Coyote Hills Regional Park
Bay Trail: South Side of Redwood Shores
"Fortunately, there are still a few places in the San Francisco Bay Area where one can go down to the water's edge and enter this enchanting wet world." "Of Marsh and Mud - A Guide to Shoreline Life"
-by Riensche and Meek
Directions: From the Peninsula, cross the Dumbarton Bridge on Highway 84. Pass through the toll station (free eastbound) to the first off-ramp. Turn north on Paseo Padre Parkway to Patterson Ranch Road. Turn left .6 miles to entry kiosk.
Grade: Level.
Distance: Three miles.
Time: One-and-a-half-hour.
Special Conditions: Dogs allowed on leash except in marsh and picnic areas. Excellent for children. Bikes permitted on most trails. There is a $4 charge per vehicle when the entry kiosk is staffed. Park hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Administered by the East Bay Regional Park District (510-635-0135).
The name "Coyote Hills" implies "hills," and there
are a few. Stretching north from the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza are a series
of well-worn rounded remnants of a mountain range much older than the East Bay
hills. Not much is left of this range, only these and several more at Albany
Point and Point Richmond. Climb a few hundred feet to the top of these hills,
and you will see outcroppings of chert pushed up from the ocean floor. In the
distance the views are magnificent in 
all directions.
There is a lot to do at Coyote Hills. The Visitors Center offers interesting displays of the park, many relating to the Ohlone Indians, who lived along this shore for more than 2,000 years. You can view a shell mound and re-created Ohlone Village along the Chochenyo Trail. Remote-operated glider flying is popular at the south end of Red Hill Trail; the sights and smells of salt evaporation ponds are a feature of the Bay View Trail. Red hill Trail gives the best views; the Muskrat Trail offers a self-guided nature walk; and the DUST Trail winds through the "Demonstration Urban Storm Water Treatment" marsh. This unique 55-acre freshwater marsh demonstrates the natural ability of wetlands to remove waterborne pollutants from storm water before the runoff enters the Bay. The DUST marsh is California's first experiment with urban storm water, and the project has proved so successful that the marsh will be expanded both south and north of the park.
For all these reasons you will want to spend some time at Coyote Hills in the near future. And don't forget to bring a picnic. Tables are located at the Quarry staging area and at the Visitors Center.
Our hike started at the Visitors Center parking lot. After a picnic lunch and a visit to the center, we headed out on the Bay View Trail, which starts where the entrance road ends and turns back. Pass through the lock gate. The Bay View Trail is asphalt-surfaced and in good condition for bikes and strollers. Ahead are the Coyote Hills, and on the right is the DUST marsh project. The minor hill beyond the marsh is Lizard Rock.
The
trail moves along the hillside, gradually rising. To the left is Alameda Creek,
which provides flood control for the city of Fremont. At the junction with Red
Hill Trail, turn right onto the Alameda Creek Trail. A trail sign notes that
a turn to the left (west) will take you to the Bay in two miles and a turn right
(east) will take you 
to Niles in
nine miles. This is a popular trail for bicyclists, but it also offers a good
extended, level route for joggers and walkers.
Turn right at this junction, and continue 1.2 miles along the levee to the DUST Trail. The walk is on a nice asphalt-surface path with views of Alameda Creek on the left, the DUST marsh project on the right, and the East Bay Hills ahead. The turnoff to the DUST Trail is under the high-tension pole line. From there, you can meander around the marsh system in several directions. We walked along the DUST Trail to the first junction and turned left. At the next junction we continued straight and straight again at the third junction. Along the way, the wide path is bordered by head-high cattails and tule (bulrushes). The Ohlones used the tule to build canoes and houses. The trail continues on a wooden boardwalk of special interest to children--a rare opportunity to get really close to the marsh and its critters. After crossing over the boardwalk, make a right turn, which shortly brings you back to the parking lot.
You will want to visit this park often to enjoy all that it has to offer. Do bring the kids, since it is a great laboratory to learn more about the bay, the marsh, and the Ohlone Indians.
Written by: Tom Davids
