Fremont, California is one of those cities in which no tourist ever sets foot. But like the rest of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, it hosts the East Bay Regional Parks District, a series of beautiful parks, many of which would be state parks in other parts of the country. One that is well known to commuters who cross the homely Dumbarton Bridge is Coyote Hills Regional Park.
This time of year the hills are emerald green, lush with wildflowers, brimming with squirrels.
Update: nice article on Coyote Hills here.
The steep hike to the top of the hills affords sweeping views of the Bay on one side and Mission Peak on the other. Often a stiff, cool breeze blows across the top, rippling the grasses and pushing gently against my cheeks. A path follows the tops of the hills, leading from the Hayward shoreline on one side to San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge on the other.
The Dumbarton Bridge looks like a giant multilegged insect from this height.
Birds fly close overhead, hovering in the headwind.
Some people think these hills are the result of an old garbage dump, but that is not the case. They are the ancient remnants of mountains, worn down to the core. There is the remnants of a garbage dump here, though. It's called a shellmound and it belonged to an Ohlone tribe of indians who lived here for thousands of years. But the hills themselves have been here for as close to forever as can be imagined.
As the sun shines blindingly on the water, I decide to return to the lee side of the hills and explore the marshes.
The park has numerous wooden boardwalks that meander through the marshland. The green cattails stand out against the clean marsh water.
And more cattails...not native, but stylishly pretty nevertheless.
Springtime in Fremont means green, green and more green.
More from Coyote Hills later in the week. We'll meet some local residents with long necks.
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