Kirby Appeal

Kirby Cove Beach in Marin

Still haven't cycled over the Golden Gate Bridge yet? We have a twist on this classic tourist outing. It's very simple. Instead of crossing over the bridge and veering right to head down to Sausalito with the Bike and Roll crowd, turn left and go up Conzelman Road toward Hawk Hill. You can do this as a hike, too.

A short (slight huff and puff) third of a mile later, you'll come to a gated fire road—the inconspicuous entrance to one of the best beaches in the Bay Area: Kirby Cove. Bike 0.75 mile down the dirt road to reach this cove to call your own. Well, there probably will be other people there, but not many!

The gated road keeps the crowds blissfully at bay (pun intended). Pull out that blanket from your backpack, spread the goodies you brought for a picnic, and gaze at the all-time classic view: the Golden Gate Bridge is close enough to skip a rock to, San Francisco's downtown skyline rises and glows in the background, and the Pacific splashes and crashes against the dark sand beach.

BONUS CAMP: Kirby Cove has a few reservable campsites.  The facilities are simple: BBQ grill, picnic tables, and fire rings. There's no water or wood, so bring both. Earplugs, too, if you're sleeping over; the foghorns can be loud.

Dogs aren't allowed at Kirby Cove.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Camp at Goose Lake in the Lakes Basin

    Duck, Duck, Goose!

    Try to get a first-come, first-served campsite at one of the Lakes Basin’s lakeside campgrounds. We love Goose Lake Campground, where there are just 13 sites and no motorized boats.

    View
  2. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

    View
  3. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View
  4. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

    View
  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View
  4. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View