Battery Recharger

Hike Hill 88 and Battery Townsley Marin Headlands

Hike Hill 88 to Battery Townsley in Marin Headlands

So close, yet far enough to get swept up in iconic coastal scenery—that pretty much defines this classic hike in the Marin Headlands. Go on a winding 5-mile loop hike that brings together the best of the headlands. Starting from the main Rodeo Beach parking area, head east along the road next to Rodeo Lagoon and its resident great egrets.

Within a half-mile veer left and into Gerbode Valley on the Miwok Trail. You’ll be sharing this wide fire road ascent with hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers. Keep an eye out for red-tailed hawks. At the junction, you’ll connect onto Wolf Ridge Trail and meander next to the rolling hills of the headlands.

Hike Hill 88 and Battery Townsley in the Marin Headlands

When you reach the Coastal Trail, detour uphill briefly to the high point, Hill 88, an old military site that has a tremendous view over Rodeo Beach, the Marin coastline, and even south to San Francisco. Follow the Coastal Trail back to Rodeo Beach, descending the rock-and-log stairway to reach Battery Townsley.

This site was San Francisco’s most secret World War II military fortification, and home to a vast network of underground tunnels during the Cold War. (It was even used as an underground research facility.) The magnificent views from this battery go up and down the coast and to the Pacific’s horizon.

Park in the main lot at Rodeo Beach and head east, lagoon side, crossing the street in 0.5 mile to reach the signed trailhead for Miwok Trail. Take Miwok up to the junction, then take Wolf Ridge Trail left, to Coastal Trail. At Coastal Trail head left and briefly uphill to Hill 88. Return to Coastal Trail and follow it all the way down to Rodeo Beach, stopping at Battery Townsley.{Covid-19 October 2020 Update: Battery Townsley is currently closed for public entry though you can still take in the views.}

Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View