Want an experience you will never forget, for the modest price of $13.50? Do you want it to be educational, healthy, and of course, fun? If you answered "yes" to both questions, then a hike through Angel Island State Park in California's Bay Area is for you. Angel Island is a former immigration station, U.S. army base, and Miwok Indian hunting and fishing site for over a thousand years.
A hike to the top will provide breathtaking views of the surrounding bay and the glorious San Francisco skyline, not to mention the modern marvel that is the Golden Gate Bridge. The ferry ride to the island over the rough and murky bay waters from the Marin County town of Tiburon is an experience within itself. An intriguing history, gorgeous natural beauty, and numerous hiking trails that would please any hiking enthusiast make spending a day at Angel Island worth every penny.
Angel Island's historical value to the Bay Area is immeasurable. The U.S. Army established residency on the island in 1863 during the Civil War, to protect area waters and land. Its rich history is not limited to mere military occupancy. The island was also used as a quarantine station from 1891 until 1946. This was used in conjunction with its Immigration Station, which opened in 1910.
The quarantine facilities housed immigrants who were screened for diseases upon entry into the country. Likewise, the Immigration Station served as the main entry point for many immigrants to the area. Many, especially the Chinese immigrants, were detained until their applications were cleared.
Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, Chinese immigrants were singled out and sometimes held for almost six months in the detention center. During the Cold War, the Army built a Nike missile battery, which was later decommissioned in 1962, when it became obsolete. It was at that point the Army left the island.
The aforementioned buildings greet numerous visitors daily. The barracks building, which served as the detention center, is now a museum that highlights the history of the U.S. Army's inhabitation and the natural landscape of the island. Poems and notes from Chinese detainees are still engraved on the walls, serving as a stark reminder of the nation's harsh political practices of the not-so-distant past.
The natural plant and animal life of the island exude beauty and a true Northern California experience. Fragrant eucalyptus and pine flourish throughout the island, along with native oak, bay, and madrone. Wildflowers bloom in the spring, blanketing the terrain. Deer and raccoons make their home here, along with a variety of winged mammals. One can regularly spot egrets, hummingbirds, gulls, ducks, osprey, owls, sparrows, pelicans and blue herons, just to name a few. Harbor seals bathe in the sun on the surrounding rock formations.
Cathy Wakayama, 33, a native Bay Area resident and frequent hiker, equates being on Angel Island to "being in the middle of a wilderness, except the cool thing is that San Francisco is only minutes away." It is important to note that poison oak is prominent throughout the island; officials stress staying on designated trail paths.
Hiking trails abound in the area. Reaching the 788-foot high summit of Mt. Livermore is rewarded with amazing views of the surrounding natural wonders and urban landscapes of San Francisco and Marin County. This doesn't discount the trails' health benefits. With both paved and dirt trails, the island offers thirteen miles of hiking ground, nine of which allow bike access.
It is a 4.5-mile roundtrip hike to the peak of the mountain and back. Park officials recommend allowing 2.5 hours for this journey on the hiking trails, considered moderate in difficulty.
The pleasantly warm weather of late spring and summer make hikes comfortable and enjoyable without being overpoweringly hot and unbearable. Considering the microclimates common in many regions of the Bay, layering up before arriving on Angel Island is recommended, as it can be warm on one side of the island and chilly on the other.
Getting to Angel Island is easy - and fun. Hop aboard a ferry from Tiburon and you'll arrive at Ayala Cove, where the Miwok would arrive from their home in Marin via boats made from tule reeds, in twenty minutes. Fees are minimal: $13.50 for adults and seniors, $11.50 for children six to twelve, $3.50 for ages three to five, and free for toddlers. Ferry schedules vary throughout the year, but weekends offer ferry rides that depart to the island nearly every hour. A bicycle will cost a mere $1. Bike rentals on Angel Island are available for $10 an hour, or $35 a day. If possible, it is much more economically feasible to take a personal bike on the island in order to skip the rental charge. The town of Tiburon offers a splendid array of restaurants and stylish boutiques. Dining on the water situated next to docks overlook departing and arriving vessels. It's a fresh and tranquil experience best coupled with a mojito from Mexican eatery Guaymas or a glass of Chardonnay at Sam's Café.
If you're planning to spend the day, or even longer, on the island, there are plenty of amenities to accommodate an overnight jaunt. Camping is allowed at a rate of $20 from May thru September 15, and $15 for the rest of the year. A two-mile hike is required to reach the campsites, which include running water, picnic tables, food lockers, pit toilets, and barbeques. There are also mooring buoys for boats that can be used from 8am to sunset for a fee of $10. It should be noted that dogs, with the exception of service dogs, are not allowed on Angel Island.
Angel Island is a wonder that can only be truly experienced while standing on its historic turf. Ferry schedules are available at angelislandferry.com and an overview of the island, including hiking trails, can be accessed at angelisland.org. . Some sun block, lunch supplies, a great pair of shoes, and a camera is all you need. Let the island handle the rest; the ease of making the trip out to Angel Island makes bypassing this wonderful California adventure inexcusable
From the Sacramento and East Bay areas, Tiburon can be reached by traveling westbound on CA-80, taking the CA-37 exit and following that to US-101 S. Take the CA-131/Blithedale exit, continuing left onto Tiburon Blvd., making a right on Main St.
From San Francisco, take US-101 N to CA-131/Blithedale, making a left onto Tiburon Blvd. and then a right on Main Street.
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