State Parks and National Parks

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the first urban refuge in the country, protects more than 40,000 acres of estuarine habitat, including uplands, open water, mudflats, salt ponds and salt marshes.

The refuge is home to nine endangered species, including the California brown pelican, California clapper rail, California least tern, salt marsh harvest mouse, vernal pool tadpole shrimps, and Contra Costa goldfields.

Other refuge wildlife include migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, harbor seals and many species of saltwater fish.

The refuge is crisscrossed by 30 miles of hiking trails. The most popular trails include Tidelands Trail and Newark Slough Trail at the Visitor Center; New Chicago Marsh and Alviso Slough Trail at the Environmental Education Center.

The Visitor Center trails connect to trails in Coyote Hills Regional Park. Trails are periodically closed due to levee maintenance. Check at the Visitor Center and Environmental Education Center for the latest trail information. All motor vehicles are prohibited on Refuge trails, to protect ecologically sensitive areas.

The visitor center is located near the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza.

Photo credits in order: Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.