Parks

It's hard to believe such a vast, beautiful, and diverse wilderness is so close to a major metropolitan area. The Marin Headlands is a crown jewel of the Golden Gate National Parks, abounding with places of natural wonder and beauty (Rodeo Valley/Lagoon, Gerbode Valley, Hawk Hill, Tennessee Valley) and remarkable historic sites (Point Bonita Lighthouse, Fort Cronkhite, Nike Missile Site, Battery Townsley).

Offering more of a stroll than a hike, the two-mile trail that meanders through the meadows of this serene valley leads you to bluffs overlooking the Pacific. There you'll several fine sand beaches and the Pacific's shattering surf.

On the windswept coast south of the City, Milagra Ridge boasts views to the edge of the Pacific horizon. This scrub-covered ridgeline is critical habitat, home to Red-tailed Hawks and the endangered mission blue butterfly. It is the site of intensive restoration by Park Stewardship staff and volunteers.

See what wonders restoration work creates at this rugged coastal promontory in San Mateo County. Thanks to community volunteers the 32-acre wetland park now has trails, red-legged frog ponds, and more.

It is awesome atop this 2,500-foot high mountain in Marin with its 360-degree view from San Francisco Bay to the Pacific. But anywhere on "Tam" you can find nature at its most glorious. Miles and miles of trails ribbon the mountain, crossing redwood valleys, creeks, waterfalls, and wide-open grasslands. It has been treasured turf for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians since the 1880s.

Just a few miles from Muir Woods, Muir Beach is a lovely haven with a restored lagoon. Redwood Creek, home to a rich variety of shorebirds, salmon, and trout, empties here. The beach lies in a quiet and dramatic cove with its own sheltered picnic area.

People do not just visit Muir Woods. They come from around the globe to pay homage to nature in this cathedral of redwoods. The trees' ages range from 400 to 800 years, their height up to 250 feet. Flat easy trails loop through the groves and across creeks. Parking can be an issue.

On a clear day you can see as far as Point Reyes from this park adjacent to the Marin Headlands. Trails loop through groves of eucalyptus and bay laurel. In the spring you will find lupine and California poppies. In summer, the grasses turn golden, and by late summer you can find fennel, sagebrush, and blackberry bushes.

You're in another world here, a picture-perfect rural valley bordering both the Golden Gate National Parks and Point Reyes National Seashore. This pastoral landscape stretches for nine miles, its ribbon of Highway 1 unspooling between the slopes of Bolinas and Inverness Ridge. Here you have an opportunity to experience two national parks in one trip.

See a verdant redwood forest reborn here at the southern tip of the Golden Gate National Parks. This tranquil park was once severely logged and century-old redwood stumps and remnants of steam mills are still in evidence.