A few months ago, a water polo tournament brought us to Bedwell Bayfront Park in Menlo Park. In between games, we walked about 40 minutes on the trail along marshlands and enjoyed watching wildlife in the salt ponds. Reading the park signages, we were very surprised to find out that this beautiful place was built upon a sanitary landfill that served this area from the late 1950’s through 1984, but now it is Menlo Park’s largest park and the only city-owned open space on the San Francisco Bay, thanks to Michael A. Bedwell, who served as the city manager from 1964 to 1990. He overcame many challenges over 20 years to transform the once-upon landfill to a bayfront open space.
Since 1994, the 160 acres have been used for “passive recreation” activities such as hiking, running, bicycling, dog walking, bird watching, kite flying and photography. In the past 26 years since its opening, local residents have been defending this public open space against many development proposals in order to protect the open space and restore the wetland ecosystem of the south bay. It is truly a great example of turning “trash” to “treasure”.
Location & Access Info
The park entrance is at 1600 Marsh Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025. We parked in one of the two paved parking lots located at the back of the park. Additional parking is available along the entrance road and restrooms are located in the paved parking area. According to Menlo Park’s city website, an entrance improvements project will start in winter 2024 to “reconfigure the park entrance to increase public awareness and visibility of the park, create an attractive entry experience, and improve access to the available recreational resources to accommodate a growing population and user demand.” Please be aware, even though the park gates open daily at 7am, they are closed and locked at different times depending on the season. Plan ahead and remember to get out before their gate locking time.
Trail Info
We hiked for a short time and only completed half of the 2.3-mile loop trail. Most of the trail is unpaved, and some part is steep, as shown behind this welcome sign, but mostly it’s easy and flat. The trail along the bay is paved and suitable for wheelchairs. This loop trail is part of the 350-mile network of San Francisco Bay Trail, connecting 7 counties and 47 cities.
Recent reviews on AllTrails highlight “an easy, mostly flat trail that offers beautiful sunset views over the bay and sightings of wildlife like coyotes and raccoons. Some paths are overgrown or closed, so navigation can be tricky. Overall, it’s a pleasant outing despite limited shade. In September, conditions are typically sunny and warm, ideal for outdoor activities, though hydration and sun protection are recommended.”
We took only a few photos, but we discovered many amazing scenic views on AllTrails. Several photos led us to discover that the Bedwell Bayfront Park is also part of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. Many rare bird species live in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge surrounding the park, that is the reason why the park bans any drones or unmanned aircraft systems to avoid disturbing wildlife.
Bikes are allowed only on paved trails and roads, and pets must remain on leash and under full control at all times. For people who love photography in nature, please be mindful of local wildlife and their natural habitats.
“Unfortunately, salt-encrusted ponds near Menlo Park’s Bedwell Bayfront Park have become a popular selfie spot and humans are invading nesting areas for small birds called Western Snowy Plovers, who are listed as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act. These shy birds nest in the middle of barren salt flats and tiny chicks may be underfoot. Birds are also frightened by drones, bikes or other disturbances. Please heed the new signs we’ve erected banning drones, bikes, dogs and people from salt flats next to the park. Please find spots within the park to take your selfies – help start a new trend!”
To Learn More
If you would like to learn more about the history and vision for this park, please visit the links below.
- Reviving the Bay: The Transformation of a Former Salt Pond (Published in 2024)
- Bedwell Bayfront Park Master Plan (Issued in 2018)
If you are a birding lover, this blog lists many tips that may help you to spot birds in different seasons.
Let Us Know
After learning so much about Bedwell Bayfront Park from our hike, park signages and online resources, we will definitely go back there again to explore more. One hiker wrote about a large art installation on the Great Spirit Path, and another photographer shared amazing images of salt ponds. Let us know if you would like to share your “passive recreation” experiences at Bedwell Bayfront Park, or anywhere in nature that you would recommend to our Walk Bike community.
Also, several interesting “from Trash to Treasure” parks are on our bucket list. Would you like to race ahead of us to pay a visit and write about them?
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“Cesar Chavez Park: located in Berkley, California, built on the site of a former landfill, offers a wide range of recreational opportunities in a marina setting with spectacular views of the three bay bridges, Alcatraz, and Angel Island.”
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“Washington Park Arboretum: located in Seattle, Washington, this park was formerly known as the Miller Street Dump and is now home to over 40,000 trees, shrubs, and vines.”
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“Red Rock Canyon Open Space: located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this public recreational area was once a 53-acre landfill.”
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“Mount Trashmore Park: located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the late 1960s and early 70s, the city converted a 640,000-ton pile of garbage into the nation’s first landfill park. An environmental wonder, Mount Trashmore Park also features many other eco-friendly amenities.”
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“Freshkills Park: located in Staten Island, New York, once the world’s largest landfill, has been reclaimed and transformed into native grasslands.”
Looking forward to hearing from you via info@walkbikecupertino.org. Hope these “trash” to “treasure” stories will inspire more people to get involved in the effort of restoration and conservation in nature.