We journeyed to the Marin Headlands in August to explore one of the most unique landscapes in California. The Marin Headlands juts out into the Pacific Ocean just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Because this area has always been a strategic entryway into the western edge of the country, it was heavily guarded by the U.S. military for over a century. From the 1860s until the military abandoned the area in 1972, artillery batteries, forts and even nuclear launch sites dotted the dramatic landscape of the Headlands. An unintended outcome of this military occupation was to protect the Headlands from the intensive development that overwhelmed the rest of the Bay Area. As the military pulled out in 1972, the entire Marin Headlands was quickly declared a State Park, thus preserving its natural landscape for future generations.

The result for today’s visitor is a landscape of startling beauty, but also of striking ironies and contradictions. Abandoned gun emplacements, once armed with lethal weapons, overlook bucolic beaches bathed by the gentle waves of the Pacific Ocean. A sweeping vista of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline is best viewable from the observation cabin of the old Mendel battery site, well within range of its big 12-inch guns. On a more peaceful note, miles of hiking trails now meander through the rolling hills, eventually reaching the coast in numerous coves and inlets.

Fort Point, Dale Crandall-Bear

We spent Saturday exploring the western and southern parts of the Headlands, then went back to our walk-in campground for the night. On Sunday morning, we rose early to view a fog-shrouded vista of the bay. In the afternoon we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge to visit Fort Point on the San Francisco side. This historic fort, abandoned soon after the Civil War, has long been a favorite destination for photographers drawn to its sweeping arches and curving corridors.

We definitely plan to return to this area many times in the future to explore more of its enchanting, haunting aspects.