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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> California >> Golden Gate National Recreation Area – California >> Golden Gate National Recreation Area – California (2017) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Golden Gate National Recreation Area – California (2017)

Images of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Marin Headlands – Northern California, taken in April 2017.

Arguably one of the most beautiful and recognizable bridges in the world the Golden Gate Bridge is the centerpiece of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area on the north side of the entrance to San Francisco Bay.

I was lucky enough to have good weather this day, something that had eluded me in past visits to this sight. In fact when I took my trip down the Pacific Coast Highway in 2006 I visited the bridge twice, five days apart, and never saw the upper half of the towers because of the thick fog that often blankets the area. Now that I had the view that I always had hoped for I was not going to waste my chance to get the images I wanted. This meant hoofing it from the Vista Point on the north end of the bridge up into the hills north and west of the bridge in the Marin Headlands. Normally this isn’t such a tough task but all the pullouts are currently blocked off because of construction so the only parking is at the Vista Point or Battery 129 at the top of Hawk Hill. So on this day I would have to hike uphill a mile and a half to get my shots.

What I didn’t expect to find were the preserved remains of fortifications used during the Second World War. Several Battery sites along the coast guarded the bay from possible enemy intrusion and as you can see from my images some are in the shadow of the bridge itself.
The Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the distance from Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the distance from Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 San Francisco from Golden Gate National Recreation Area
San Francisco from Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Golden Gate Bridge from the Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from the Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The deck of the Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The deck of the Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Looking through the Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Looking through the Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The north end of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The north end of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The undercarriage of the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The undercarriage of the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 San Francisco from on the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
San Francisco from on the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the north tower in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the north tower in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Alcatraz from the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Alcatraz from the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Golden Gate Bridge from the walkway in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from the walkway in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Golden Gate Bridge northern tower in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge northern tower in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge from the walkway in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge from the walkway in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Golden Gate Bridge from the walkway in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from the walkway in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The cables of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the distance in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The cables of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the distance in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Road Zipper moving the center barrier in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Road Zipper moving the center barrier in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The southern tower of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The southern tower of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Golden Gate Bridge from the Conzelman Road in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge from the Conzelman Road in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from the Conzelman Road in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from the Conzelman Road in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 The Bay Bridge and San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Bay Bridge and San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Black sand beach near the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Black sand beach near the Golden Gate Bridge in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Battery 129 on Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Battery 129 on Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Battery Spencer with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Battery Spencer with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Battery Spencer in the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Battery Spencer in the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Battery Spencer with the Golden Gate Bridge overhead in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Battery Spencer with the Golden Gate Bridge overhead in Golden Gate National Recreation Area		 Point Diablo from the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Point Diablo from the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area

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Dale Gentry 18-Apr-2017 21:55
Nice photos. Greg's thoughts are very much like mine. My experience from the past is nothing like yours. You got a real nice day. -- Dale
Greg Temple 17-Apr-2017 15:22
Wow - extraordinary day, great weather and superb management of color and light. Much better any of the postcards I have purchased on my visits.
Thanks for sharing with us Jerry!

Greg
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