Hayward - Eden Landing - June 24, '11

Walking Distance: 2.6 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 2 min. (4:50 - 5:52 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking space near Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward, CA


This afternoon I walked from the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center to the Eden Landing Ecological Reserve Parking lot.

Unfortunately, the Interpretive Center was closed when I walked this route today. However, I did start and end my walk near this facility.

From the Interpretive Center building, I walked East on Breakwater Avenue, and took the pedestrian and bicycle overpass (crossing over Highway 92). This overcrossing allows visitors to start walking the packed gravel trail on the other side almost immediately; follow the signs and you'll be headed down a gravel path, toward the parking lot that serves the Eden Landing Ecological Reserve (less than a half mile away from the overpass). 

Once I reached the Eden Landing Ecological Reserve parking lot, and made some notes on how to reach this lot (near Arden Road) again -- which is not as simple as it sounds -- I turned around and walked back over the bridge/overcrossing and back to the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 unidentified flying bug; 39 little brown jobs (LBJs); 6 sea gulls; 27 swallows; 2 very small black beetles; 1 crow; 2 brown snails; 1 med., brownish lizard; 2 ground squirrels

Hayward Interpretive Center - June 19, '11

Walking Distance: 3.9 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 08 min. (2:58 - 5:06 p.m.)
Start and End Point: One-way: Alec dropped me off at end of W. Winton/Hayward Regional Shoreline (park), and picked me up at the Hayward Interpretive Center (4901 Breakwater Av., Hayward, CA)

Three or four miles is not generally a long walk in the baylands, on a nicely developed (solid red line) trail on the Bay Trail map, but it was fairly hot today; and my pace tends to slow when it gets too hot. This was a nice area, with sweeping views and a fair amount of bird activity; however, there is no real shade -- it's all out in the open. (So, while you're likely to get a breeze, being close to the water, I'd recommend doing this walk a bit earlier or later in the day if hot, direct sun bothers you.)

Thank you to Alec for driving today and picking me up at the Hayward Interpretive Center. In part due to the heat today, I arrived late to the Interpretive Center, but was able to peek inside for a few minutes before it closed. I look forward to coming back later and seeing more. (Note: I did return later, but they were closed. It's best to call ahead to double check hours.)

Wildlife Sightings:
10 black-necked stilts; 44 swallow-like birds + 34 swallows; 1 crow; 5 balls; 21 butterflies/moths; 1 great egret, 1 snowy egret; 30 terns; 16 little brown jobs (LBJs); 9 ground squirrels; 1 bumblebee; 15 sea gulls; 1 black-crowned night heron; 1 large/long cloud of ankle ht. gnats/UFBs + 1 small cloud eye-level gnats/UFBs; 2 red-winged blackbirds; 13 ducks; 12 American Avocets; 2 UBBs; 1 cormorant