Exploring the Golden State #2: Marin County

I just had to get out of the house that day. I wandered around the Presidio of San Francisco and decided it was time to cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

Without any sort of plan I started exploring Marin County, seeing things I wouldn't have chosen in advance. And also missing things that I will visit another time. I started with Muir Woods...

Muir Woods

Muir Woods is a national monument, close to San Francisco. It is a forest full with old redwood trees that benefit from the same fog that so often clouds San Francisco.

It was like I wasn't meant to visit that place, though. I got stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of the forest. It took a while to figure out that a car had run off the road and "drove off the mountain". Luckily it wasn't as bad as it sounded.

Bet he/she was happy with the many strong trees next to the road

Without having any plan for that day it didn't really matter. Some time later I continued to the entrance of the park, that has a pretty interesting history.

The only reason that this park nowadays still exists is because around 1900 a politician bought it to protect it from being cut down, like what happened to most other forests. When commerce almost destroyed it, he decided to give it to the government who turned it into a national park.

Muir woods is a bit like any other redwood park. The only weird thing about it is the paved & fences trails. On one hand, they make you feel like you walk in an ordinary city park, but the trees around you tell a totally different story.

I loved how the sunlight shines through the massive trees and makes it a magical place. It was impossible to capture with my pocket camera, but I do hope you get the idea.

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Fort Baker

Next stop, Fort Baker! I was "forced" by a friend to visit this place. It is a bit of a hidden paradise with the most amazing views over San Francisco. It used to be an army post, but is now an area of luxury and too expensive restaurants. I don't have much to tell you about this area, I'll just show you.

View from the top

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Battery Mendell

I soon jumped back in the car and drove off. I went through a tunnel which made me end up on the other side, where Point Bonita Lighthouse and Battery Mendell are located. Unfortunately, the entrance to the lighthouse was closed. But the Battery was open to the public.

Construction of this gun battery started in 1901 and it was closed during WWII. It was originally part of the harbor defense plan and when the treat of invasion in WWII was gone and a better battery was finished, they closed this one. It soon fell into disrepair and was often vandalised. Today, you will find reinforced concrete, rust and grafiti. And young people hanging around enjoying the views (and a smoke I guess).

I loved the views from the inside out and when the kids would remove their feet so that I could make a photo, I told them to keep their feet hanging where they were. It was a funny extra to the photo.

View from inside the Battery of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco

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After having seen every corner of the battery, it was time to return to my car. The area near the lighthouse was too beautiful to let go of me, though. And before I knew it, I was witnessing a sunset. A day well spend....

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Also in this series:
Exploring the Golden State #1: Northern Highway One, Avenue of the Giants, The Lost Coast, Eureka!

My Ireland series:
Ireland & the back arse of nowhere #1: Aran Islands
Ireland & the back arse of nowhere #2: Cliffs of Moher
Ireland & the back arse of nowhere #3: Gap of Dunloe & Lakes of Killarney
Ireland & the back arse of nowhere #4: County Donegal