From 1953 to 1979, the U.S. Army built and ran close to 300 Nike missile sites around the country. According to the National Park Service, they were meant as the last line of defense against Soviet bombers carrying hydrogen bombs that got past Air Force interceptor jets. One of them, SF-88, sits in the Marin Headlands. The park service calls it “the most fully restored Nike missile site in the country.”
When you can get in
The park service says the site is open only on the first Saturday of each month, from noon to 3 p.m., and closes in bad weather. The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy lists the next open houses as Saturday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Dec. 5. Guided programs start at 12:15, 1:15 and 2:15 p.m.
Who gives the tours
The Conservancy says veterans of the Nike program come to share their stories and lead tours. The park service works with volunteers to keep the site as it looked when it was operating.
Before you go
The site is on Field Road. The only restrooms there are portable toilets. Both the park service and the Conservancy suggest stopping at the larger rest area with running water about a mile before the site.