San Francisco, CA-- Angel Island is listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America’s 10 most-threatened historical sites.

San Francisco's Angel Island is operated by the California State Parks. It can only be reached by boat from nearby bay area shuttles. Open to the public to explore, the island is accessible on ferry stops on the Oakland/Alameda Ferry, San Francisco Ferry, and the Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry, angelislandferry.com.

Blue & Gold Fleet Tours Include Angel Island

Most visitors are interested in seeing U.S. Immigration Station (USIS) which is approx. one mile from the dock where you arrive at the island. The shortest route is to walk to it is via the Northridge Trail from the  Ayala Cove dock area. The journey begins with a 140 trail stair to climb, then makes a left turn at the paved Perimeter Road for about a mile.  You'll see signs pointing toward the left where you'll go down the hill into the site. Approximate walking time: 30-40 minutes. If you bring a bicycle, it is an approx. 20 minute ride. Other options include Immigration Shuttle to and from Ayala Cove (ferry landing) for a fee. www.angelisland.com or 415-435-3392 for cost and schedule.  Segway guided tours are also available on the island.

Its history spans thousands of years to the Miwok Indians who once frequented the island. In recent history it is best known as the Ellis Island of the West when it processed literally hundreds of thousands of immigrants over a 30 year period from 1910 to 1940. From the early 1940's to the end of WWII in 1945 it was maintained as a prison camp for POWs, and a jumping-off point for American soldiers returning from the Pacific. For approx. 25 years after the war it became a Nike missile site.

Like nearby Alcatraz Island, once home to a prison, this tour is extremely popular, providing a glimpse into the history of San Francisco and its surrounding open space parks.