Las Gallinas Valley Ponds
- Picnic
- Accessible Restrooms
- Accessible Parking
- Wildlife viewing
- Hiking
Features
- Picnic
- Accessible Restrooms
- Accessible Parking
- Wildlife viewing
- Hiking
Information
- Website:
- visit link
- Address:
- 300 Smith Ranch Rd.
- Region:
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Phone:
- Info: 415-472-1734
- Hours:
- Daily, 4 am-10 pm
- Dogs:
- On leash
- Last Visited:
- March 2013
Just north of the Marin County Civic Center, bordering McInnis Park on San Pablo Bay, four miles of hard-packed levee trails wind around more than 350 acres of fresh and saltwater marsh, irrigated pasture, and ponds. Don't be discouraged if you detect a smell of sulphur near the trailhead; this is the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District's Wastewater Reclamation Project, and the parking area is close to the treatment plant. Keep on going and you will find yourself in a truly tranquil place where birdsong fills the air and dried grasses crackle in the wind during the dry seasons.
Two of the three ponds hold treated wastewater; the third is a freshwater pond with three islands that attract nesting birds. As you circle around the ponds on the trail network, you can see Mount Diablo to the east, Mount Tamalpais to the west, and all sorts of wildlife, including a fantastic array of waterfowl. On winter weekends, don't be surprised if you see flocks of birdwatchers toting cameras and binoculars.
Two of the three ponds hold treated wastewater; the third is a freshwater pond with three islands that attract nesting birds. As you circle around the ponds on the trail network, you can see Mount Diablo to the east, Mount Tamalpais to the west, and all sorts of wildlife, including a fantastic array of waterfowl. On winter weekends, don't be surprised if you see flocks of birdwatchers toting cameras and binoculars.
Trails and Pathways
- Trail:
- Las Gallinas
- Time to Complete:
- 1 hour
- Trailhead Location:
- Just south of the parking lot
- Trail Length:
- 2-4 total miles
- Typical Width:
- 4 ft. & above
- Typical Grade:
- Mostly gentle
- Typical Terrain:
- Moderately Firm
Trail Overview: Next to the classroom building by the parking lot, a steep concrete path leads across a bridge to the main trail. Just past the bridge is an accessible picnic area, although the table has no roll-under space. Two loop trails soon branch off and circle the storage ponds. On one loop I saw mergansers and a cinnamon teal paddling around an island in one of the ponds, and egrets searching the nearshore waters for a meal. The trail can be rocky and rough in places, with a few steep dips and rises, and portions of it are overgrown by weeds. The main trail continues along the north edge of a broad marsh. Eventually it becomes hard-packed dirt with irrigated fields on the left; then it turns to a rough footpath, where I turned back.
More Info: Thick weeds growing down the middle of some trail stretches may be difficult to negotiate.
Accessibility Features
The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.
- Accessible Parking:
- Yes – designated accessible parking, van accessible, moderately firm, firm, level or slope no greater than 2%;
Parking lot surface is hard-packed gravel
- Accessible Restroom:
- Yes – Portable accessible restroom is at the parking lot
- Accessible Picnic Table:
- Yes – firm & stable path to tables, firm & stable surface, 27" or greater knee clearance; Near the parking lot, just past the concrete bridge.
