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Community Corner

Play Hooky! Enjoy a Sunny Winter Afternoon on a Near-to-Alameda Hiking Trail

A former landfill, Oyster Bay now offers great views of the San Leandro Harbor and San Francisco Bay, with paved and unpaved trails.

Looking for a change from Alameda's ? A great place to take a walk with a sweetheart, your dog or both is Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline.  

What used to be a dump has now become a pleasant nature area with native plants and trees all around; red-tailed hawks hunting in the air; a great little salt marsh (that has way too much trash in it) that the birds love; and snakes, rabbits, and squirrels digging numerous holes.

To get there, head down Marina Boulevard (off 880 or Doolittle Drive) toward the Bay and take a quick right on Neptune before you enter the San Leandro Marina. You pass some houses and then some industrial complexes before reaching the dead end, where you can park your car.

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Park hours are 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Look for the entrance on the left where you can pick up a trail guide (or download it here) and some plastic bags if you have a dog in tow. 

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You quickly pass by the salt marsh on your left that is fed from San Leandro runoff. This marsh filters the runoff before it reaches the bay and provides valuable habitat to frogs, birds, and plants.

If you picked up or printed a trail guide, you can follow the numbered posts along the walk and stop to read about the salt marsh, the monitoring wells, Oyster Bay history, and the plants and birds you will see. Keep the map in good shape so you can put it back for the next person to enjoy.

At the highest point in the walk, you reach the Rising Wave sculpture, where you can take in a panoramic view of the bay and relax on a park bench.

Continue on past some picnic areas that are hardly ever used. If you're having trouble finding a place for your gathering at the local park, bring everyone to Oyster Bay and get away from the crowds! There are BBQ grills, tables and bathrooms nearby.

If you're looking for some unpaved trails, you can head down at any point toward the bay. Closer to the water you'll end up on a portion of the San Francisco Bay Trail that goes right around Oyster Bay. You can return the way you came or continue on the paved road that will take you back to the entrance.

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