Olompali State Historic Park
State Park · Novato, California
Olompali State Historic Park lies at the foot of Mount Burdell in Novato, in Marin County, just off Highway 101. The site has an unusually layered past. The Coast Miwok people lived here for thousands of years (often described), and a village site with a reconstructed bark house and bedrock grinding stones is part of the park. Later came ranch owners and the Burdell family, whose mansion stood here in the 1800s, and the 1960s, when a group called the Chosen Family lived on the property and the Grateful Dead stayed for a time (confirm). A fire in 1969 left the mansion ruins that remain, now stabilized (confirm). A trail network leads through oak woodland and grass toward a hilltop view (confirm routes). It is a quiet, often empty park, but ticks, summer heat and fire hazards are real, and dogs are not allowed. It suits history-minded hikers, families and school groups, and it is a short, inexpensive stop beside a busy highway.
8901 Redwood Hwy, Novato, California, 94945, United States
California State Parks has generally kept Olompali open for day use from about morning to late afternoon or sunset - confirm the posted hours and whether the gate closes earlier in winter. The entrance is reached directly from Highway 101 and is easy to miss, so allow extra time on your first visit. Interpretive tours and village programmes run on certain days - confirm the calendar. In very dry, windy summer and fall weather the park can close for fire danger, and heavy winter rain can close muddy trails, so check before you go. Mornings are cooler and quieter, and weekends see more families and dog-free hikers.
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