Dog-Friendly Bay Trail Segments
I've enjoyed meeting many dogs and their owners while walking the Bay Trail. Dogs are not allowed on some parts of the Bay Trail; restrictions generally exist in these areas to protect wildlife. However, restricted areas can be confusing; open and closed areas are often found in the same park or area. Below are some areas of the San Francisco Bay Trail that are dog-friendly, and open to responsible dog owners and their canine friends. Thank you for picking up after your dog.
San Francisco Peninsula (SF to Foster City)
- Yes
- Crissy Field, San Francisco - Yes, except Wildlife Protection Area, at West end, where leashes are required all year except from May 15 to July 1).
- Crissy Field - Dogs also must be on leash in picnic areas and parking lots at Crissy Field.
- Fort Mason - Yes, for "responsible dog owners"
- The Embarcadero, San Francisco - Yes, with leash
- Foster City - Dogs OK on leash in most paved trail areas
- No
- Crissy Field - Tidal Marsh and Lagoon
- Foster City - Dogs not allowed in some sensitive wildlife areas/bird nesting areas/off-trail
South Bay (Redwood Shores to Newark)
- Yes
- Redwood City - Shore Dogs Park (take Holly St. exit, East of Highway 101), the park is located at the end of Radio Rd., adjacent to the Bay Trail.
- Menlo Park (Bayfront Park, and Bay Trail to Highway 84) - dogs are allowed on leash
- Palo Alto (Baylands Preserve) - dogs are allowed on leash, except for restricted, nesting areas
- Alviso Marina County Park - Dogs are allowed in the County Park's pathways and picnic areas, but are not allowed on the trails, levees and boardwalks.
- South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project - See individual areas (Alviso, Ravenswood, Eden Landing)
- Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge - Dogs are allowed on Tidelands Loop and Apay Way trails, but not on the Newark Slough Trail.
- Coyote Hills Regional Park - Dogs are allowed on most trails. However, see "No" list below for restricted trails close to nesting areas on the Bay.
- No
- Palo Alto - Baylands Reserve dogs are allowed on leash in some areas, but not restricted, nesting areas, certain times during nesting season (typically mid-March to mid-June)
- Mountain View - Shoreline Park - Pets are not allowed in this park.
- Sunnyvale - Shoreline Park/Moffett Field - Dogs are not allowed in the segment south of Shoreline Park in Mountain View, to the southern limit of Moffett Field. Going north from the southern limit of Moffett Field, a sign at the start of the Moffett Bay Trail states that hunting dogs are allowed during hunting season only.
- City of Sunnyvale's Baylands Park - No dogs are allowed.
- Alviso Marina County Park - Dogs are not allowed on trails, levees and boardwalks, but are allowed in Park's picnic areas and pathways.
- Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge - Dogs are not allowed on the Newark Slough Trail
- Coyote Hills Regional Park - Dogs are not allowed on the Shoreline or No Name trails
East Bay (Hayward to Richmond)- Yes
- Point Isabel - big thumbs up for dogs; biggest off-leash dogpark area (by the SF Bay, or elsewhere) that I've seen. Adjacent to the trail: Mudpuppys Tub and Scrub, and the Sit and Stay Cafe. Restrictions: need to stay out of certain habitat-protected areas by the water at low tide.
- Trail/Park near Jack London Aquatic Center - OK on leash, but not near fishing areas
- Berkeley Marina area - selected areas, on leash
- Albany Bulb - OK on trails, on leash
- Point Richmond - Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline - OK on leash in most areas (except Keller Beach, and large pond in park with birds)
- No
- Hayward - The trail south of West Winton Road is dog restricted except for the overpass near the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center. This includes all of the trail around the center and south of it in the Eden Landing Ecological Reserve. Possible work-around: walk north of Winton instead.
- Oakland - No dogs allowed at Port View Park, or in fishing pier area
- Alameda Beach - No dogs on Alameda Beach
- Berkeley Marina - Fishing Pier and gated wildlife restoration areas
- Richmond - West County Landfill Loop trail
- Point Richmond - Keller Beach
Carquinez Strait (Richmond to Vallejo)
- Yes
- Pinole - Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park has some nice long trails that are OK for dogs; however, some restrictions apply: no dogs in marshes, or on fishing pier.
- Pinole - Point Wilson and Pinole Shores Regional Park - dogs on leash OK
- Pinole Bayfront Park - dogs on leash OK in most of this park
- Rodeo - San Pablo Regional Shoreline, Lone Tree Point - dogs allowed per rules posted
- Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline park - dogs allowed on leash on loop trail (in between Port Costa and Crockett)
- Parts of Carquinez Scenic Drive - Dogs on leash OK
- Martinez Regional Shoreline Park - Dogs on leash OK -- on trails not part of Wildlife Refuge Areas
- Benicia State Recreation Area - (Parking at the end of Rose, off Highway 780)
- No
- Point Pinole - No dogs on Fishing Pier and Point Pinole marshes and habitat restoration areas
- Eckley Fishing Pier (Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline Park area) - Dogs not allowed out on Eckley Pier, beyond train tracks.
- Martinez Regional Shoreline Park - Dogs not allowed on some trails/not in Wildlife Refuge areas, as posted.
- Yes
- Petaluma - Shollenberger Park - Yes, dogs OK on leash "on almost all trails"
- Petaluma - Rocky Memorial Dog Park adjacent to Shollenberger Park
- Napa River Ecological Reserve - Yes, on leash only
- City of Napa Parks - Dogs OK on leashes -- except in playground areas/tot lots for small children
- No
- City of Napa Parks - No dogs allowed in tot lots and playgrounds with small children
Marin County (Novato to Sausalito)
- Yes
- Fort Baker - Dogs on leash only
- No
- Fort Baker - Park buildings and facilities; Fort Baker Pier; Chapel Trail
- China Camp - Dogs are not allowed on the China Camp trails
Note: You may also want to check yelp and other sites, such as BringFido.com or Bay Area Hiker for reviews and information about dog-friendly hikes on or near the Bay Trail, and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
