Introduction
Access
Trail Description and Views
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The most prominent manmade feature of the park is a sculpture on top of a hill. Called "Rising Wave," the sculpture by Roger Berry consists of a series of 17 10-foot metal poles embedded into the ground. Each pole is at a slightly different angle, simulating an undulating wave.
The park is criscrossed with a network of trails, some newly paved, some gravel roads leftover from the park's landfill days, and some rough dirt paths. Most of the trails are unnamed, unmarked, and unmapped, but there is an interpretive trail with markers. A brochure, available at the park entrance, explains the sights at each marker. The Bay Trail runs around the edge of the park in a semicircle along the Bay. Future plans call for it to connect to trails at the San Leandro Marina to the south and Oakland Airport to the north. At the moment, there is only one entrance and exit to the park.
To reach the park from the Bay Trail to the south, follow Neptune Drive north from the San Leandro Marina. Neptune Drive turns right, then jogs to the left at the intersection with Marina Blvd.
It is possible to reach the park from the north from the completed portions of the Bay Trail along Airport Channel and San Leandro Creek, but it involves travelling down busy industrial streets. For pedestrians and bicyclists, it is safest to drive directly to the park entrance.
Along the west side of Neptune Drive before reaching the park is a row
of industrial buildings. Running behind these businesses is a landscaped
dirt path along the edge of the salt marsh east of the park.
The park entrance is near the end of Neptune Drive. Near the entrance is
a bulletin board with information and maps of the park. There is also a
drinking fountain here.
Near the entrance is the end of a long salt marsh that runs south towards
the Bay.
Just past the marsh, a gently-sloped paved trail leads to the left up the
hill.
Part way up the hill, a dirt footpath leads off to the left and follows
just above the salt marsh.
Higher up the hill, the salt marsh can be seen, with the dirt path on the
west side of the marsh and the landscaped path behind the businesses on
the east side of the marsh.
A little farther along, the trail forks. The path to the left leads to
picnic areas alongside an inland meadow. Stay to the left.
Straight ahead, the path is shaded by trees and continues to climb up the
hill.
Looking through the trees reveals the inland meadow.
At the high point of the trail, it curves to the right. Below are the hill
slopes covered with upland vegetation. The view from here reveals the end
of the salt marsh near the Bay. Houses line the waterfront along the Bay
north of the San Leandro Marina. The dirt path runs around the edge of
the shoreline.
Just around the corner, the trail forks. The path to the left drops down
to the Bay Trail and will be taken later. The path to the right leads farther
up the hill. Take this path. On top of the hill, the pipe sculpture can
be seen.
To the right is the inland meadow. A paved path branches off to the right
to run down the meadow, with picnic tables on the left of the path. Continue
up the hill.
The view from here includes the San Leandro Marina. A small bay separates
the marina from the park.
The path rounds a bend. Picnic tables are located here, providing views
of the Bay.
At the top of the hill is the pipe sculpture, "Rising Wave."
The changing angles of each pipe evokes the motions of the waves in the
Bay, visible below.
The hilltop provides panoramic views of the Bay. The view to the west reveals
a path down the hill to the Bay Trail, which runs along the perimeter of
the park. Beyond are the waters of the Bay and end of the runways of Oakland
Airport. Planes can be seen landing here.
To the northwest are more of the undeveloped hillsides, covered with grass
and bushes. Informal trails wind through them. The control tower of Oakland
Airport rises above the hills.
Head back down the trail to the path leading down to the Bay.
The Bay Trail is a paved path that runs along the edge of the Bay. The
shoreline below the trail is protected by rip rap.
In the spring, the trailsides are lined with wildflowers
A wire fence runs above the Bay Trail, preventing driect access to the
hillside trails from the Bay Trail.
As the trail winds around the perimeter of the park, more of the airport
comes into view. Soon, the giant UAL hangar can be seen ahead.
Great varieties of wildflowers grow on the hillsides in the spring.
As the trail curves to the northeast, it begins to enter a small bay separating
the park peninsula from the Oakland Airport.
At the corner of this bay, the Bay Trail makes a sharp left turn, while
the first break in the fence appears, allowing access into the inland areas
of the park. A dirt trail leads up into the hills. Follow the Bay Trail
to the left.
There are shallows along the shoreline where wading birds, like egrets,
feed.
The trail makes a sharp right turn along a channel heading east. At the
end of this channel is a rocky point of land.
The Bay Trail follows down this channel, which separates the park from
the airport.
The channel is shallow, revealing mudflats at low tide. Shorebirds and
wading birds feed here.
The Bay Trail ends at a gate, approximately 1.7 miles from the park entrance. Turning left at the gate, a wide gravel road follows the channel further east.
The source of the channel is revealed: 3 large pipes on the opposite bank.
The road continues on, but dead ends at a locked gate next to a firing
range on the left and a recycling center on the right.
Beyond the gate to the left is a water treatment plant. The proposed route of the Bay Trail is through this gate and around the water treatment plant, back down the north side of the channel, up along Airport to Doolittle, which leads to the completed Bay Trail along Airport Channel. Since the gate ahead is locked, turn around and go back.
Returning to the end of the Bay Trail, the trail can be taken back to its
start, or an inland route can be taken. The wide, graded dirt road to the
left was the former entrance to the landfill. An abandoned collection station
still remains from those days.
There is a network of trails here. Some are former landfill roads that are wide gravel roads. Others are wide, but rutted dirt roads. Still others are wandering narrow informal footpaths. There are few signs here, and no maps of all the trails. The area lends itself to exploration and discovery. The hills provide great views of the area. Below are some views from the hills:
Here, the view past the pampas grass mounds and flowering bushes reveals
the Oakland Airport runways and control tower.
From here, the skyline of San Francisco can be seen across the Bay behind
the Oakland Airport.
A dense line of tall bushes covers part of the middle of the park.
The undeveloped part of the park can be seen in the foreground, which contrasts
with the developed areas in the background.
Looking across the top of a hill, the hangars next to Oakland Airport can
be seen. Behind them is the skyline of downtown Oakland.
Here is a view of the Oakland Coliseum area and the Oakland Hills.
This machinery is part of the recycling center. Most of the east side of
the park adjoins this large recycling facility.
Head towards the developed part of the park and take a trail down to return to the park entrance, as there are no other exits.
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