Visitor
Center
Your first stop should be the visitor center, located near the Dumbarton
Bridge toll plaza in Fremont. The center is perched on a hillside above
miles of salt marsh, tidal sloughs, mudflats, and salt ponds. Inside you
will find wildlife exhibits, an observation deck, an auditorium, and a
bookstore. Proceeds from the sale of books, posters and other educational
items in the bookstore benefit the Refuge's educational programs. Outside,
a self-guided trail will introduce you to the San Francisco Bay environment
and local wildlife. The Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Sunday from
10am until 5pm. It is closed on all national holidays. Please call 510-792-0222 ext. 363
for further information.
 Environmental
Education Center
The Environmental Education Center at the southern end of San Francisco Bay
is surrounded by uplands, marshes, salt ponds, and a freshwater tidal slough.
The building, designed for education, contains two classrooms, an auditorium,
and an enclosed observation tower. Trails and a new boardwalk through the seasonal
wetland habitat make it easy to see and explore the natural wonders of the South
Bay. The Environmental Education Center is open by reservation to school field
trip groups Monday - Friday. It is generally open from 10am until 5pm on the
weekends. Please call about weekend interpretive programs!! It is closed on
all national holidays. Please call 408-262-5513 in advance to verify hours.
The trails are open 7 days a week from Sunrise - Sunset. If the gates are
locked please park and walk in to enjoy the trails.
Interpretive
Programs
Refuge naturalists and volunteers offer a wide variety of free guided programs
and walks, and other activities at both Refuge Headquarters in Fremont and at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. Many interpretive programs in Alviso are funded by the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program through a grant (the Watershed Watcher Program) to the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society, and cover a wide range of topics, such as bird watching, owl programs, habitat hikes, watershed programs, arts and crafts, night events, special events, and community service projects. Call 510-792-0222 ext.363 for program information at Refuge Headquarters, or 408-262-5513 for information at the Environmental Education Center. Programs are also listed on the Don Edwards Refuge website.
Trails
The Refuge is crisscrossed by miles of hiking trails. Our most popular trails
include Tidelands Trail and Newark Slough Trail at the Visitor Center; New
Chicago Marsh and Alviso Slough Trail at the Environmental Education Center.
The Visitor Center trails connect to trails in Coyote Hills Regional Park.
Trails are periodically closed due to levee maintenance. Check at the Visitor
Center and Environmental Education Center for the latest trail information.
All motor vehicles are prohibited on Refuge trails, to protect ecologically
sensitive areas.
Fishing
A public fishing pier is located at the end of Marshlands Road at the refuge headquarters in Fremont and is open
year-round. Birds, particularly the threatened western snowy plover, occassionally nest along Marshlands Road from
April 1 - August 31. If birds are found nesting along this road, Marashlands Road will close to protect them. A free shuttle service is offered on weekends during
these months. Call the Refuge for closure information.
Fish commonly caught are rays, leopards sharks, white sturgeon, striped bass,
and shiner surfperch. Check the California State Fishing Regulations for restrictions.
Fishing is also available at Coyote Creek Lagoon in Fremont and the
Faber-Laumeister Unit in East Palo Alto. Click here for driving directions.
 Hunting
The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge contains 10,285 acres of tidal areas and salt ponds that are open to waterfowl hunting every October - January. Waterfowl hunting season opening and closing dates are determined by the State of California. Check the California Waterfowl Regulations each season for these dates. See our hunt webpage for specific information on permits, locations, access, and hunting days on the refuge.
Boating
Boating is permitted only on the Bay and its tributaries, but not in salt evaporation ponds. Canoes and kayaks are recommended, since motor noise scares away wildlife. Jet skis are prohibited. Many sloughs
are empty of water at low tide. Please
be aware of the tide schedule before you embark. If your boat becomes stuck
in the mud, wait for the next high tide to float it free. Public launching
ramps are located at Redwood City and near the Refuge Visitor Center in Fremont.
Accessibility
It is the policy of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you have any questions concerning
the refuge's programs, or if you need any accommodation to enable you to participate
in the refuge's programs, please contact a public use staff person at the
Visitor Center at 510-792-0222 ext. 363 or at the Environmental Education Center at
408-262-5513.
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