Newark Slough 2015-05-25

Located off Thornton Road and by Hwy 84, Newark slough is part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I'd mentioned in the blog on Day 7 that I will return to this spot - and it happened to be today.

Newark slough trail is a 5 mile loop that takes you close to the Dumbarton bridge and is bordered by the slough almost all the way. You can reach the trail from the parking lot taking the Tidelands trail and walking across a boardwalk. 

It was cloudy this morning, with a cool breeze and the temperature in low 60s. Perfect for walking this completely exposed trail. Newark slough trail is a dirt trail that is constructed on levees bordering wetlands being restored from erstwhile salt ponds. There is ample evidence of salt ponds along the way, though.

We went round the loop in an anticlockwise direction. For more than a mile, you will have Coyote Hills Regional Park on your right and Dumbarton bridge ahead. After the two mile marker, the trail turns left and heads in an easterly direction.

Black-necked Stilt

I was expecting to see lot of shore birds, but could see only mallards, gulls, american avocets and black-necked stilts today. 

American Avocet

After the three mile marker, the trail turns north, subsequently west and takes you to the spot where you started from. After completing the large 5 mile loop, Jaya, who accompanied me today and I decided to also complete the Tidelands trail.

Tidelands trail goes around the hill providing a variation from the slough trail that is by the marshlands. Much shorter, the less than two mile loop by tidelands trail allows dogs.

We completed the nearly 7 mile hike in little over two hours. Here are few more pictures from the hike.
#SFBayTrail #BayTrail #NewarkSlough