WEEKLY
WALKER
A Bayside Sunrise Walk
"And I walked: I
walked through the light air; I moved with the morning."
-Theodore Roethke
Directions: From the 101 Freeway at the Holly Street Exit, take
Redwood Shores Parkway east toward the Bay on Redwood Shores Parkway. Continue
past Bridge Parkway, Shell Parkway, and Shearwater Parkway until you intersect
with Radio Road. Turn right at this intersection and right again at the next
one. The dog exercise park is on your right, and several asphalt paved parking
spaces are next to the park. The distance from 101 is about 4.5 miles.
Grade: Level.
Distance: Four miles, out and back.
Time: One and a half hours.
Special Conditions:
I started this walk at 6 a.m. one recent Wednesday morning, intent on enjoying the first rays of sun coming over the Mount Hamilton range to the southeast. When the sky is clear, this view can be a blaze of red to orange and yellow as the sun rises over the mountains and begins to flood the Peninsula with daylight. However, on this particular day, the early morning fog hung low over the Bay, foreclosing on my plans for a beautiful sunrise.
Foggy or clear, this is a fine early morning walk. From the parking area, climb to the levee trail along Steinberger Slough. Looking toward the Bay, you will see a gate (locked) in the far distance. Years ago you could hike into this area, but now it is closed to protect two endangered species--the salt marsh harvest mouse and the California clapper rail, a small, shy ground-nesting bird vulnerable to predators such as the red fox and domestic animals. The building complex to the left of the trail is the South Bayside System Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant, which serves the cities of Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, and Menlo Park.
For this walk, turn right when you reach the levee. The trail for the first five minutes or so of walking will be asphalt, but then it turns to hard-packed dirt and aggregate. Soon it leads under a high-tension pole lined with cormorants and various birds of prey roosting on the pole structure. The morning of my walk, a dry pond on the right had just enough water to attract feeding shorebirds. Wild rabbits were hopping about--typically skinny and gray-brown, but I also saw one pure white rabbit--probably an escapee from one of the nearby homes that seemed to be enjoying a romp with the others.
Beyond the dry pond is a sign marking access to Redwood Shores Parkway--one of many points along this short trail providing access to nearby residents. Soon your view centers on the Peninsula with Bair Island across Steinberger Slough. San Carlos Airport is in the distance with the freeway beyond. To the right is a nicely landscaped linear park between the levee and Cape Cod Drive. Two benches are located on the levee for your resting and viewing pleasure, or the parcourse may be more to your liking. A tot play lot and more benches are located near the Bay Harbor Drive access.
On the slough side of the levee, you will see several old piers once used for recreation and waterfowl hunting. An old rowboat is in the mud and barely visible, but your eyes are drawn to the endless views--past the Port of Redwood City and the Dumbarton Bridge, all the way to Moffett Field.
Near the end of the trail you will pass by Marina Park (accessible by turning right (south) off Redwood Shores Parkway), but you can continue a bit farther until the locked gate at the San Carlos Airport.
Now it's time to turn around and retrace your steps. The sun is up. It's only 6:30 a.m. or so, and you are back to the car after a 30- to 45-minute brisk walk. Drive home, clean up, eat breakfast, go to work, and I can almost guarantee that this day will be better for the hour-plus you spent on the Bay Trail.
Written by Tom Davids