Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in North-Central California, United States

The Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve covers 27,976 square miles, of which 94% is marine habitat. It stretches from the Bodega Marine Reserve in the north to Jasper Ridge in the south, taking in the Farallon Islands, Angel Island and Alcatraz. The reserve lies on both sides of the San Andreas Fault, with different bedrock on each side.

The Golden Gate Biosphere Network joined UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1988, recognized for the region's ecological and cultural diversity. A periodic review in 2017 renewed interest in the network and expanded the biosphere region's boundaries by more than 26,000 square miles. Since then, the network has focused on building partnerships among agencies, organizations, and nonprofits; by 2021 it counted 20 partners.

The Network's name comes from the Golden Gate strait at the centre of its region, which runs from Bodega Marine Reserve in the north to Jasper Ridge in the south. Its 20 partners include national park and marine sanctuary managers, a university reserve, a water district and conservation nonprofits. UNESCO recognised the region in 1988 for both ecological and cultural diversity.

You can enter the reserve from multiple starting points depending on which landscapes you want to explore. The visitor center in Point Reyes Station offers guidance and information about different areas and the best times to visit.

The reserve's marine area covers 26,319 of its 27,976 square miles, about 94 percent, so most of the protected region lies underwater. Its land portion, 1,694 square miles, runs from the Bodega Marine Reserve north of San Francisco to Jasper Ridge in the south.