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.
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 visitor center is open Tuesdays through Sundays 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
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) 795-9385 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) 795-9385 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.
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.
Park 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
- Bay View Trail: Download PDF format | Download Word format
- Chochenyo Trail: Download PDF format | Download Word format
- Chochenyo Loop Trail: Download PDF format | Download Word format
Click here for public transit information.
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.
Trail Map
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 a.m to 8 p.m.
- Oct.-April: 8 a.m to 6 p.m.
- Unless otherwise posted.
- Visitor Center:
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
- All trails are open for your enjoyment. Please remember that all trails in the marsh areas are off limits to both dogs and horses. All other trails in the park are open to dogs whilst leashed and in hand through out the park. We ask that all motorists driving into the park as well as our fellow cyclist watch their speed and the road. We have a fair number of young rabbits and hares crossing back and fourth. There is always a chance of a encountering a basking gopher or king snake, as well as turtles. Wait and let them pass--they know where they are going. Please do not pick them up or remove them.
- Grazing Update
- There will be no grazing until late winter-early spring of 2010, when the sheep herd returns.
- Marsh Update
- The South Marsh is now reduced to a series of ponds that can be seen from Bayview and lower Meadowlark trails. They will soon dry up as summer progresses. The North Marsh and D.U.S.T. Marsh are still fairly full. The western section of the Main Marsh is quickly drying out and the portion that features the long boardwalk still has a good amount of water. Patterson Slough is still full of water and the insect life here is very good.
- Wildlife Update
- Goldfinch and house finch are flitting about, as is the black phoebe flycatcher. It looks like the killdeer had a successful year fledging their young, and the great horned owls did very well, too. Nuttall’s and acorn woodpeckers, rufous-sided towhees, and wrentits are about. In the south end of the park a good number of cliff swallows nested this year. The white pelicans are hanging out in the North Marsh, along with the red wing and Brewer's blackbirds. Pied–billed grebes are working the Main Marsh alongside great blue herons and egrets. The reptiles are doing well. Garter, king and gopher snakes seem more prevalent than the last three years. Western pond and red slider turtles have been seen along trail (and road) sides, and the western fence lizards are busy taking on the insect world.