What you see: A short trail with a guardrail is routed to a cliff-top lookout for a panorama of the Marin coast and out to sea to sight passing ships, whales and shorebirds. Directly below, the cliff plunges 200 feet to the rocky surf. Nearby you can visit Slide Ranch and its animal farm, and below that, a tidal reef loaded with small crabs.

Location: Muir Beach Overlook is located on the Marin coast along Highway 1, west of Mill Valley.

Cost: Parking, access free.

When you arrive: After you park, the short trail to the overlook is located at the southwest end of the parking lot. The route starts out wide, then quickly narrows as it extends along a ridge, and then descends a short distance to the lookout at the cliff edge. Guardrails are set up on each side of the trail.

The view: The best. Views are long distance, where you take in the miles gazing across the sea, for sunsets, and often passing freighters and fishing boats. As winter takes hold, this is one of the best spots to sight the spouts of passing whales. Directly below, the cliff-edge plummets to a rock-peppered surf (no beach), and when looking down, some visitors can get a dizzying sense of spatial disorientation.

History: To defend against the threat of Pacific invasions, this was a military outpost, and that was part of the coastal defense structure. You can still see the remains of a small former base.

Owl Trail: At the northwest end of the parking area (and a dirt pullout along Highway 1 to the nearby north), the Owl Trail descends to Slide Ranch, a working farm, and then continues beyond to a huge rocky/tidal reef (time it for low tides to see the crabs). It’s called the Owl Trail because great horned owls have nested in a big cypress tree along the route.

Slide Ranch: This is a small farm with animals that include sheep, goats, chickens and more, and is a popular family trip with youngsters.

Contacts: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 415-561-4700, www.nps.gov/goga — under “plan your visit” click on “places to go” and scroll to Muir Beach and Muir Overlook; Slide Ranch, 415-381-6155, http://slideranch.org.

How to get there

From San Francisco: From the Golden Gate Bridge, take U.S. 101 north to Marin and continue for 4.3 miles for Exit 445B for Highway 1/Mill Valley-Stinson Beach. Take that exit, continue west (under 101) for one mile to a T intersection with Highway 1 (Tam Junction). Turn left and drive 6.3 miles to the signed exit on the left for Muir Beach Overlook. Turn left and drive 400 feet (becomes Seascape Drive) to the parking lot on the right.

Distances: 4 miles from Mill Valley/Shoreline Highway, 13 miles from San Francisco, 14 miles from San Rafael, 26 miles from Berkeley, 30 miles from Millbrae, 48 miles from Concord.

— Tom Stienstra