Battery Spencer - Hiking near Mill Valley, California
Conzelman Rd, Mill Valley, CA 94941, USA,Mill Valley,California
37.829607404976734, -122.48339116573334
6.3 miles SE of Mill Valley, California
Address: Conzelman Rd, Mill Valley, CA 94941, USA
GPS: 37°49'46.6"N 122°29'0.2"W
Maps | Directions
State: California

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This is easily one of the best places to view the Golden Gate Bridge. For over half a century, this was one of the most strategically important sites guarding the Golden Gate. Completed in 1897, the battery was named for Joseph Spencer, who had been a Major General in the army during the American Revolution. It was armed with 3 rifled guns having 12" diameter barrels. The fortification saw continuous service until 1943, when it was declared obsolete and its guns scrapped.

Distance: 0.2mi each way

✓ Visited by our team
28.4K Written by endovereric

More Information

Battery Spencer - FortWiki Historic U.S. and Canadian Forts

Battery Spencer (1897-1942) - Battery Spencer was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 12″ gun battery located on Fort Baker (1), Lime Point, Marin County, California. Named in G.O. 16, 14 Feb 1902, after Maj. Gen. Joseph Spencer, a Revolutionary War hero who died 13 jan 1789. Battery construction was begun in 1893, completed in 1897 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 24 Sep 1897 at a total cost of $110,352.70. Deactivated in 1942 during World War II.

https://fortwiki.com/Battery_Spencer

Battery Spencer above the Golden Gate Bridge - OurSausalito.com

Guide and directions to the Battery Spencer view area for the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco, located in the GGNRA in Sausalito CA

https://www.oursausalito.com/marin-headlands-and-ggnra/battery-spencer-golden-gate-bridge.html

Battery Spencer: The Best Viewpoint for the Golden Gate Bridge - California Through My Lens

If you are looking for the traditional photo you have seen hundreds of times, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the foreground and San Francisco in the background, then look no further than the Battery Spencer overlook on the northside of the bridge. This viewpoint provides a jaw-dropping vista of the famous bridge, as well…

https://californiathroughmylens.com/battery-spencer-golden-gate-bridge/

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https://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/article/Golden-Gate-view-of-the-city-and-the-sea-from-6325704.php
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Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.

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  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel & camp on durable surfaces
  3. Dispose of waste properly
  4. Leave what you find
  5. Minimize campfire impacts
  6. Respect wildlife
  7. Be considerate of other visitors

Directions

From Mill Valley, California

  1. Head east on Sunnyside Ave toward Hill St (256 ft)
  2. Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Hill St (285 ft)
  3. Turn left at the 1st cross street onto E Blithedale Ave (1.6 mi)
  4. Merge onto US-101 S via the ramp to San Francisco (5.5 mi)
  5. Take exit 442 toward Sausalito (128 ft)
  6. Merge onto Alexander Ave (390 ft)
  7. Turn right onto Conzelman Rd
    Destination will be on the left
    (0.3 mi)
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Guest Review/Comments

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endovereric

10/11/16 5:47 pm 10/5/16
We found the battery by accident just looking for a place to park for the night. You can't ask for a better view of the bridge and bay and the battery itself is pretty cool. There's a fair amount of vandalism on the buildings and placards but still pretty interesting. There's a placard out by the viewpoint that has some information about the bridge as well.
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Battery Spencer Battery Spencer
View from parking lot View from parking lot Bathrooms Bathrooms Trail Trail Trail Trail Bench with beautiful view of the bay Bench with beautiful view of the bay North San Francisco Bay North San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay View of Golden Gate Bridge View of Golden Gate Bridge View at night View at night Golden Gate Bridge - View from Battery Spencer Poi by Atka

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