Marin Headlands: The Bay Area History You May Not Know

The sprawling landscape of the Marin Headlands is home to a vast network of hiking trails and beautiful views. Although it is now officially part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, it has a deep and complex history all its own that has contributed to the land it is today.

The view of a foggy Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands

The territory that is now known as the Marin Headlands was originally home to the Miwok Native American tribe. A significant amount of Miwok artifacts have been discovered on the Marin Headlands, which led to the establishment of the Museum of the American Indian in 1967, an organization that seeks to educate the public about local Native American culture.

Years later, the United States Military constructed a series of military fortifications, which were built to prevent enemies from coming into the San Francisco Bay. During both WWI and WWII, various structures were built and staffed by military personnel. Although none of these sites are currently being used by the military today, many sites are still standing and are open to visitors. One of the most well preserved sites, Fort Cronkhite, provides visitors with a look back to a time when the army was training soldiers for WWII.

Looking out at Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands

Today, the Marin Headlands welcomes locals and out-of-towners to hike and bike along hundreds of miles of coastal terrain. The area is also a favorite among dedicated trail runners and is the location of the North Face Challenge Championship event, one of the most popular trail races in the world. Since its first year, 2006, the North Face Challenge has helped to grow the sport of trail running, as well as the North Face brand. In addition to beautiful and challenging terrain, the event boasts the largest prize money in trail racing today at $10,000 for the top male and female finishers of the 50-mile, ultra-marathon event.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.