Red Rock Island, San Francisco, California

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Red Rock is visible adjacent to the bridge.

Aerial photograph of Red Rock Island

Abandoned Coast Guard fog bell on southern point of island

Red Rock Island is an uninhabited, 5.8 acre (2.3 Hectare) island in the San Francisco Bay located just south of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

This unique property is the only privately owned island in San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco County portion is an incorporated part of the city of San Francisco since it is a consolidated city-county; the Contra Costa portion (most of the island) is incorporated inside the city limits of Richmond, California.

The mountain of bright red earth and rock is 500 feet across from east to west, 750 feet from north and south, and rises out of the Bay to a height of 172 feet. Its area total is almost 6 acres. It is surrounded by some of the deepest water in the North Bay - 60 feet deep.

It is 8 miles across the Bay to Fisherman's Wharf, 20 minutes by boat to Sausalito, California, and only a short journey to the Richmond Yacht Club. The sweeping 360 degree view from the top features the skylines of San Francisco and Oakland to the south, Richmond and the Berkeley Hills to the east, Marin County with Mount Tamalpais to the west and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge with San Pablo Bay to the north.

History

The island was once mined for manganese. It was privately purchased in the 1920s. After a series of owners, David Glickman, at the time a San Francisco attorney and part-time real estate buyer, purchased the island in 1964 for $49,500.

In the 1980s, a plan was floated (but never implemented) to remove the top half of the island (which would be sold for highway roadbed construction). The island would then be developed with a 10-story hotel and casino, and a yacht harbor on the leeward (north) side. Water and power would be provided from lines connected to the San Rafael Bridge.

In June 2007, Glickman, now a gem dealer in Thailand, announced that Red Rock Island was for sale for 10 million dollars. He had previously attempted to sell the island in 2001, including to the California Department of Fish and Game.