Ever wonder what's behind those hills in the Marin Headlands as you pass over the Golden Gate Bridge? I went to find out. Eye popping vistas and miles of supreme running trails that will seduce any Trailgeek. What more could you ask for? Just past the Waldo Tunnel I take the Spencer Ave. off ramp and find parking anywhere along the street or in the lot next to the overpass. Across the street from this lot is the entrance to the trail system. It takes about 5 minutes to reach the starting point for this curcuit. The climb serves well as a pre-run stretch. At the top I head right, down Alta (001) and connect with Bobcat (002). Here I start moving uphill directly towards the tower and at the first intersection (003) I stay left and get on the Miwok. This path runs along the front of the tower. This is the highest point of the run and offers some spectacular views of Marin, the East Bay, San Francisco, Pacifica, and on very clear days even Pt. Reyes and the Farallones. The next part of this excursion is a long and onerous downhill jaunt. This is the time to take in some fuel and look around for some wildlife. Red Tail Hawks, falcons, dear, coyotes and even bobcats can be seen in this preserve. The Miwok goes all the way out to Bunker Road which is the main entrance to the preserve on the west side (006). From here it is a straight shot right out to the beach. Running on the sand can be difficult but it's not a long distance around the cove to the Lagoon trailhead. Once back on Bunker Road (007) I start my way back to Bobcat via Rodeo. The trailhead for Rodeo is found along the campsites at (009). At the fork I go right and start my way back up Bobcat (010), but not before fueling up! This is the most difficult part of the run as it is uphill and very exposed. Back at Alta (002) I take a right and find my way down to the lot. Done!

Distance and Elevation Profile
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