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Coyote Hills Regional Park

Coyote Hills Regional Park

Coyote Hills Regional Park

About The Park

Coyote Hills Regional Park was dedicated to public use in 1967. Comprised of nearly 978 acres of marshland and rolling grassland covered hills, this busy park is located along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, northwest of the cities of Fremont and Newark. The most popular visitor activities by far are bicycling, walking, bird watching, jogging, nature exploration, and picnicking. Well used every season of the year, spring, summer, and fall tend to be the most popular. But the park's winter beauty is wonderful to behold.

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History

The East Bay area's original inhabitants were the ancestors of the Ohlone Indians, hunters and gatherers whose skills enabled them to live well off the land's natural bounty. In those days, tule elk roamed the land, condors soared overhead, and sea otters and fish were abundant in the Bay. At Coyote Hills Regional Park, some of this rich wetland is preserved, along with 2,000-year old Tuibun Ohlone Indian shellmound sites with fascinating archaeological resources.

The park's rich and varied history also includes Mission and settler ranching and farming activities, salt production, a duck hunting club, a dairy, rock quarrying, a military NIKE missile site, and a biosonar research facility. Now a Regional Park, this area is preserved for recreation, and educational and nature experiences for all to enjoy.

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Park Features

Visitor Center

Coyote Hills Visitor Center contains educational displays and exhibits as well as the Possum's Pocket Nature Store. The exhibits portray the Ohlone way of life, and include a tule reed boat constructed by park staff and volunteers using Native American methods. Other exhibits cover the park’s natural history and wildlife.

The Coyote Hills Visitor Center is open 10am to 4pm, Wednesday through Sunday.

Native American Archaeological Sites

Programs at the main shellmound site allow visitors to see a reconstructed tule house, shade shelter, pit house, and sweat lodge. Frequent school group programs are offered at the site and several public programs are scheduled as well. Public access to the site is by reservation only. Call the visitor center at (510) 544-3220 for information. 

Nectar Garden

A bird and butterfly nectar garden is located adjacent to the visitor center. Currently the garden is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Several naturalist-led educational programs are offered in the garden during the year. Contact the interpretive staff at (510) 544-3220 for additional information. 

Picnic Areas

The park offers two first-come-first-served picnic areas. One located at the visitor center, the other at the Quarry Staging Area. Both have picnic tables, barbeque braziers, water, and shade. A reservable group picnic area is also available at Hoot Hollow. 

Group Camps

One reservable group camping site is available at Dairy Glen. Picnic tables, braziers, a campfire ring, water and shade are available. Chemical toilets are also provided. 

Wildlife Refuge

The waters to the west and south of Coyote Hills are part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Shoreline, No Name, Apay Way and Alameda Creek trails provide access to the Refuge for hikers and bicycle riders. Apay Way leads to the Refuge Visitor Center via a bridge over the top of the Highway 84/Dumbarton Bridge toll booths. 

Alameda Creek Trail

This 12-mile trail stretches from the Bay east to the mouth of Niles Canyon, and borders Coyote Hills on the park's north side. It is actually two parallel trails, with an equestrian trail on the northern levee and a bicycle trail on the southern levee, connecting with the Coyote Hills' Bay View bike trail. Hikers are welcome on both trails. Motor vehicles are not permitted on the trails--citations will be issued to violators.

Other attractions at Coyote Hills include the Marsh Boardwalk, and 3.5-mile Bay View Trail, a paved loop trail for hiking and bicycle riding. There are scenic views of the South Bay from the park's hilltops.

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Park Activities

Naturalist Programs

The park's naturalist staff conducts a variety of programs for both organized groups and the public. Programs are offered on a variety of subjects including, Native American history and culture, birds and butterflies, marsh and grassland ecology, and general nature exploration. Public programs, usually on weekends, are publicized in the Park District's monthly newsletter, Regional In Nature, which is available in the visitor center and posted on park bulletin boards. Weekday programs are available for schools and organized groups by reservation. Call (510) 795-9385 for further information.

For detailed description of the Coyote Hills Naturalist Programs, click here.

Nature Study

In addition to taking part in the naturalist programs publicized on park bulletin boards and in the Park District's monthly newsletter, you may want to strike out on your own. Bringing along a magnifying glass, camera, a pair of binoculars, and maybe a sketch book will help to enhance your experience. Remember to wear sturdy walking shoes and bring liquids and a snack. Information about what to see and where to go is available in the visitor center.

Picnicking

Numerous picnic tables are located at the visitor center and at the Quarry Staging Area on a first-come-first-served basis. Cooking fires are limited to the metal braziers provided at each site. The Hoot Hollow picnic area, located above and behind the visitor center, is a reservable group picnic site. Telephone 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 (press option 2, then 1) for further information.

Camping

The Dairy Glen reservable group campsite is available for overnight camping through the Park District's Reservations office. Call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 (press option 2, then 1) for reservations. All reservations must be made at least 14 days in advance.

Hiking

Hikes through Coyote Hills afford scenic vistas of San Francisco Bay and surrounding areas of Southern Alameda County. Ramble 'round a marsh or climb to the top of Red Hill to catch the breeze. For detailed information on trail lengths and terrain, see the park map or talk with staff in the visitor center. Other attractions of interest include the Marsh Boardwalk and the 3.5-mile Bayview Trail, a paved loop trail for hiking and bicycle riding. There are wonderful scenic views of San Francisco Bay and the peninsula hills to the west from the park's hilltops.

Bicycling

Bike riders may take the 3.5-mile paved Bayview Trail within the park. Bayview connects with 12 additional miles of trail along the south levee of the Alameda Creek Trail, and to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

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ADA accessibility iconPark Accessibility

There are two disabled parking sites at the Visitor Center's parking lot. Both of the public restrooms at the Center have an accessible stall. Current drinking fountains are of the older style and work well for some, but not all wheelchair users. Both drinking fountains will be upgraded this summer. There is one wheelchair accessible chemical toilet in the Center's parking lot and one at the Quarry Staging Area. One of the drinking fountains in the Quarry parking lot is scheduled to be upgraded no latter than this fall.

Trail Accessibility Reports

Click here for public transit information.

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To Reach The Park

Coyote Hills is at the west end of Patterson Ranch Road/Commerce Drive in Fremont. From I-880, take Highway 84 west, exit at Paseo Padre Parkway, turn right, and drive north about one mile. Turn left on Patterson Ranch Road. This is the park's entrance road and will take you to the picnic areas and visitor center. Parking fees may apply.

Click here for public transit information or call 511 (TDD/TTY: 1-800-448-9790) to confirm transit information.

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Trail Map

Coyote Hills trail map

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Park Info

Address
8000 Patterson Ranch Road
Fremont, CA 94555
Download Brochure
Phone Number
Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4519
Local Weather
Maps
View Trail Map
Download PDF Map
Yahoo Map
Park Hours
April-Oct.: 8 am to 8 pm
Oct.-April: 8 am to 6 pm
Unless otherwise posted.
Visitor Center:
Wed. - Sun. 10am - 4pm
Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Park Events
Click here for upcoming events
Parking Fee
$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle. Buses: $25/per bus.
Dog Fee
$2 per dog. Guide/service dogs free. Dogs must be leashed and under control at all times
Camping Reservations
1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1
Picnic Reservations
1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1
Naturalist Programs
510-795-9385
- EBParksOnline (Link)
- Program Guides (PDFs)
- Naturalist-led Program Descriptions (PDF)
For Educators
Plan a field trip to this park
Emergency Number
911
EBRPD Headquarters
1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757
See Also
Alameda Creek Trail

Park Update

Trail Update

The 50-foot boardwalk portion of Muskrat Trail has been rebuilt and is open to the public. The observation deck along Tuibun Trail has been rebuilt and is now available for public use as well. Please be aware that after heavy rain, the boardwalks and the observation deck may close occasionally due to high water.
All trails are open, but we ask that bicyclists refrain from using Lizard Rock Trail and the lower portion of Meadowlark Trail for a day or two after a heavy rain. This will help prevent excessive rutting of the trails.
If you are a fellow agency or subcontractor working in the park, we ask that you not drive on any of the dirt trails once the winter rain cycle sets in. Please stay on the paved portions of our trails until spring.
Grazing Update
At this time it looks like the sheep herd will return for some 30 days in late winter or early spring. Please note that we practice open grazing here and fence use is kept to a minimum. Trail signs notifying the public of the herd's general location will be placed at all trail entrance points into the park and at the parking lots.
The sheep have the right of way. They are an enormous help to us in our long range invasive weed control program. We have seen a significant spread of native bunch grass since their first introduction some three years ago. The jury is still out on whether we have managed to slow or arrest the spread of anis and thistle.
We are a mandatory leash park at all times, but we ask that our fellow dog walkers understand that the sheep herder’s two boarder collies are allowed to move about as they are working dogs who both control the sheep and protect them. They are professionals, proud in their work, and would prefer not to be bothered or disturbed by their fellow canines.
Marsh Update
We’ve crossed our fingers in hope that this will be a wet winter and that we will see significant amounts of water in the overall marsh system by early spring. There is a good amount of water in both the D.U.S.T. and North marshes, and the eastern section of the Main marsh looks to be filling up. The ponds along the western edge of the South Marsh are starting to fill with rain water.
Wildlife Update
The southern migration is on. We are seeing rudy, canvasback, bufflehead, shoveler, scaup, widgeon and mallard ducks. Cooper and red-tailed hawks can be seen, as can two pair of kites working the marsh areas. Great horned owls are laying an early claim to the trees at Hoot Hollow and a golden eagle hunts the west slopes of Red Hill on occasion. Two peregrines’ are working the north end of the park along Alameda Creek Trail. California quail are moving about the Visitor Center area but they are very few in number. Northern flickers and robins can be seen along portions of Bayview Trail, and meadowlarks are flocking in the south. Wrentit, flycatcher, rufous and California towhee, along with finches, warblers, junco, and sparrow can be seen around the Visitor Center and along the trails. Grey fox may be seen at sunset, and we have had one undocumented report of a bobcat along Apay Way trail. Ground squirrels have largely gone to ground but our raccoons and deer are about. It looks like we have a dominant buck who is busy keeping an eye on the doe.
Source URL:
http://ebparks.org/parks/coyote_hills