Accessible Features at Angel Island SP
Accessible Features at California State Parks | Angel Island SP | Definitions and Terms | Activity Descriptions
Overview
A number of facilities are accessible, but the island is extremely hilly. For people with limited mobility who may need assistance, advance notice is strongly recommended. For general recreation, call the docks at (415) 435-5390. For immigration museums, email the office at tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or call (415) 435-5337.Angel Island State Park offers opportunities to hike, bike, or take a narrated tram tour around a historic island with structures dating from the Civil War through World War II. Panoramic views of the Bay Area are without equal. Access to the Island is by private boat or public ferry from Tiburon or San Francisco. Refer to the Other Information section below for information about getting to the island. Ferry schedules change seasonally, so check ferry websites ahead of your visit for the most current information.
Reservations are highly recommended for groups of 20 or more. Individuals and smalls groups can purchase tickets online in advance or on the day of your visit.
Camping
In the West Garrison/Camp Reynolds Area, hike-in campsite #10 is designated accessible. There is no regular shuttle or tram service to the Camp Reynolds Area. Campers should be prepared to hike/bike approximately 1.1-mile from the Angel Island Ferry Terminal to the Camp Reynolds Area on the Perimeter Road (a paved road that loops 5-miles around the island). Once in the Camp Reynolds Area, take the Kayak Camp Access Road approximately 350 feet across a mixture of compacted aggregate and native soil to the campsite. For a gentler slope, take the paved path down to the restroom and cross over the Kayak Camp Access Road to the campsite. The restroom is situated across from the campsite and is generally accessible.Picnic Area
Accessible picnicking is available in front of the Visitor Center and at the Platform Group Picnic Area. Generally accessible restrooms are located adjacent to the Platform Group Picnic Area.Trails
While there are no accessible trails on Angel Island, some wheelchair riders may find the park’s Perimeter Road and Fire Road usable. Angel Island trails are prone to closure from landslides, fallen trees, and more. Please contact park staff regarding any closures during your visit by email at tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or call (415) 435-5390.The Perimeter Road is a mostly paved and hilly road that loops 5 miles around the island. This road is the primary road used on the island by hikers, bikers, trams, shuttles, and state park vehicles. From the Angel Island Ferry Terminal, follow the paved road up the hill past the Ayala Cove Visitor Center to connect with the Perimeter Road.
The Fire Road is a moderately hilly unpaved road that loops 3 miles around the island. The road is composed of a mixture of compacted aggregate and native soil and is usable in dry weather. From the US Immigration Station main entrance, take the Perimeter Road approximately 200 feet east and junction onto to North Ridge Road. After approximately 0.3-mile, North Ridge Road connects with the Fire Road.
Accessible restrooms can be found in the Ayala Cove area and the North Garrison; a generally accessible restroom building is available in the West Garrison, near hike-in campsite #10. Additional restrooms are available in the East and West Garrison, though their usability may present a challenge. Refer to the Exhibits/Programs section below for more details.
Exhibits/Programs
Ayala Cove AreaAccessible restroom facilities are available in Ayala Cove. Space in the gift shop is tight but the sales kiosk is generally accessible. A loaner wheelchair is available on a first come, first served basis. Inquire with park staff at the dock about availability.
The Angel Island Café in Ayala Cove has a ramp that provides front entry. Some assistance may be needed at the threshold. Seating is accessible. Sales and food counters are slightly high, but assistance is available. Narrated (pre-recorded) one-hour tram tours depart from the Angel Island Café on varied schedules from spring through early fall. Written transcripts are available on request. Portable lifts provide wheelchair access to two trams with wheelchair spaces. For more information and to book a tram tour, visit Tram Tours on the Island or call (415) 435-3392.
The Ayala Cove Visitor Center is open daily. A ramped side entry provides wheelchair access, and the side stairs include handrails. Exhibits are accessible. Written signage is in English.
North Garrison/US Immigration Station Area
Immigration Station museums are open Wednesday through Sunday, while exterior exhibits are open daily. The site is fully accessible with the use of ramps, chair lifts, and elevators. Please ask park staff or a volunteer for assistance with operating the chair lift at the exterior of the Detention Barracks Museum. When the Detention Barracks Museum is open, a loaner wheelchair is available on a first come, first served basis. Inquire with park staff on site about availability. Accessible restrooms are available outside the Detention Barracks Museum and within the Angel Island Immigration Museum (when the museum is open).
Exhibits at the museums are accessible and include various mediums including written signage in English and Chinese, audio exhibits in English, and two tactile reproductions (an exterior model of the US Immigration Station and a poem in the Detention Barracks Museum).
The Detention Barracks Museum is open for guided tours by reservation. Park staff and volunteers provided interpretive programs and conduct tours. ASL interpreters are free on request for guided tours and should be made at least two months in advance. For tour schedules and reservations email tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or call (415) 435-5537.
East Garrison/Fort McDowell Area
The Guard House and East Garrison Chapel are generally open one weekend per month from April through October, subject to volunteer availability. For more information, email tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or call (415) 435-5537.
The Guard House and most exhibits in the area are generally accessible. A chair lift on the ground floor, accessed from the southwest side of the building exterior, provides access to the main floor. Please ask park staff or a volunteer for assistance with operating the chair lift.
The East Garrison Chapel lacks an accessible entrance. Entry requires ascending approximately 15 steps without the assistance of a handrail.
A restroom building with separate men’s and women’s facilities, approximately 1000 linear feet southwest of the Guard House, in the East Garrison Group Picnic Area, is usable. The first 200 linear feet of the route is paved asphalt roadway, the remainder is aggregate roadway. Linear slope and cross slope along the entire route may present a challenge.
West Garrison/Camp Reynolds Area
The buildings at Camp Reynolds are open several times a year for living history events, subject to volunteer availability. For more information, email tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov or call (415) 435-5537.
Officers’ Quarters 10 is a house museum with a historic brick path of travel to a usable ramped entry and to the first floor. The historic Bake House is accessible via a brick path and ramp. When open, a generally accessible restroom is located inside the Bake House. Additional generally accessible restrooms are available near hike-in campsite #10. A gender-neutral restroom building, approximately 1000 linear feet west of Officer’s Quarters 10, down the steep gravel road toward the beach, is usable.
Other Information
Angel Island Tiburon FerryIf departing from Tiburon, visit Angel Island Tiburon Ferry for more information or call (415) 435-2131.
The Main Street Parking Lot (closest to the Tiburon Ferry Terminal) includes accessible parking. The path of travel between the parking lot and the terminal is generally accessible. The curbside drop-off area along Tiburon Boulevard as well as the ferry boarding dock, and public restrooms adjacent to the boarding dock are all generally accessible. Accessible public restrooms are available near the ferry dock. The Tiburon ferry has no public restrooms, please plan accordingly.
Golden Gate Ferry
If departing from San Francisco, visit Golden Gate Ferry for more information or call (415) 455-2000.
The San Francisco Ferry Terminal (Golden Gate Ferry) is located at the Ferry Building, which is generally accessible. Best access to the Ferry Building is by San Francisco’s public transit, known as the Muni. Limited accessible parking is available in the Ferry Building parking lot, located at the intersection of Washington Street and The Embarcadero.
Alcatraz-Angel Island Combination Tour
Seasonally, City Experiences offers a combination tour of Alcatraz and Angel Island that is available with advance reservation. The tour starts in San Francisco. Visit the ticketing site to purchase tickets well in advance. Tours frequently sell out. The City Experiences ferry terminal (Pier 33) is generally accessible and is adjacent to some public parking as well as public transportation routes.
Tram & Shuttles
The Angel Island Company offers shuttle services and tram tours on the island on varied schedules from spring through early fall. Wheelchair accessible trams are available. Please email or call the Angel Island Company at (415) 435-3392 at least 48 hours in advance for arrangements.
To request an update to this page, please contact the Accessibility Division at access@parks.ca.gov or (916) 445-8949.