If you take the time to make the climb, the mysteriously named Hill 88 is worth the effort. Rising 1,053 feet over popular Rodeo Beach and Fort Cronkhite in the Marin Headlands, the hilltop once was clearly a military site, complete with a hurricane fence–lined approach and heavy duty concrete buildings. But the gate at the end of the fencing is open to the public, and the buildings are gutted of everything except a fine and striking display of public art that reflects more about our present struggles after surviving a Cold War past.
To reach Hill 88 from Rodeo Beach, simply follow the Coastal Trail up from the north side of Rodeo Beach and then shift to Wolf Ridge, following the signs and then a spur to Hill 88. The trail is popular for much of the climb, which can mean some crowds and clustering where the generous former road narrows into single tracks and a couple of steep stair climbs.
The first part of this there-and-back trip is pretty flat and easy, but eventually, it begins a climb that should get a rise out of most cardiovascular systems. From Rodeo Beach to Hill 88 is about two miles (depending on which source you consult, the least accurate being my step tracker), for a round trip of about four miles.
The ascent passes some interesting stops along the way, to catch a breath and catch more of the endless views of the Pacific and surrounding Bay Area in almost every direction. A look up during the right months — usually late summer into late fall — might give a glimpse of the hawks that frequent the area seasonally.
A pause at Battery Townsley, another remnant of the past, can yield a precious peek at California newts that somehow make their way into a pool within one of the battery’s open turrets. It’s fun to spend time in the echoey opening around the pond and spy the little reddish amphibians living their best lives high on a Marin hill, but do not to touch them as their skin emits a powerful neurotoxin.
The spur from Wolf Ridge takes you up to a path lined with that daunting-looking hurricane fencing. Once inside the area of the former military station, spend some time exploring the paintings on the walls, which offer some powerful examples of public art. An overlook platform affording magnificent vistas bears a lavender spray-painted message that reads, “Welcome to hill 88,” so you can be sure you’re in the right place.
A mysterious concrete-lined, water-filled hole intrigued our group, as did a discarded T-shirt that read “Antioch College.” And on all sides, a view to astound, toward Marin in the north, the city to the south, the Pacific to the west (of course) and the day we were there toward sunset, a rising moon eastward.
The hill presumably takes its name from a former Nike missile site, SF-88, just across Rodeo Lagoon to the south at what was Fort Barry. SF-88 was one of three such sites in that area of Marin, including Fort Cronkhite, designated as SF-87, and Fort Baker, designated as SF-89.
When it was active, SF-88 housed Ajax and then Nike Hercules missiles, and the Hill 88 complex served as its radar station.
You won’t find any remnants of the radar equipment on Hill 88 (that’s housed at the Nike Missile Site), but you will find the remains of the buildings. The National Park Service warns that the buildings are unstable and visitors should stay outside of them. That hasn’t stopped many artists armed with their spray paints from gaining entry and leaving a chronicle of the way we live now on walls left behind from the way we lived then.
• Getting there: To start the trail at Rodeo Beach, take Bunker Road from Highway 101 through the one-way tunnel and then keep left when at the fork onto Mitchell Road as it approaches Rodeo Beach. At the beach, park in the lot or in allowed parking spaces along Mitchell Road leading to the beach. From the parking area, head north (to the right of the beach), and follow the gently rising switchbacks of the beginning of the Coastal Trail. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
Emily Willingham is a Marin science journalist, book author and biologist. You can find her on Twitter @ejwillingham.
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