Alcatraz Escape: What Happened in 1962

Step 1: Learn what Alcatraz was before the escape

Alcatraz was a federal prison run by the Bureau of Prisons for 29 years, from 1934 to 1963. Before that, the Army used the island from 1850 until 1933. The Bureau of Prisons history of Alcatraz lists 14 separate escape attempts in those years, involving 36 men. Two of the men tried twice.

The island sits in San Francisco Bay, and the cold water was part of the design. The agency says the swim to the mainland is at least 1¼ miles. Today you reach the island by ferry from Pier 33 on the Embarcadero, and you can tour Alcatraz with a ticket that includes the boat ride.

Key Takeaway Alcatraz held men for 29 years as a federal prison, and 36 men tried to escape it in 14 separate attempts.

Step 2: Follow the June 1962 escape night by night

Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin left their cells on the night of June 11, 1962. They went out through enlarged vent holes in the back wall of their cells. They left dummy heads in their beds, so the night check saw what looked like sleeping men.

Guards found the three beds empty at the morning check on June 12. A fourth man, Allen West, took part in the plan but stayed in his cell. The FBI account of the Alcatraz escape says searchers found homemade tools, two life vests, oars, and letters and photographs that belonged to the Anglins. A body found weeks later was too decomposed to identify.

So did they make it? Official records list Morris and the Anglins as missing and presumed drowned. The FBI says it could not decide whether they escaped or died. In 17 years it found no credible evidence that they were alive, and it closed its case on December 31, 1979. The U.S. Marshals Service took over and still investigates in the unlikely event that they are alive.

No escape story is finished until someone finds the people who escaped.

Step 3: Meet the other famous inmates, including Al Capone

Al Capone is the best-known name tied to Alcatraz, and he served part of his sentence there. The FBI says he was released on November 16, 1939, after 7 years, 6 months and 15 days in prison, served at Atlanta and Alcatraz. No official page that we could open gives his exact arrival and leaving dates on the island, so we give no year count for his stay.

One day in his time there is on record. The National Park Service tells how another inmate attacked Capone with scissors in the shower room on June 23, 1936. That story puts him on the island on that date.

The cellhouse is where these stories come alive. The ferry ticket includes the Cellhouse Audio Tour, and the walk from the dock to the cellhouse is about a quarter mile with a 130-foot climb, which takes 10 to 15 minutes. The Alcatraz ticket with ferry and self-guided app costs from €69 per person and starts at Pier 33. A night option with the audio tour costs from €85 per person, and the listing says you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund. The operator on that listing is Must See.

Pro Tip Wear layers for the 12 to 15 minute ferry ride and the windy walk up from the dock, even if the morning starts sunny.

Step 4: Understand why the prison closed in 1963

Alcatraz closed on March 21, 1963, mainly because it was too expensive to keep open. Repairs and upkeep were estimated by the prison service at a cost of $3 to $5 million. Repairs and upkeep would cost $3 to $5 million. That was nearly three times the daily cost per inmate at the prison in Atlanta.

The island also needed constant deliveries. Food, supplies and about a million gallons of water a week came by boat. The escape of 1962 is part of the story, but the Bureau gives the cost as the main reason.

If you like these details, a guided option adds more. The inside Alcatraz tour with bay cruise costs from €120 per person and runs about 4 hours, according to its listing. The operator is Fog Tours, and you make your own way to Pier 33 or Pier 39. That tour has no free cancellation on its listing, so read its terms first.

Step 5: Plan your own visit, and check the closure first

You can visit Alcatraz Island on your own or with a tour, and the first thing to check is the closure. The National Park Service home page for Alcatraz shows a temporary closure from October 26 to November 18 for dock repairs, so check the NPS notice before you book. The dates were posted in 2026 and may shift. The NPS hours page, the FAQ and the ferry operator's ticket page did not mention the closure on 23 October, so check both before you pay.

Outside those dates, the island is open 362 days a year. It closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, and rarely in extreme weather. The NPS Alcatraz FAQ says tickets may sell out several weeks ahead in summer and around holiday weekends.

Doing it yourself is simple and cheaper. Alcatraz City Cruises is the only ferry authorized by the National Park Service, and its day tickets start at $47.95 including fees and taxes. Refunds or changes need 72 hours' notice. A tour from a partner site costs more, and you get the same ferry with an app or an audio guide, or a guide on the island, as each listing states. The whole visit takes about 2 to 3 hours with the ferry, and the first boat leaves at 8:45am, then about every 30 to 40 minutes.

Pier 33 is a short walk from Fisherman's Wharf, and there is no parking at the pier. Read how to move around the city in getting around San Francisco.

No island ticket? The Escape from The Rock bay cruise costs from €35 per person and runs 1 to 1.5 hours with Blue and Gold Fleet. The listing says it does not stop on Alcatraz Island, so you see the island from the water only.

Things to Do in San Francisco's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 24 listings that include Alcatraz.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026.

Key Takeaway Book only for dates outside 26 October to 18 November 2026, and book early for a weekend or a holiday.

A plain limit to know. A tour is the wrong choice if you only want the story, because the history on this page is free to read. The ticket only matters if you want to stand in the cells.