Hidden Headlands: Finding secret spots in Marin’s wide open spaces
Posted by Sarah on Apr 22, 2011
Driving through the one-way tunnel a mile north of the Golden Gate Bridge — after leaving city lights and traffic and a long week behind — I feel like I’m entering San Francisco’s own Secret Garden.
The hills behind me and to the south seclude this National Park from San Francisco and Sausalito; the forest to the north hides the rest of Marin County’s cities and towns; and in front of me, I know there’s nothing but Pacific — and the park’s nonprofit partners, including the Marin Headlands Hostel.
I’m here for one night and, with the help of my personal tour guide Meghan Ellwood (the hostel’s assistant manager), I have all day Saturday to roam the park.
My mission: To explore the ins and outs and the secret spaces tucked into these hills — and to learn how and why the Marin Headlands and surrounding parklands were preserved. Be sure to check out my photos to help you find these spots for yourself.
Military Secrets
Though long inhabited by the Miwok Native American tribes and later used as dairy farmland by Portuguese and other immigrants, the Marin Headland’s later history revolves around its military use during both World Wars and the Cold War.
Fort Barry
The Marin Headlands Hostel is part of Fort Barry — a 1908 fort encompassing the area near the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, including two historic batteries and Point Bonita Lighthouse.
When Meghan takes me out to the lighthouse, about a mile from the hostel, a volunteer docent is giving a tour of the area, pointing out wild cabbage plants and talking about the history of the lighthouse. A sudden fog, unfortunately, keeps us from lingering at this windy spot.
On the way back to the car, Meghan takes me down a secret side trail leading between a telephone pole and a small hill with half a dozen mysterious chimneys poking out of it. Hidden from the eyes of tourists who frequent the lighthouse, we’re standing beside what a faded sign seems to indicate was a bomb shelter. The secret bunker is overgrown and covered in graffiti, but the shelter’s unlit rooms — and a crumbling building next door — are open for exploration. Wish I’d brought a flashlight!
Battery Townsley
Hidden in the hills above Fort Cronkhite (at Rodeo Beach, less than a mile from the hostel), Battery Townsley has been open to the public since 2007, after the former top-secret facility was refurbished and restored. Meghan says that while many people head down to the beach and hike around Rodeo Lagoon, few hike up to the battery, which consists of two concrete structures built into the hill.
The first Sunday of every month, all the doors inside are open; today, only the main entrances are. So I walk in from the trail and out the back for views of the ocean, and the sounds of the fog signal and bouy bells near the lighthouse to the south. Inside the second structure — the one farther up the hill — water has collected to form a newt pond inside the battery! Tiny, unmarked trails lead around and on top of each building — it’s pretty cool to stand on top of what seems like any old hill, knowing a military fort lies beneath you.
Open Spaces Preserved
When the military moved out, cities tried to move in — the 1950s-60s saw proposals to build five different developments housing more than 240,000 people, according to the Marin Independent Journal. Luckily, local movements to keep the land open prevailed. Today, despite bordering San Francisco, more than 80 percent of Marin County’s 300,000 acres are preserved as permanent open space or protected from future development by strict zoning laws.
Marincello
One of the proposed cities — dubbed Marincello and backed by Gulf Oil — would have covered the Headlands from the Golden Gate Bridge to Fort Cronkhite with huge apartment buildings and town homes, shopping areas, and a resort hotel. Despite initial support from county leaders, the plan was thrown out in 1970, leading the way for similar efforts to prevent development up and down the Marin County coast.
Back when Marincello was still in the works, builders got as far as constructing an exit from southbound Highway 101 toward the proposed city. The exit is still open today — the Rodeo Avenue exit (labeled as "Not a Through Road") ends abruptly at a gate, where the road becomes a hiking trail up into the hills.
Meghan takes me there just before sunset, and we watch fog lapping at the hills as the sun goes down and the lights around the Bay twinkle on. At the top of the hill is a bench overlooking all of it. You can see San Francisco, but the Golden Gate Bridge is hidden from view by the forest. It’s bizarre sitting at the top, with the full moon over the city, seeing so many lights in front of me — and peaceful, protected darkness behind me.
Pelican Inn
The Marin Headlands is bordered by several other parks, including Mount Tamalpais State Park and Muir Woods National Monument. Highway One runs north through and between many of these preserved spaces, dotted here and there with small businesses, farms, nonprofits, and more.
Looking for a fun, relaxing, outdoor spot to have lunch, Meghan recommends we head to the Pelican Inn, near Muir Beach and the turn-off for Muir Woods. There are other "hidden," out-of-the-way places with better views, she says — the Mountain Home Inn on Mount Tam, for example — but she prefers the atmosphere here.
The cute English pub is pretty small inside, but the perk of all perks: you can order at the bar and they’ll bring your food to you on the lawn! She gets the bangers and mash, I opt for the fish and chips — both sipping a dry, hard cider — and we lounge on the lawn among clusters of other young people and families enjoying the sun (though the Headlands is foggy this afternoon, just north of the park it’s gorgeous!).
Woods and Communes
After lunch, we set out for Muir Woods — but when we realize that it’s a Free Day (the road is completely lined with cars of people here today to avoid the normal $5 fee), we skip the tourist attraction and head for a secret spot nearby that Meghan discovered a while back: a mostly abandoned hippie commune.
Now, in the Bay Area, Marin is infamous for the many communes supposedly scattered throughout it. This community, called Camino del Canyon, is actually within the bounds of the National Park — but according to Meghan (and confirmed by a little bit of research into the area), an agreement was reached with the landowner that he can continue to stay there until his death, at which point the park will reclaim it.
Hiking down the gravel road (near the Dipsea Trail — look for the mailboxes and parking turn-out at the top of the hill past Muir Woods), we pass near a handful of homes in the secluded valley. A few are still occupied, but most have been abandoned. Park documents say five of the 10 homes there are empty, though we only see five or six houses in total. The architecture of each is unique, and many have hand-carved door pulls, stained glass elements, and big dome skylights. One of the abandoned homes looks like it was built in an old water storage tank — it’s a small cylindrical wooden building surrounded by a deck, overlooking the valley below. I want it.
Little Cities
Though 84 percent of Marin County is preserved land, there are some pretty cute little cities scattered throughout.
Mill Valley
Meghan and I head to her favorite — Mill Valley, just east of Muir Woods and about 10 miles north of the hostel — for iced tea and to wander around. Sausalito, she says, is overrated and too touristy for her taste, so she heads to Mill Valley to get away from the crowds.
She takes me to the Depot Cafe — a cute shop in the former train station — before we walk through the streets of downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, where town-maintained staircases run up and down the hills between homes. Last time Meghan was here, she found a Buddha garden along one of the stairways. Today, we find garden gnomes, cherry blossoms, wisteria, and odd statues of a dinosaur and jaguar. And the homes… the homes are beautiful.
Downtown on a Saturday evening, many of the shops have started to close up for the night. Though we can’t go inside, Meghan’s favorite Mill Valley spots include Moss and Moss (a really cute antique store), Mint, (full of creatively crafted, artsy things), and the Mill Valley Public Library (it’s BEAUTIFUL, and they have free WiFi).
Sausalito
While Meghan generally stays out of Sausalito, there are places she — along with many other locals — loves to go. Namely, anything on the largely un-touristed Caledonia Street, which is where we head to Arawan for a delicious dinner of Thai curry and fried tofu.
The Caledonia neighborhood has block-party-like art walks each month during the summer, and great restaurants, shops, and bars. Meghan recommends Cafe Divino (live music), Real Food Company (a cute health food store), Smitty’s (a great dive bar), and Flying Oliver Books (used books, including lots of history books on the local area).
Planning Your Trip
The Marin Headlands is easily a day trip from San Francisco (as long as you have a car or bike, as public transit only goes into the park on Sundays). But with the hostel located at the center of the park — and plenty of hiking, sightseeing, shopping, and dining nearby — why not spend the night or a weekend, and take a retreat from the city?
It’s easy to book your stay at the hostel online, or by calling (415) 331-7177. The hostel offers accommodations in shared, private, or private family rooms in two historic military buildings.
Resources
There are many, many organizations in the Headlands area, including a handful within easy walking distance of the hostel. Some of these include:
The Marine Mammal Center - See rescued and recovering seals just one mile from the hostel.
Headlands Institute - Offers youth and family educational programs in the park. (Not to be confused with the Outdoor Hostel Adventure program offered at the hostel.)
Headlands Center for the Arts - The hostel’s next-door neighbor; resident artist studios are open to the public most days.
NIKE Missile Site - Located between the hostel and the lighthouse, it’s the only restored NIKE (Cold War) missile site in the country.
Bay Model - In Sausalito, see a scale model of the Bay.
Bay Area Discovery Museum - Located at historic Fort Baker, this one’s for kids.
Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center - They have events, retreats, and weekend meditation sessions open to the public.
Slide Ranch - A coastal ranch teaching kids (and adults) about food and farming.
Find more to do in the park on the National Parks website; many activities are also listed by the Parks Conservancy.
This story was written by Sarah Trent, the marketing and communications coordinator for Hostelling International’s eight Northern California hostels.