Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge (Alviso)
- Visitor center
- Picnic
- Accessible Restrooms
- Accessible Parking
Features
- Visitor center
- Picnic
- Accessible Restrooms
- Accessible Parking
Information
- Website:
- fws.gov
- Address:
- 1751 Grand Blvd., Alviso, CA, 95002
- Region:
- South Bay
- Phone:
- Info: 408-262-5513
- Hours:
- Environmental Education Center: Sat.-Sun., 10 am-4 pm. Trails: Dawn to dusk
- Dogs:
- Not allowed, service animals OK
- Last Visited:
- September 2014
The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the first and largest urban national wildlife refuge in the United States, is just one piece of the larger San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Encompassing 30,000 acres, the Don Edwards refuge consists primarily of tidal marsh, salt ponds, mud flats, and seasonal wetlands. Public entry points for visiting Don Edwards are at its headquarters (at the refuge's north end in Fremont) and at this site, which is around the southern tip of San Francisco Bay. The refuge encompasses thousands of acres of restored wetlands, and it is a very fine place to see waterfowl. It's also scenic, with interesting shrubbery along the marshes and wide expanses of blue water, as well as ponds in various shades of yellow and red because of the salt-tolerant microorganisms that flourish where the tide is excluded.
The trails in the Alviso section of the refuge are almost entirely wheelchair accessible, since most run atop level levees that double as maintenance roads. Not many people come here, with the exception of school groups and birdwatchers; at midday on a clear Sunday in August we met only three or four other hikers in as many hours. Thankfully, a cool breeze off the Bay kept the hiking comfortable—there is no shade on these trails.
The Environmental Education Center has displays on the South Bay’s ecology and history, a small bookstore, and replicas of the reed boats and shelters used by the native people. It is used for school programs and other events on weekdays and is open to the public on weekends. The entry door is rather heavy.
The trails in the Alviso section of the refuge are almost entirely wheelchair accessible, since most run atop level levees that double as maintenance roads. Not many people come here, with the exception of school groups and birdwatchers; at midday on a clear Sunday in August we met only three or four other hikers in as many hours. Thankfully, a cool breeze off the Bay kept the hiking comfortable—there is no shade on these trails.
The Environmental Education Center has displays on the South Bay’s ecology and history, a small bookstore, and replicas of the reed boats and shelters used by the native people. It is used for school programs and other events on weekdays and is open to the public on weekends. The entry door is rather heavy.
Trails and Pathways
- Trail:
- Mallard Slough Loop Trail
- Trailhead Location:
- At the east side of the Environmental Education Center, or from the boardwalk of the New Chicago Marsh Trail
- Trail Length:
- Over 4 total miles
- Typical Width:
- 4 ft. & above
- Typical Grade:
- Level
- Typical Terrain:
- Firm
Trail Overview: From the education center you can take a boardwalk to the 5.5-mile Mallard Slough Loop Trail, a gravel and dirt levee path. Following the loop clockwise from the boardwalk, the going gets tougher about two miles out; here the dirt surface becomes more uneven, with large gravel and some soft spots. At high tide, open water is on your right, with islands that are crowded and noisy with birds. On our visit, a fresh northwest wind skipped off the Bay. You are likely to see pintail ducks, whistling swans, American avocets, white pelicans, black-necked stilts, red-tailed hawks, and more.
A half-mile spur trail extends from the northernmost point of this loop to Coyote Creek; the surface is soft, making travel difficult compared to the main trail, but it may be worth the trouble since the spur takes you to the site of Drawbridge, a small town that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There's little left to see of it now, but stop in at the Education Center to look at photos and learn about its history.
As you round the halfway point and head back, traveling should become a little easier, since the wind is typically at your back. The salt ponds that shimmer on both sides provide habitat for a variety of bird species. In the last mile, Mallard Slough and Artesian Slough are on the east side of the trail, with fresh water from Coyote Creek creating a different habitat.
The Mallard Slough Loop is closed during hunting season, late October to late January. If you want to do the loop in its entirety, be prepared for a day-long outing and a variety of weather conditions along this exposed part of the Bay shoreline.
A half-mile spur trail extends from the northernmost point of this loop to Coyote Creek; the surface is soft, making travel difficult compared to the main trail, but it may be worth the trouble since the spur takes you to the site of Drawbridge, a small town that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There's little left to see of it now, but stop in at the Education Center to look at photos and learn about its history.
As you round the halfway point and head back, traveling should become a little easier, since the wind is typically at your back. The salt ponds that shimmer on both sides provide habitat for a variety of bird species. In the last mile, Mallard Slough and Artesian Slough are on the east side of the trail, with fresh water from Coyote Creek creating a different habitat.
The Mallard Slough Loop is closed during hunting season, late October to late January. If you want to do the loop in its entirety, be prepared for a day-long outing and a variety of weather conditions along this exposed part of the Bay shoreline.
More Info: The connector trail from the education center to the Mallard Slough Trail is a bit steep, slightly exceeding 1:12 in places. The connector trail from the education center is less than 4 feet wide. Firm (hardened soil) for most of the loop. Some spots are uncomfortably soft.
It can be bumpy; a manual chair user will need to be strong and may need assistance, especially on the spur, which has more gravel.
It can be bumpy; a manual chair user will need to be strong and may need assistance, especially on the spur, which has more gravel.
- Trail:
- New Chicago Marsh Trail
- Trailhead Location:
- Loop starts west of the Environmental Education Center and ends near the trailhead of the Mallard Slough Trail
- Trail Length:
- Under one mile total
- Typical Width:
- 30 in. to 4 ft.
- Typical Grade:
- Mostly gentle
- Typical Terrain:
- Hard
Trail Overview: This trail, said to be universal access, is entirely boardwalk and will take you closer to the water than the levee trails. It's quite an ambitious project—a half-mile long, including a grand bridge, the trail is ramped up to the education center at one end and to the levee at the other. Benches are frequent. You can extend your hike by taking the Mallard Slough Trail, which provided better birdwatching on our visit.
More Info: The ramps down to and back from the boardwalk may slightly exceed 1:12. Paths to reach this trail are moderately firm.
- Trail:
- Marsh View Trail
- Trailhead Location:
- Across the parking lot from the Environmental Education Center, at the pavilion
- Trail Length:
- Under one mile total
- Typical Width:
- 30 in. to 4 ft.
- Typical Grade:
- Steep
- Typical Terrain:
- Moderately Firm
Trail Overview: This trail is on what they call the uplands, the natural land bordering the marshes. It's interesting terrain, and we saw juncos, hummingbirds, rabbits, and lizards, and got a glimpse of what the bayshore was like a few hundred years ago. The trail also connects the education center to the parking area outside the gate, but it's not entirely wheelchair accessible without assistance because of some steep stretches and soft going.
More Info: At its narrowest point the trail is passable by wheelchair, but foliage may brush the passerby, so picking up ticks could be a problem in winter and spring. At present this is a rough ride, but doable. However, it is not designated as wheelchair accessible, and erosion could cause access problems in the future.
Accessibility Features
The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.
- Accessible Parking:
- Yes – designated accessible parking, van accessible, firm, level or slope no greater than 2%;
At the Environmental Education Center. When the lot is closed, nose-in parking is permitted outside the gate on a wide, hard gravel strip along the road, but it has no designated accessible spaces.
- Accessible Restroom:
- Yes – Inside the Environmental Education Center; restroom doors are heavy. A porta-potty is in the parking lot, near the accessible space.
- Accessible Picnic Table:
- Yes – firm & stable path to tables, firm & stable surface, 27" or greater knee clearance
- Accessible Visitor Center:
- Yes
