Olompali is a sacred site for both Native Americans and hippies from the Haight-Ashbury days. The park is located three miles north of the Novato city limits on the eastern slope of Mount Burdell and only accessible from southbound Highway 101. Evidence of the presence of the Coast Miwok tribe, called the Southern People (Olompali), dates to 6,000 B.C. The tribe lived here until the 1850s and their descendants are still a recognized and organized group in the North Bay area. Many artifacts can be seen at the park as well as at the nearby Marin Museum of the American Indian. In the late 1960s, the Olompali land was privately owned and became a cultural gathering spot and commune. The Grateful Dead played here regularly. A fire at the house led to the commune's closing in 1969. Many artifacts were saved but have yet to be put on display. The park was opened as a state historic park in 1990. Today it features a small museum, a bookstore, picnic tables and hiking trails.
