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Kirby Cove Campground

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Upcoming Availability

1 of 14 days currently show available sites.

View releasing sites

Sun, Jul 26

None

available

Mon, Jul 27

None

available

Tue, Jul 28

1

site

Wed, Jul 29

None

available

Thu, Jul 30

None

available

Fri, Jul 31

None

available

Sat, Aug 1

None

available

Sun, Aug 2

None

available

Mon, Aug 3

None

available

Tue, Aug 4

None

available

Wed, Aug 5

None

available

Thu, Aug 6

None

available

Fri, Aug 7

None

available

Sat, Aug 8

None

available

Campground guide

What to know before booking

Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Kirby Cove offers five overnight camp sites and one day-use picnic site, all reached via driving on a steep access road. 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.

max Stay

3 nights

max Concurrent Stay

3 campsite(s) held

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

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.

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.

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.

Campsite map

Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.

6 mapped sites

Campsites

A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.

Site 005

KIRBY COVE CAMPGROUND AREA

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

15 ft

vehicle

10

people

Full

shade

Site 001

KIRBY COVE CAMPGROUND AREA

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

15 ft

vehicle

10

people

Full

shade

Site 002

KIRBY COVE CAMPGROUND AREA

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

15 ft

vehicle

10

people

Yes

shade

Site 003

KIRBY COVE CAMPGROUND AREA

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

15 ft

vehicle

10

people

shade

Site Day Use

Day Use Area

PICNIC

15 ft

vehicle

35

people

Full

shade

Site 004

KIRBY COVE CAMPGROUND AREA

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

15 ft

vehicle

10

people

Yes

shade

Important notices

There is no water available at this campground. Campers must provide their own water for drinking, cleaning, etc. Bring enough water to last your entire stay.
Reservations at Kirby Cove Campground can be made up to 6 months before your arrival and may extend up to 2 days beyond the 6-month booking window. Only 3 nights per season per camper! This is in order to ensure everyone gets to enjoy Kirby Cove. A maximum of 10 people can stay at the overnight sites and a maximum of 35 people can stay at the day use site.
Access to the second Kirby Cove Gate: Access to the first Kirby Cove gate is available to all campers. Be prepared for a ~200 yard walk to your campsite. 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 time that the campground is open. To inquire, please follow the instructions in the previous bullet point.
Your confirmation is your permit which includes gate codes. Please print your confirmation email after reserving a site. Place a copy of your confirmation on the dashboard of each vehicle, and keep one on you as well. A maximum of 3 vehicles for Sites 1-5 and 4 vehicles for Day Use Site are permitted.

More at Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Common questions

Is Kirby Cove Campground available right now?

Kestrel's most recent scan found openings on 1 of the next 14 days, starting Tue, Jul 28. Availability changes constantly — check the calendar above, then confirm on Recreation.gov.

How do I book Kirby Cove Campground?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.