What a wonderful park! Easy to park the Sprinter van, put on my boots and go for a fabulous morning…read morewalk. Sadly, too overcast this morning to enjoy the view . But the trails are pretty well traveled so I wasn't concerned about getting lost. Other folks hiking were friendly and there are spot along the way to sit and enjoy the greenery. Leashed dogs are permitted. On a Sunday morning, extremely peaceful. Yes, there are some port-a-potties but that's about it. Plan ahead. [Review 21005 overall - 522 in California - 1990 of 2023.]

There are several different great trails at Westwood Hills and quite steep at certain points so…read moreyou'll get a good workout. Small parking lot at the base but if it's full there's plenty of street parking as well. A couple of picnic tables are also at the base along with a nature museum. Definitely bring water with you as there are no water spouts/fountains on any of the trails. Closed toed shoes are a must as possion ivy is present along with blackberry bushes. Most of the trails provide plentry of shade and pretty foliage. Views of the whole Napa Valley await you at the top (with a couple of benches to take a nice rest). Some days a layer of fog will sit above the valley but that usually burns off by late morning. You'll come across lots of dogs and kids so this place is good for all.

Mare Island Heritage Trail is great if you're looking for an easy, scenic walk with a little…read morehistory mixed in. The trail runs along the waterfront with really nice views of the bay, the Napa River, and the old naval shipyard buildings. You get a mix of open water, boats, and historic structures, which makes it feel a little more interesting than your typical flat walk. On a clear day, the views are especially good and it's super peaceful. It's very dog friendly, which is a huge plus. Plenty of space for pups to walk and explore, just make sure to bring water for them since there's not a ton of shade in some sections. Also definitely bring tick spray.

I work on Mare Island and I haven't had a chance to check this area out yet. Visitors try to find…read morethe highest peak where the Ghost ship art pieces are or the cemetery but I have yet to go through the trail. I felt like drivers were driving fast on the road. There's a parking lot at the bottom before the trail. I saw some runners and people with dogs but I plan to go check it out with a group of coworkers one of these days.

MY PHOTOGRAPHS: (1) Hawk perching on tree that is next to trail. I used a 300mm telephoto lens on…read moremy camera; (2) Tree next to trail with red berries; (3) Isolated grove of palm trees surrounded by an ocean of tall wheatgrass; (4) Pickleweed (has red color) and birds (a northern flicker and two quails); (5) Cracked mud in a dried marsh in a long strip of land between trail and the bay. The plants in the dried marsh are likely to be Frankenia salina. Mr.Rick Shroy, a photographer living in Oregon, told me that my photo is of a red-tailed hawk (and that it is not an osprey). ATTRACTIONS. Mare Island San Pablo Bay Trail provides access to a part of the S.F. Bay area (the shoreline of San Pablo Bay) that few S.F. Bay area residents have ever seen. The trail allows hikers to see plants and birds that thrive in marshlands and tidal zones. What I liked best from my two visits in November 2020, were the views of several hawks zooming here and there over the vast fields of tall wheat grass, taking photographs of a hawk perching on the top branch of tree, and taking photographs of the thick tangles of alkali heath (Frankenia salina) that grow between the trail and San Pablo Bay. The alkali heath surrounds the dried mud flat situated between the trail and the Bay, and the alkali heath also grows in oval-shaped patches situated in the middle of the dried mud flat. These oval-shaped patches are cute looking. DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAIL. From the west, take Route 37 to reach Mare Island. During your drive from the west, you will pass the parking lot and trailhead to TUBBS ISLAND TRAIL, which provides a nine-mile round trip hike, and access to the shore of San Pablo Bay. In contrast, the trail on Mare Island provides a round trip hike of only 2.8 miles, and the closest that this trail gets to San Pablo Bay is about 200 feet. If you are driving from the east, you need to find Tennessee Street in Vallejo, then drive south and cross the blue-colored bridge, and continue on to Azuar Drive, and then turn at Dump Road. At the end of Dump Road is a parking lot and the trailhead. Once on the trail, you hike south (towards San Pablo Bay) for 500 feet. Then, the trail takes a left turn (towards the east), and from there it is 7,000 feet to the very end of the trail (2.8 miles total round-trip hike). BIRDS AND PLANTS. Birds found on Mare Island include a type of raptor called an osprey. A survey from the year 2013 revealed the presence of 60 adult ospreys nesting on Mare Island. My photographs include a large hawk sitting on a bare tree. It is possible that this is an osprey. Hikers will notice the vast expanses of tall light-colored grasses. The stems of these grasses are all dry and easy to snap in half. My two visits were in November 28 & 29 (late autumn), and so it is possible that these grasses are green in the spring. I believe that these are tall wheatgrass (Elytrigia pontica), the dominant plant at Mare Island. Tall wheatgrass tolerates soil that is high in salt. Pickleweed is green in the summer and red in the autumn. Hikers will enjoy the palm trees situated next to the trail, and the distant palm trees. The distant palm trees appear like isolated islands surrounded by an ocean of tall wheatgrass. REFERENCES. (1) McGuire & Dvorak (1981) High salt-tolerance potential in wheatgrass. Crop Science. 21:702-705; (2) Ferner (2011) A profile of the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (511 pages); (3) Brake, Wilson, Leong (2014) Status of ospreys nesting on San Francisco Bay. Western Birds. 45:191-198; (4) Mare Island Regional Park Task Force (2007) Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve (94 pages); (5) www dot mareislandmuseum dot org; (6) www dot sfbayospreydays dot org.

Access to more people. The island is kind of wasting away. The city of Vallejo should sell the…read moreisland because they can't afford to maintain it. You have all these streets that were put up and no houses. The historical buildings are nothing more than rat and bat nests.

I came here after visiting the Jelly Belly factory in hopes of seeing some river otters. Google did…read morenot give us too much since it seems very lowkey...and for a reason. You check in on a piece of paper, then continue your drive all the way down to the end of Grizzly Island Road, where it ends at the Montezuma Slough. The road goes from paved, to semi paved/gravel, to a really bumpy gravel ride. I do not recommend going unless you have more of a offroad rig, as I was worried for my road car's suspension and tires. Cars driving by also kick up a load of dust, and you probably need a car wash afterwards. After driving a mile or so on the bumpy gravel road, we decided to turn back since the ride was pretty uncomfortable and worse than any nature hike we've been on. It also goes on for about 7 miles, so proceed with caution and purpose. In July, everything was dry and yellow, and I recommend coming around springtime after the rains where the rolling hills are green and lush for better views. The area overall is very flat, so aside from the occasional bridge crossing or cleared view. This spot seems to be mainly for fishing, as every visitor before me noted. Again, I would not recommend coming here and driving to the end with the intent to see wildlife or hike, especially in a regular car without AWD or all terrain tires since the ride is quite uncomfortable.

This Park is tucked away in a corner of a gas station and dance studio. It was a grate walk our dog…read moreloved it too. We stopped and read all the signs that where readable.

I like Trancas Crossing Park (TCP), but my dog? He REALLY likes it…read more TCP is a nice, small park with a good walking loop that's a little over 1/2 a mile. It is an on-leash park, so don't plan on letting Rover rove. But the loop is flat, paved, and easy. There is some damage (you can see in photos) to the trail, but at this point it has been re-routed so it's an easy walk. The park itself is pleasant to walk through and take in the nature. There are signs around telling you what you're looking at, some historical info, and paths down to the river (including a kayak launch). What I like about this place - you can walk the pooch without the fear of foxtails that Alston creates. It's quiet, and not too busy, so if you have a crazy ass puppy (talking to my dog here), you can walk them without much fanfare. There's clean restrooms, dog waste bags, and even handicapped parking near the loop. A nice, quiet option that's dog friendly? Sign me up. Pro tip: it takes at least six loops to wear out a Labradoodle puppy.

Things I like about this park: - it's halfway between the…read moreBay Area and Sacramento so it's a great place to meet friends halfway for a picnic - lots of shade from large trees - ponds with fountains providing lovely water sounds - well maintained lawn - picnic tables - lots of free street parking Things I don't like: - no bathroom - the waterfall feature isn't working - so many ants invading my space

Cute and very small park in a residential area in Suisun. There's only street parking. There's a…read morelittle stream, waterfall, and park bench to enjoy while hanging out here.

The Stanly Ranch Public trails aren't much, but are still worth a visit if you're nearby and…read morelooking for a new or quiet spot to get your steps in. The trails are located on Stanley Lane, immediately after turning off of 12. There is a small sign with a map of the area and regulations to welcome you to the trails. There are also a few small dirt areas carved out for parking at the entrance. There doesn't seem to be much foot traffic on the trail, so I've never had any issues finding parking. Just be mindful not to block the gates leading into the vineyards. The trail is paved, but not very well maintained, so the pavement is uneven and cracked. It begins as a relatively secluded trail with tall trees on either side, but glimpses of a vineyard to your right. You'll come up to a clearing pretty quickly, where you'll see a house and another trail map. At this point, the trail essentially becomes a sidewalk along Stanley Lane. At the time I visited in November of 2019, there wasn't really much to see. There were construction crews to the right of the path and all you can really see for awhile is dirt and the crews. I continued past this until I hit vineyards again, but only made it a little bit beyond before turning back. To this point from my parking spot and back was about 2.25 miles and I could have continued down this path (although I'm not sure how far.) The path is mostly flat but does have some very mild hills. It's a nice little spot to take a quick walk if you're in the area and get pretty close to some vineyards, although you can't get too close without crossing into private property. It is pretty secluded and you are unlikely to run into many people on the trail, but may encounter employees working at the vineyards or construction workers near the trail. When construction equipment isn't running, it is very quiet and peaceful. It is worth a visit if you're nearby, but I wouldn't make a special trip if you're not from the area.

We were in the area and wanted a little exercise. This short stretch of paved "trails" fit the…read morebill. We walked about 2.5 miles past vineyards bursting with almost ripe wine grapes and under shady eucalyptus trees. The trail branches off at what looks to be a new housing development, so at least another mile or spout and back is possible.

It's approximately 10 miles from Pleasant Valley Road up to Gates Canyon Peak with around 2000 feet…read moreof climbing. Towards the top, it gets pretty steep with 14% gravel road. The views are fantastic during sunset.