Hiking to Marin County's Hill 88

What you'll see: Hill 88 is a 1,053-foot hilltop in the Marin Headlands. It towers over Rodeo Beach, with the Marin coast and ocean on one side, wilderness foothills on the other, and a pretty silhouette of Mount Tamalpais to the north, with San Francisco to the south. The pay-off views and natural beauty are a 10. The trip requires a climb that makes you feel that you've earned something special. That makes the trip a perfect mesh of beauty and ambition.

The drive: The cruise through the foothills of the Marin Headlands past Rodeo Lagoon to Rodeo Beach is one of the prettiest short drives in Marin. It's only a start.

The hike: It's 2.7 miles with a 1,000-foot climb, steep in one spot, to the top. The trip starts as an easy walk on a gated road, the Coastal Trail. It then climbs (with pretty coastal views) and in 1.5 miles reaches Battery Townsley (a concrete bunker, largely buried). You then climb, steeply at times, to Wolf Ridge (steep enough for the route to have steps in spots). A spur on the right leads to Hill 88 a few hundred feet away. This is like a military ghost town with old gun placements on a bunker - and sensational views. When you head back, it can feel as though the entire coast is at your feet. 5.4-mile round trip.

To make it a loop: When you return to Wolf Ridge, instead of retracing your path, you can turn right and then in 1.3 miles, turn right again on the Miwok Trail. It leads down to Gerbode Valley and back along Rodeo Lagoon (and the road) to parking. 5.5-mile loop.

Dogs: Leashed dogs are permitted on this section of the Coastal Trail and Wolf Ridge, but not on the spur to Hill 88.

Bikes: No mountain bikes permitted on this route at Wolf Ridge.

Cost: Parking, access free.

Map/brochure: Park map/brochure at Visitor Center, PDF at nps.gov/goga; detailed trail map, "South Marin," $9.95, www.tomharrisonmaps.com.

How to get there: From San Francisco, take Highway 101 north over the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin and the exit for Alexander Avenue (just north of the bridge). Take that exit west, drive under the highway and curve south to Conzelman Road. Turn right on Conzelman and drive 1.1 miles to the traffic circle at McCullough Road. Take the first exit onto McCullough Road and continue 0.9 of a mile to Bunker Road. Turn left on Bunker Road and drive 1.8 miles (Rodeo Lagoon on left) to the fork at which Mitchell Road is straight ahead and Bunker Road goes right. Continue straight onto Mitchell Road (Fort Cronkhite on right, Rodeo Lagoon still on left) for 0.2 of a mile to the end of road and turn right to the parking lot for Rodeo Beach.

Trailhead: After parking, walk back to the road. Turn right and walk a short distance west to the trailhead for the Coastal Trail. It starts as a gated road.

Note: For a slower route with ocean views, instead turn left at Conzelman (signed "Marin Headlands Coastal Route").

Contacts: Marin Headlands Visitor Center, near foot of Rodeo Lagoon, (415) 331-1540, www.nps.gov/goga.