San Francisco Bay Area & Silicon Valley Parks

Want to get down to nature and free your wild spirit? The San Francisco Bay Area is a beautiful destination for outdoor adventure, recreation and wildlife viewing. The Bay Area features hundreds of regional and state parks, over 1,000 miles of hiking and biking trails, historic farms and an urban wildlife refuge that protects many threatened and endangered species. Whether you want to go bird watching at Don Edwards S. F. Bay National Wildlife Refuge or biking at Coyote Hills Regional Park, the Bay Area is a haven for wildlife watching, natural adventure and exploration.

Coyote Hills Regional Park. Preserving 978 acres of marshland and grassy hills, Coyote Hills Regional Park is a beautiful recreational spot along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. Located just outside of Newark, California, the park is a popular destination for bicycling, running, walking, hiking, bird watching, nature exploration, and picnicking. The Park features a Visitor Center with exhibits on Ohlone lifeways, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 2,000-year old Ohlone Indian shellmound sites, Marsh Boardwalk, a nectar garden, picnic sites, and bike and hiking trails including the 12-mile Alameda Creek Trail and 3.5-mile Bay View Trail.

Don Edwards S. F. Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The first urban National Wildlife Refuge in the country, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge spans 30,000 acres of wetland - bay, salt pond, salt marsh, mudflat, and upland and vernal pools - habitats throughout the South San Francisco Bay.

The refuge preserves a diverse wildlife habitat, and protects migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and offers wildlife-oriented recreation and nature study. Located along the Pacific Flyway, the refuge is home to over 280 species of birds and millions of shorebirds and waterfowl every year. The refuge is an essential habitat to the endangered California clapper rail.

Ardenwood Historic Farm. Take a journey back in time at Ardenwood Historic Farm, a working organic farm with seasonal activities and tours. Explore Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century country estate, with a beautiful mansion and ornate Victorian Gardens. See animals such as sheep, pigs, turkeys, chickens, rabbits, goats, and cows. The farm features agricultural exhibits - from the 1870s to the present - and the Blacksmith Shop and Equipment Shed. From Arden Station and Deer Park Station, you can ride the horse-drawn train into the park with guides dressed in period costumes. The park offers naturalist programs, including crop planting and harvesting, antique farm machinery demonstrations, music concerts, and events including the Independence Day Celebration, Harvest Festival and Ardenwood's Victorian Christmas. You can buy fresh organic vegetables from late May through October.