Batteries Loop Trail – Marin Headlands

Batteries Loop Trail-Marin Headlands (scroll to bottom for photo gallery) Location: Battery Alexander Parking off Field Road, Mill Valley, CA, Marin Headlands Starting Point: Trailhead for the Batteries Loop Trail is from the Battery Alexander Parking area (with toilet facility), off Field Road in the Marin Headlands, between the Nike Missile Site and Point Bonita Lighthouse. Info links:  For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser. Batteries Loop Trail information link (National Park Service): https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/batteries-loop-trail.htm Batteries Loop Trail information link (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy): https://www.parksconservancy.org/trails/batteries-loop-trail Marin Headlands Map link (National Park Service) (scroll down to bottom left for detailed map of Batteries Loop Trail): https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/map_mahe_150429_508_2021.pdf​ Marin Headlands information link (National Park Service): https://www.nps.gov/goga/marin-headlands.htm Marin Headlands information link (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy): https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/marin-headlands Also recommended: Battery Alexander historical information link (militarymuseum.org): http://www.militarymuseum.org/BtyAlexander.html Distance: This is a short, easy walk. The Batteries Loop Trail is noted as 0.5 miles with destination points including Battery O’Rorke, Battery Smith-Guthrie, and Battery Alexander as an added short walk off the main loop. You can add a little extra distance by walking back along Field Road after climbing the stairs at Battery Alexander. You can also add on the 0.2 miles down the hill on the South Rodeo Beach Trail for a visit to the beach (uphill climb back). See the end of the trail description for other trails in the surrounding area that you can take for longer hikes. Considerations: • This is a good sized parking lot, but as always, weekdays and earlier in the day on weekends typically mean fewer visitors. • There is a toilet facility at this parking lot. • Watch out for poison oak. A scrub like Technu is handy for accidental exposure. • Dress in layers. Hot sunny skies can turn to cold blustery winds in the blink of an eye. • Pay attention to trail safety and wildlife information signs. The trail: This is a fairly large parking lot but is easy to miss. We’ve been driving by it for over two decades and just noticed it recently. The relatively smooth trails make for a very easy walk with a huge payoff in scenery.   (Info from: www.hikingautism.com)