road. Travel through the Baker-Barry
Tunnel and continue straight until you can turn left onto McCullough Road,
after the speed bumps. Continue uphill until you hit the traffic circle, and
take the 2nd exit onto Conzelman Road. Travel downhill on the one-way road
until you reach Battery Spencer, and it will be sharp right turn toward the
Kirby Cove service gates. After entering the gate codes provided upon
reservation, it is then a mile drive down the dirt trail to the Kirby Cove
Parking lot.
**From Marin**(travelling south):
From US-101 South, take the last exit before the Golden Gate Bridge onto
Alexander Avenue. Turn right at the stop sign and continue straight for about
a quarter mile, until you can turn left onto Bunker Road. Travel through the
Baker-Barry Tunnel and continue straight until you can turn left onto
McCullough Road, after the speed bumps. Continue uphill until you hit the
traffic circle, and take the 2nd exit onto Conzelman Road. Travel downhill
until you reach Battery Spencer, and it will be sharp right turn toward the
Kirby Cove service gate. It is then a mile drive down the dirt trail to the
Kirby Cove Parking lot.
Stay Limit
Check in from 1 PM, check out by 12 PM.
Reviews
Ratings (194)
5 stars
145
4 stars
36
3 stars
6
2 stars
1
1 stars
6
Greg B
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed 4 days ago
Everything went perfectly. Except that raccoons stole our pie!
Ashlie G
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 14 days ago
The views for site 1 can not be overstated. Totally worth having to book 6 months in advance. No issues with the gate at the top of the hill. This site has 3 spots for tents, 2 of which are out of view from passersby. There is a little bit of a walk from the parking lot, but it's not far. I would love to stay here again!
Ashlie G
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 14 days ago
The views for site 1 can not be overstated. Totally worth having to book 6 months in advance. No issues with the gate at the top of the hill. This site has 3 spots for tents, 2 of which are out of view from passersby. There is a little bit of a walk from the parking lot, but it's not far. I would love to stay here again!
Skylar L
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:002
Reviewed a month ago
Beautiful large campsite and amazing atmosphere! Definitely recommend clipping/staking tents down because the evening winds were quite strong
Veronica C
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed a month ago
Great campsite with nice views of the bay and golden gate. I wish there were less raccoons.
Sara R
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed a month ago
You will get a workout packing in and out. So worth the Breath taking views! Mini oasis!! Best Family get away ever!
Travis C
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed 2 months ago
It rained a bit but I honestly feel like that only made the experience that much better absolutely amazing.
Paul M
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 3 months ago
GREAT VIEW. Very windy in site 1 and had to move our tent to the lower part of the site. As a hint, take in everything on 1 trip. We ended up making about 4 trips each way
Kaitlyn M
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:002
Reviewed 3 months ago
An amazing and stunning campground! This is our 4th time camping here and it never disappoints! Highly highly recommend
Patricia M
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed 3 months ago
Beautiful spot clean pit toilets grounds freshly mowed. The campground is beautiful the beach amazing the views stunning.
Travis C
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed 3 months ago
Hands down a one of a kind experience.
Michelle A
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:004
Reviewed 3 months ago
The restroom were clean, no water at the site but we brought water and carts to haul our gear to the campsite since you have to walk to the site from the parking lot. Beautiful experience!
Thomas D
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 3 months ago
Great views, weather was good one day, raining the 2nd as leaving. Pack light as it is a light hike from the parking lot to the campsite. I’d recommend bringing a cart. A+ best campsite location. It was so fun & a great vibe. The whole family had a great time hanging out at the beach, base & trails.
Jasper T
Loop:Day Use Area
Site:Day Use
Reviewed 3 months ago
Easy instructions; helpful rangers; timely email reminders; INCREDIBLE site!
Gage N
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed 3 months ago
Kirby Cove is the best - the location and views of the ships in the strait are unbeatable. The fact that there’s a campsite like this so close to the city of San Francisco is unbeatable.
Bill G
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed 4 months ago
The combination given for the gate locks did not work, despite half an hour of trying, so I was not able to get to the campsite. No one was available to help. I went home with rust-coated hands and serious frustration.
Andrew N
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed 4 months ago
Such an amazing place if you can get a site!
Andrew G
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed 4 months ago
Amazing. You can hear the ocean throughout the campground. The sites are well spaced and private. My site was large and could accommodate a group. Maybe bring headphones, sometimes sea lions bark very late at night
Albert H
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 4 months ago
Large, secluded site with a view of GGB
Yui P
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 7 months ago
One of my fav spot to camp!! Cant wait to go back.
Ryan M
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:002
Reviewed 8 months ago
This is truly a one of a kind experience especially for anyone in SF. We had a pleasant stay and met some absolute legends who had been coming there for over 40 years. Great fire pits, and well maintained sites. Just don't forget to bring water!
Andrew G
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed 8 months ago
Each tent spot was on a gravel pad with tie downs for a tent fly. We got rained on very hard but didn’t get flooded. Good cell reception in the campground. Somehow the vault toilets smelled good?
Reed K
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 8 months ago
It’s the perfect gate away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Stephanie A
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed 10 months ago
This is by far the coolest place I’ve ever camped in California! Pictures hint at the view, but it really needs to be experienced — absolutely gorgeous! The upper gate is easy to find next to a bridge viewing turnoff. Don’t miss it though! Conzelman Rd is one-way, so you’ll have to circle back around if you pass it. Pro tip: after entering the combo, push the lock in slightly, then pull out and it’ll pop open. Thankfully, the road is wider than it looks on Google Maps and fairly well maintained. Biggest obstacle is hikers, but there’s enough room to pass if everyone’s courteous. As many reviews mention, it’s a decent walk down from the parking lot. We managed with a foldable luggage cart, but most campers had foldable wagons — highly recommended unless you pack very light. One of the most amazing things about this site is how perfectly you can hear the ocean from the campfire area! You can’t see the water from there, but the sound of the waves carries beautifully, and you’re protected from the wind. Definitely use the food storage boxes! One night, as our fire was dying, I heard a loud rustle down the hillside. It was dark, and for a moment I thought we were about to be devoured by something huge — but it was only three raccoons! They froze under our flashlight, and one stood on its hind legs. We didn’t immediately run them off, so they slowly approached. If we’d left anything out, they would’ve snatched it and ran. The foghorns only sounded one night, around 3 a.m. I used earplugs and fell back asleep; my partner didn’t and fell back asleep fine. The pattern is predictable, so it’s not too bad. That morning the Golden Gate Bridge was completely hidden in the fog, like it wasn’t even there. As of September, the swing was back! It hung a bit low but was still fun, if slightly sketchy.
The Marine Mammal Center is just a 15-minute drive and worth visiting. Overall, an absolutely wonderful stay if you can manage to nab a reservation!
James P
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:004
Reviewed 10 months ago
It was great to be able to camp at my favorite place. I am disabled and it was so helpful to have that access for me to camp. A very special time with togetherness for my family.
Stephanie D
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:004
Reviewed 10 months ago
Our first time reserving campsite #4. We usually reserve #3 and have actually used all the campsites over the years.
However, I feel #4 is by far my favorite. Kirby Cove campground is special and magical. Make sure you bring heavy duty carts, lots of water, and firewood. We have a pop-up tent for our toilet and shower. I’m not fan of their bathrooms (old school port-a-potty in a shed. It doesn’t cost much to purchase the items and super easy to clean. No smells.
I love how secluded the campground is and you basically have the beach to yourself. It’s truly one of my favorite campgrounds w/o amenities along the California Coastline. Highly recommend it.
Christian A
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed a year ago
I tried to follow that instructions on how to get there and maybe my fault since it was already sunset. But the service gate wasn't easily located so I ended up driving around the big loop 3 times and once Google said I arrived I walked around to see where the trail was and finally found a small gate that was locked and according to previous users it was a 1 mile walk down to the campsite. When i thought the directions said there was closer parking or at least could park a bit closer to unload my thing . All in all didn't even spend the night and decided to rent a motel 6 that was not good but new were it was at .
Annette A
Loop:Day Use Area
Site:Day Use
Reviewed a year ago
Kirby Cove is a magical place. We had an issue trying to open the gate locks. It took awhile to get in. Other than that, it was a great experience.
Christina C
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed a year ago
Excellent time at Kirby Cove site 5. Previous reviews regarding wind are no joke, our tent flew away several times in the process. Thankfully the wind died down by the evening, but earlier on it was very windy. The area to set up your tent with the permanent anchors is approx. 10x10, so if you bring a tent bigger than that (we did) you need to get crafty as to how you're going to anchor down your tent. Extra paracord can really be your friend here. We ended up anchoring our tent to our wagon that had the cooler on it so nothing would blow away and it worked!
Mark A
Loop:Day Use Area
Site:Day Use
Reviewed a year ago
Awesome trip, the view and campsite of a lifetime. Had a wonderful time and built a bonfire and enjoyed s’mores with an excellent view. Aloha. 🍍
samantha h
Loop:Day Use Area
Site:Day Use
Reviewed a year ago
It’s a special place. Unfortunately the campers before us left their trash in our “animal/bear box” and that wasn’t cleared out so we had to haul it up to the dumpsters.
Gina Marie M
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:003
Reviewed a year ago
Stayed overnight at site 003. Difficult to find site and instructions were not clear. Entrance is not clearly marked, as it is off a heavily populated street with tourists and people clambering to take photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. Eventually we were able to unlock the gates with the code emailed in our reservation, and make our way down to the site. It is a very private and small campsite, with one-of-a-kind views of the bay and the bridge. We luckily did not get a lot of fog, and did not experience the horns blaring.
Our family did have to deal with a lot of wind and breezes blowing through our site, so it was tricky setting up our tent and it was very chilly at night. The bathrooms are pit toilets only, with no running water so please prepare for that. We brought our own wagon to tote our items- if we hadn’t had a wagon it would have been a deal breaker. Wildlife was all around us; we had deer approach us and a raccoon came and rifled through our belongings, we observed many bird species and butterflies. Cute quails! Overall a memorable experience for our family, but the chill and pit toilets, as well as lack of water would not encourage us to return. Grateful to have been able to secure a one night stay, but not eager to return.
Amanda B
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:004
Reviewed a year ago
This campground is so amazing. The individual sites are far enough away from each other to have privacy, while still keeping you close to a restroom as needed. Each site has lots of space, too! I highly recommend using the directions from the Recreation.gov app itself! Don't try to Google Maps it because it won't take you to the trail/gate entrance and you'll be very confused around a touristy area!
James E
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed a year ago
I’ve been here a few times, and I love this cute little campground. Unfortunately it was uncomfortably windy this trip.
rosellen s
Loop:Day Use Area
Site:Day Use
Reviewed a year ago
This spot is a great way to catch a different beach view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We went during the week and there were very few other people. We were lucky to catch an early fog burn off and had sunshine most of the day.
Eric S
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:002
Reviewed a year ago
Fantastic campground. Weather is always dicey there, but regardless, a marvelous place to camp.
Lori P
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed a year ago
This was the best experience of my life. It was a long wait but well worth it. We brought a wagon to help transport our items. We would use our binoculars and look at the city as we sat on the beach. I’m in love with this place.
Carmen C
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed a year ago
I enjoyed this campground soooo much due to only being 5 spacious campsites with an excellent view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The only hiccup is that you have to do multiple trips from the parking lot to the campsite with a large wagon. It took me about 5 trips to bring everything to the campsite which I considered my workout for the day. Overall; I would do this again in a heartbeat.
Mario J
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:002
Reviewed a year ago
Stayed in Site 2 for two nights. No problems with insects. Had a raccoon visit right after dark. It came snooping around the tables and food locker even though we were just a few feet away. Fortunately, we did not have any food out and we chased it away. Foghorns started around 10 PM both nights. First night foghorns stopped at 5 AM, and second night foghorns stopped at 1 AM. Earplugs did not really help but noise canceling earbuds did help. Highlight was a 10 mile hike from the camp ground up to the Golden Gate Bridge, and then walked across the Golden Gate Bridge to SF, and then walked back.
Eddy W
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:005
Reviewed a year ago
Amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge. With the small number of campsite, feels like you are on your own private beach. Just make sure you bring enjoy water and a wagon makes the trek to the campsites more enjoyable. Wild deers and raccoons.
Savitri K
Loop:Day Use Area
Site:Day Use
Reviewed a year ago
Very lovely, private spot, a heartbeat away from San Francisco.
Claudia C
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:004
Reviewed a year ago
Stellar spot for tent camping. Can’t wait to camp there again.
Brian H
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:004
Reviewed a year ago
I would recommend telling visitors to bring their own wagon to move camping gear from the car to the campsites. Kirby Cove does not provide wheel barrels or wagons.
Dave H
Loop:Kirby Cove Campground Area
Site:001
Reviewed a year ago
What a ridiculously amazing time with high school friends I haven't seen in years. The view....OMG....AMAZING! The site, 001 was incredible. The lock was a bit sketchy to open but what a great time.
Popularity
Very busy · 86%
Busiest in July, when about 86% of sites are booked. Based on 9 years of reservations.
Location
Sausalito, CA 94965
