Alcatraz Island Tours Abruptly Halted Today

Alcatraz Island is closed to visitors through Friday, April 24, after ferry service stopped for dock repairs. (nps.gov) The National Park Service posted the closure on April 17 and said access shut down from Monday, April 20, through Friday, April 24. The agency said all scheduled tours were refunded and directed visitors to Alcatraz City Cruises for rescheduling. (nps.gov) SFGATE reported park spokesperson Joshua Winchell called the work “planned” and “pre-scheduled,” not an emergency shutdown. He said crews are repairing and inspecting dock pilings used by more than 1 million visitors a year. (sfgate.com) ABC7 reported the closure cut off public access to the former federal prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay during a busy spring travel week. Alcatraz City Cruises, the island’s only authorized ferry operator, suspended island trips and pointed travelers to other bay cruises. (abc7news.com) The dock matters because every visitor arrives by boat. The Park Service says there is no federal entrance fee to Alcatraz itself, but a ferry ticket from Alcatraz City Cruises is required to reach the island. (nps.gov) That ferry ticket bundles transportation and the cellhouse audio tour, and adult day-tour fares are listed at $47.95 on the park’s fee page. When the dock closes, the island’s main visitor operation stops with it. (nps.gov) The closure also hit a site that draws visitors for more than the prison alone. The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy says Alcatraz includes an 1850s military fort, the West Coast’s first lighthouse, historic gardens and the former prison complex. (parksconservancy.org) NBC Bay Area reported tours are expected to resume Saturday, April 25, if the dock work finishes on schedule. For travelers who planned a same-week visit, the immediate choice was a refund or a new date. (nbcbayarea.com)