With two new apps guiding visitors to scenic views, Angel Island is ‘one of the best kept secrets in California’ 

As day trips go this one is spectacular You arrive by water with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the entire Bay There s hiking biking and barbecuing And it all starts with one charismatic sea captain Captain Maggie McDonogh is the fourth-generation owner and operator of Angel Island Tiburon Ferry which takes hikers cyclists and picnickers from Tiburon s cozy historic waterfront to Angel Island s Ayala Cove McDonogh has made it her mission to help locals and tourists alike discover the beauty of a picturesque island that is times bigger than its famous sister Alcatraz with less than two percent of its crowds It s one of the best kept secrets in California says McDonogh It s an underutilized park in every way Angel Island wasn t consistently open to the masses of program For a century from the Civil War through the Cold War its strategic location made it a military outpost a defender of the Golden Gate The army built a base there Camp Reynolds in to help defend against Confederate sympathizers In the late s the island housed quarantined soldiers coming back from the Spanish-American War in the Philippines For three decades in the early part of the th century it was used as a grueling detention center for immigrants and specific American citizens hoping to gain entry into the U S And during the s Nike missiles were stored in underground rooms with elevators ready to bring them to launch position The island s military period came to a close in its missiles ruled obsolete and the Army base decommissioned The island became a California state park the following year The present day it s inhabited by fewer than people all state park employees and occasional intrepid campers lucky enough to snag a reservation Everyone else is a day tripper and there are far fewer of them than you might expect Particular visitors alight on the island each year compared with the to million who dock at Alcatraz There are no crowds here no competition for astonishing views or trail space With square miles of land Angel Island State Park is the largest natural island in the San Francisco Bay and provides specific amazing views Photo courtesy of Angel Island Conservancy Angel Island Conservancy secretary Brittany Haning calls the island a hidden gem in the Bay that people see every day but don t know about Now there are two apps to help you discover it all courtesy of the conservancy which helps sponsorship the park along with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation The Angel Island app provides an interactive map that offers insights into everything on your path from wildflowers wildlife and trails to beautiful places to stop and soak in a view And the History Angel Island app approaches it from a historical perspective with information ranging from the island s ancient history and the Native Americans who once lived here to the modern day We don t print brochures anymore but now if you click on a building it gives you the history says conservancy vice president Diane Appel There s a ferry from San Francisco but we prefer the Marin bridging where the -minute trip to Angel Island starts in Tiburon with the irrepressible McDonogh whose enthusiasm is contagious I get to make people happy for a living she says Not a lot of people get to say that Captain Maggie McDonogh is part of a five-generation family that has been taking visitors to Angel Island from Tiburon every day Photo by Jennifer Waicukauski The McDonogh family s marine tradition started in the early s when her great grandfather Sammy McDonogh II used to take vacationers fishing for a ride By the s Maggie s grandfather was ferrying construction workers from tower to tower as they built the Golden Gate Bridge Maggie s father Milton McDonogh kept the business alive by launching a daily customer ferry to shuttle folks to Angel Island once the island opened to the residents The -passenger ferry he designed in The Angel Island is still sailing in current times Jump aboard one of the McDonogh family s four ferry boats and you ll find yourself sailing with all sorts of people from kids on field trips to explore the island s rich history to a mother and baby here for the fresh air not the destination You might share the ride with a senior cycling club the Geezers on Wheels perhaps or the Old Spokes Or campers toting backpacks Or a piano McDonogh had an entire band on board for one memorable spanning They rolled a piano onto her ferry she says then rolled it off the boat and up a hill to help set the vibe for a music-themed camping trip There have been impromptu weddings and family reunions too The other day she says I had a guest who noted years ago you ran a boat out so our family could see me proposing to my wife Just to be a part of the region s history it s stunning It s never the same trip twice The people vary and so does the wildlife You can see seagulls cormorants pelicans puffins orcas elephant seals sea lions harbor seals porpoises McDonogh says I had a bottlenose dolphin who was in love with Angel Island in Every time I left the dock she waited for me and we went across You too can board the ferry taste the sea breeze and take it all in and minutes later be dockside in Ayala Cove FILE Drew Factor and his son Sebastian from Sacramento walk along the shore of Ayala Cove at Angel Island State Park in Calif while on a field trip with Mission Ave Elementary on Friday May Laura A Oda staff The island typically sees two types of visitors history buffs who ramble among the ruins and exhibits and hikers eager to enjoy the trails viewpoints and picnic spots as they explore the -square-mile landscape The conservancy s apps split it up nicely depending on your interests The captain and the park s rangers are happy to provide itinerary suggestions as well Fill your water bottle grab a map or download the app and make a plan If you re here to hang out and barbecue the warmth of Ayala Cove is the perfect place Spanish ships once anchored here in the shelter of the cove In current times you ll find sailboats anchored there not galleons There are rolling lawns picnic tables and a beach that s popular with families Quarry Beach on the other side of the island is also popular If you have a bike McDonogh recommends bringing an E-bike her staff will help you load it on the ferry hit the paved Perimeter Trail for a -mile journey up and around the scenic island There are selected steep parts within a total elevation gain of feet but there are also plenty of places to take a break explore the scenery and learn selected history For the park s richest history tour a -mile walk takes you to Immigration Station where an incredible museum will teach you about the people once detained here Angel Island State Park Interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee stands at the former Administration Building where immigrants were interrogated medically examined and separated by gender and nationality after disembarking at Angel Island in Tiburon Calif on Friday Nov Immigrants from over countries were detained at the historic Angel Island Immigration Station the building on the hill between and Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Walk a mile in the other direction and you ll reach Camp Reynolds a must-see Camp Reynolds is a great deal more than just Civil War history says conservancy director Frances Bellows Its history spanned from the s through s In addition to hosting overnight Civil War field trips for fourth and fifth grade classes rangers periodically hold living history events that are open to the citizens We do one that s a timeline with soldiers and families dressed from the Civil War to Spanish American War World War I and II They share the history of what life was like at Angel Island at the period Bellows says It s geared to every age And if you re looking for outdoorsy exercise the entire island awaits For an adventurous climb try the Mount Livermore trail named for conservationist Caroline Sealy Livermore It s a steep climb a -mile loop that takes you up almost feet but the reward is a stunning view of the entire Bay and picnic spots for a memorable lunch ANGEL ISLAND CA JULY Not various picnic tables offer philosophic advice but this one on the south side of Angel Island in San Francisco Bay does Friday July Karl Mondon Bay Area News Group The North Ridge Trail and the Sunset Trails provide self-guided nature walks for folks looking for a challenging hike If you re doing one of the longer hikes arrive early and plan your time so you re back on the dock before the last ferry leaves Related Articles Navy subs nuclear secrets and beer The riveting history of Bay Area s Mare Island California company recalling several ready-to-eat food products after listeria outbreak As Trump calls for reopening Alcatraz its majority famous escape is still a mystery Exploring the Farallon Islands wildlife haven Enough San Jose woman wants bird to stop tapping at her door Diehards looking to maximize their Angel Island experience may want to check out the camping options The island offers nine reservation-only backpacking camps three with views of San Francisco sunsets over the Bay However your visit comes to an end Captain Maggie will be waiting to take you home and the next generation is waiting to take the tiller McDonogh s -year-old daughter Becky is carrying on the family tradition as a deckhand and soon-to-be captain I m honored McDonogh says Details The Angel Island Tiburon Ferry - round trip begins its runs at a m and returns as late as p m in the summer months angelislandferry com The San Francisco Ferry Terminal sends boats - round trip to Angel Island beginning at a m and returns as late as p m goldengate org Learn more about Angel Island at angelisland org TIBURON CA JULY Angel Island sits on the horizon across from the San Francisco Yacht Club boat docks in Tiburon Calif Friday July Karl Mondon Bay Area News Group