Alcatraz Island Light

Alcatraz Island Light is a lighthouse in San Francisco County, California. California has 52 lighthouses on record at Wayfarrow, 6 of them in San Francisco County.

It was built in 1909, in the early 20th century, making it the 24th oldest of the 33 in California with a recorded construction date; the tower stands about 84 feet tall (4th tallest of 26 measured in California); its light sits 213 feet above the water; the light characteristic is recorded as Fl W 5s (a white flash every 5 seconds), with a range of about 24 nautical miles; it guards San Francisco Bay; the structure is built of concrete.

Status check, 2026-11: The current 84-ft concrete tower replaced the 1854 original (the West Coast's first lighthouse) in 1909, when the new cellhouse would block the light; the old tower, damaged in the 1906 earthquake, was demolished. It carries the heritage designation National Register of Historic Places contributing property. It is not reachable by road: the nearest road is about 1 mile away, so it is seen from shore or reached by water. It stands at 37.8262° N, 122.4222° W.

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