Howl of a Good Night Hike

Marin Headlands Halloween Adventures

10.27.2015

One of the many reasons people love the Bay Area is that great hikes in the great outdoors are accessed close to home. Take hiking the spectacular coastal Marin Headlands, just 30 minutes from the city. Haunt the Headlands this Halloween weekend on an exclusive (free) guided night hike. This Friday, October 30, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is hosting Voices in the Dark, in search of the sights and sounds of the coyote and the great horned owl, two of nature's most reclusive creatures. This 5-mile mostly flat hike allows you the rare opportunity to roam the Headlands without the crowds, while learning all kinds of cool things about the secret lives of the animals that live here. Meet at the Tennessee Valley trailhead. Bring layers, a flashlight, water, and a snack. The hike is 3 hours (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.). Reservations required: (415) 331-1540. Limited space!

BATTERY TOWNLSEY BONUS: Also in the Headlands this Halloween weekend, discover what lies beneath on the Battery Townsley Underground Tour (Sunday, November 1, noon to 4:00 p.m.). 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.) Long closed to the public, Battery Townsley's labyrinth defense system can now be explored on complimentary docent-led tours. Reach Battery Townsley by hiking a short ways up the moderately strenuous Coastal Trail, located north of the Rodeo Beach Parking lot. No reservations required, but for more information, call (415) 331-1540.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

Soaking Up History
When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.
View
Buck Wild!
Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.
View
State Park Soaker
Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.
View
Sponsored
New Year, New Goal: IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California
2026 is off and running! And swimming. And biking. Don't get left behind! Commit to one of the upcoming year’s most exciting endurance events—IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California in Redding.
View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

Sunset Hike at Dante's View
It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.
View
Hot, Wet, and Wild!
At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away.
View
Hot Springs, Naturally
Thermal spring waters are famous for their curative, relaxing elements, and Reno Tahoe is filled with them! Sink into these amazing thermal respites for a wellness super soak.
View
Three Sisters
Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.
View