Coyote Hills

After enjoying a hike in Mountain View’s Shoreline Park along the San Francisco Bay, I wanted to explore the coastline further north. I found Coyote Hills, a Fremont park with views of Dumbarton Bridge and Bayview Trail. I got that and much more. This was one of my favorite explorations.

I parked my car across from the visitor center (open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The building was small, but the grounds were perfect for a picnic with shade and many tables and benches.

I was entertained by a flock of large turkeys looking for handouts, and shy ground squirrels diving for holes in the ground. Some children were enjoying freedom in nature.

It was a pleasant and comfortable site, but I wanted to see some views. I turned right from the visitor center to reach Quail Trail. It was a narrow path up to a ridge where I crossed over the trail to see a beautiful view of Dumbarton

Bridge and San Francisco Bay. I could also see the Bayview Trail directly below.

I followed the Red Hill Trail up to Red Hill, a comfortable bench, and more scenic views. You can choose this trail to reach either end of Bayview Trail. You can also follow the Bayview Trail around the park for a 3.5-mile hike or bike ride.

Instead, I went back down to the Visitor Center to have lunch, followed by a short walk back on the entrance road and left on Muskrat Trail to walk through the marshes.

It was amazing. At first, you follow a maze of trails and boardwalks through tall grass. Then the views open to beautiful views of nearby hills. You turn right to see a bridge that offers a lake of more than fifty ducks and many larger birds: egrets, pelicans, herons, and hawks. When you get close, some of the big birds fly away, but the smaller ducks appear to have no fear.

While I was there, I saw very few people, which made it a better place to watch and photograph birds. If you stay right on Muskrat Trail, you circle back to Paterson Ranch Road and the visitor center to complete a 3.4-mile hike.

It is an easy drive to Coyote Hills. Take Highway 17/880 north. In Newark, you exit on Highway 84 east for two miles, exit on Paseo Padre Parkway east, then right on Paterson Ranch Road. Turn left to drive 1.5 miles to the Coyote Hills visitor center parking lot. Parking fee is $5. Get your map at the visitor center and enjoy a unique nature experience.

This is what I call exploring.