Coyote Hills Regional Park — Attraction in Fremont

Coyote Hills is almost shocking in its ecological diversity. From the mid-summer to about October, it can be a swampy mess based on the fact that the water flow to the many man-made bays and estuaries is manually decreased, and the hills and surrounding area are a uniform beige brown. But from about November to February or March, it is one of the most spectacularly beautiful areas in the Bay area - and that's saying something! The hills are green, the bays and swamplands are full, there's so much sea life on display, and it's truly a beauty to behold. It's worth mentioning that the smell can be strong when walking the edge of the Bay but it's usually worse in the warmer months. You get used to it and, unless it's a really hot day, it's usually not that big of a deal. While I think the area is more beautiful in the winter months, there is definitely something to be said for hiking here in the summer. Some of my favorite Bay Area hiking spots on a summer day in mid-afternoon can be pretty hot and, while this area doesn't offer much shade, the temperature is usually a couple of degrees lower and there is almost always a nice breeze coming from off the bay. Even on days where I think it's going to be too hot, it's usually pretty pleasant. The trails range from a flat and paved perimeter to some steep/challenging hills through the middle, and you can mix and match in whatever way you want. (Steep hills through the middle on the way out, flat paved perimeter walk on the return. If it's too short, go around twice and take a different route.) Views are spectacular from the hills or from the flat perimeter trail that borders the bay. Parking is $5 a day or you can get a season pass, which lasts a year and includes other parks. (Note that there are senior discounts and student discounts!) Another parking option is the dirt parking lot by the street (on Paseo Padre, right before turning onto Patterson Ranch Road), which is about a mile walk to the main parking lot. It's a nice walk and adds to your hike, but it is flat and the scenery doesn't change much on that walk. The good news is that that area is newly paved! Cyclists can also use the flat paved parts and I've seen several braver souls on mountain bikes on some of those very steep hills I mentioned. Leashed dogs are also okay but please bring a doggy bag - it's rare, but sometimes people don't. I hope...

This is a fantastic place to get back to nature! There are trails around the park for walking, biking, and even small hikes. There are boardwalks in the marshes for exploring - especially if you are wanting to see birds. I believe at last count, there were over 200 species of birds residing or traveling through this park.

The visitor's center has a small museum that has on display some of the wildlife that you could potentially see while exploring here. They also have information on one or more of the Ohlone tribes.

I've recently discovered there are park personnel assigned to each regional park, called naturists (or something similar to this), which specialize in knowing about the plants and animals of each park. Coyote Hills has one of these folks too. His name is Chris. I'm not sure if you have to be a part of a group, or if you can just be an individual in order to talk to him, but if you ever get a chance to bend his ear, he can absolutely answer all your questions! He is very knowledgeable about the particulars of the wildlife and plants, can help you identify birds, and can even tell you a lot about the Ohlone tribes in the area.

This park is handicapped accessible, has a public restroom in the visitor's center, and has a lot of brochures available to pick up about other regional parks around the Bay Area. There is also a small gift store and museum. This is a great place for you to walk or bike ride for fitness or simply for enjoying the outdoors. Whether you're an individual, couple, family, or part of a group, you'll find this place to be well worth...

Great park with gentle hikes. $5 entry fee…. There is a kiosk at the gate - at first I thought it was the most inconveniently situated parking payment kiosk as It seemed to create an unnecessary bottleneck at the gate - I saw multiple people either step out to use it or struggle with the distance to use the kiosk from the car…. It seems to take an extraordinary amount of time to swipe a card and pick up the receipt!! Happy to report - Nothing wrong with the set up - so maybe user error??!There is limited parking but seems like people are moving in and out all the time. There are 2 parking lots- we went around noon and waited a for a few minutes in the second lot and there were a couple of cars that left. When we were leaving around 4p there were cars still coming in so it must be a popular place. No water on the trail, and it gets pretty warm even in the winter as you are in the full sun on a gorgeous day like we had today, so take water with you. There are a lot of trails, so get a map or keep track of the trail you are on. We use an app, so we can track our route on it but it’s easy to keep walking and extending your hike, so track yourself. There are a couple of spots high on the trail with picnic benches and flat spots to have your picnic lunch/ snack, otherwise right behind the second lot is a nice pincic area with a few beaches, garbage cans and flat grassy area to sit and play at. We didn’t visit the visitor center so not sure about the facilities, restroom or water. As always, remember to pack everything out and leave the space clean for...