I won’t lie to you: Martinez Regional Shoreline park is not typically on a Bay Area hiker’s radar in terms of walks. And normally I wouldn’t waste a weekend hike on it. But honestly, it does have the hallmarks of a great walk with kids: nice, wide paths, great things for the kids to do, and a decent length, by which I mean your kids will run like dogs and you will have accomplished one of your goals, which was to wear them out while getting fresh air.
And that means it’s perfect for a spring break day.
Personally I found the urban closeness disconcerting, but that’s why we go to open space areas on the weekends where we can enjoy the feeling of not seeing anyone else.
Right by the bay and next to the Martinez Amtrak station, this park is a large marsh habitat. While Martinez can get hot, the bay breeze should keep you cool. There’s an old sunken boat to see, mud ponds, and cool arched bridges and wood boardwalks. There are birds galore and even three separate play structures if you need them.
If you do the whole loop around the duckpond and over the arched bridge and back, it’s about 2 miles, which is quite decent.
Although the trails aren’t marked, if you have a map (there’s a link to one at the bottom of this post), you can see that the best place to start is the Killdeer trail up around the duckpond, and then down around the appropriately named Duck Pond Trail, across the elegant arched bridge to the Pickleweed Trail. Here you can end at the ruins of the schooner Forester, about which there are several interpretive signs. There is an old log to sit on and enjoy the view of the Forester, or if the tide is low like it was the day we went, you can pick among the damp sand for sea shells.
The arched bridge in the distance? I love bridges that look scary to cross but are gentle curves close up.
Here are the remains of the schooner Forester. It’s pretty dilapidated now, which is to be expected from a ship that is well over 100 years old!
The Forester. Photo courtesy Martinez Historical Society.
Animals
The potential for bird watching is quite good here, but we really didn’t see anything beyond ducks or seagulls. No egrets or herons, alas. There is, supposedly, the promise of a salt marsh harvest mouse, but there was no way it was making an appearance with my loud children running and squealing along the path.
How to Get There
- From Highway 4, take the Alhambra exit and go west. Turn right on Escobar, then left on Ferry.
- Cross the railroad tracks and then bear right on Joe Di Maggio Drive. Park anywhere in the lots; we used the first one on the left.
