Bird's eye view of the park

Benicia Capitol SHP

Benicia SRA

John Muir’s life was a tapestry of roles—fruit rancher, family man,
writer—each interwoven with his deep love for nature. As one of America’s most
influential naturalists, Muir was more than just an observer of the
wilderness; he was its fiercest advocate. His passion for the land drove him
to protect the places he held dear, ensuring that future generations could
experience their beauty.

John Muir’s life was a tapestry of roles—fruit rancher, family man, writer—each interwoven with his deep love for nature. As one of America’s most influential naturalists, Muir was more than just an observer of the wilderness; he was its fiercest advocate. His passion for the land drove him to protect the places he held dear, ensuring that future generations could experience their beauty.

John Muir National Historic Site

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area,
shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval
Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two ships loading ammunition for
Pacific troops exploded, resulting in the worst home front disaster of WWII.
The aftermath illuminated the issues of segregation and racial inequality in
the military.

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two ships loading ammunition for Pacific troops exploded, resulting in the worst home front disaster of WWII. The aftermath illuminated the issues of segregation and racial inequality in the military.

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve comprises two
components located along the salinity gradient of the San Francisco Bay. The
reserve's 3,710 acres are located at China Camp State Park in San Rafael and
Rush Ranch in Suisun City, 30 miles north and 50 miles northeast of San
Francisco, respectively. A primary focus of the reserve is to support tidal
marsh restoration through research, monitoring and education. These sites
serve as valuable reference sites in the San Francisco area where nearly 97
percent of the historic tidal wetlands have been lost due to development
pressures in the region. These reference sites create an opportunity for a
scientific basis for restoration activities in the bay area.

The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve comprises two components located along the salinity gradient of the San Francisco Bay.  The reserve's 3,710 acres are located at China Camp State Park in San Rafael and Rush Ranch in Suisun City, 30 miles north and 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, respectively.  A primary focus of the reserve is to support tidal marsh restoration through research, monitoring and education.  These sites serve as valuable reference sites in the San Francisco area where nearly 97 percent of the historic tidal wetlands have been lost due to development pressures in the region.  These reference sites create an opportunity for a scientific basis for restoration activities in the bay area.

San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Albany

Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on
the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and
interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths, weave a rich tapestry of
experiences from this era of opportunity and loss.

Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths, weave a rich tapestry of experiences from this era of opportunity and loss.

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

Mclaughlin Eastshore State Park (State Seashore)

Bird's eye view of the campground

Buckeye Point Picnic Area

Campground (sites 1-30)

China Camp Group Camping Area

Weber Point Picnic Area

China Camp SP

Emeryville Crescent

America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill, chose Northern
California as his sanctuary at the pinnacle of his writing career. Secluded
from the outside world within the serene walls of his Tao House, O'Neill
crafted his final and most memorable masterpieces: The Iceman Cometh, Long
Day's Journey Into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten.

America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill, chose Northern California as his sanctuary at the pinnacle of his writing career. Secluded from the outside world within the serene walls of his Tao House, O'Neill crafted his final and most memorable masterpieces: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day's Journey Into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten.

Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge

In response to rapidly disappearing wetlands and its prime location within the
Pacific Flyway, the refuge was created in 1974 to protect migratory birds,
wetland habitat, and endangered species. The refuge and San Pablo Bay supports
the largest wintering population of canvasbacks on the west coast of the
United States and protects the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse and
California Ridgway's rail.

The San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge lies along the north shore of San
Pablo Bay in Sonoma, Solano, and Napa Counties in northern California. The
refuge includes open bay/tidal marsh, mud flats, and seasonal and managed
wetland habitats.

The Napa-Sonoma marshes in San Pablo Bay have been greatly impacted by human
activities such as hydraulic mining, salt production, water diversions, and
diking, draining, and filling for agricultural and industrial uses. About 85
percent of the historic tidal marshes of San Pablo Bay have been altered,
negatively affecting the ability of the remaining tidal marshes to accept
winter rainfall and purify water in the bay.

The refuge provides critical migratory and wintering habitat for shorebirds
and waterfowl, particularly diving ducks, and provides year-round habitat for
endangered, threatened, and sensitive species like the California clapper
rail, salt marsh harvest mouse, California black rail, San Pablo song sparrow,
and Suisun shrew.

Numerous other threatened, endangered, and sensitive species require tidal
marsh habitat for their survival, including 11 fish species that swim through
San Pablo Bay to reach their freshwater spawning grounds.

In response to rapidly disappearing wetlands and its prime location within the Pacific Flyway, the refuge was created in 1974 to protect migratory birds, wetland habitat, and endangered species. The refuge and San Pablo Bay supports the largest wintering population of canvasbacks on the west coast of the United States and protects the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse and California Ridgway's rail.The San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge lies along the north shore of San Pablo Bay in Sonoma, Solano, and Napa Counties in northern California. The refuge includes open bay/tidal marsh, mud flats, and seasonal and managed wetland habitats.The Napa-Sonoma marshes in San Pablo Bay have been greatly impacted by human activities such as hydraulic mining, salt production, water diversions, and diking, draining, and filling for agricultural and industrial uses. About 85 percent of the historic tidal marshes of San Pablo Bay have been altered, negatively affecting the ability of the remaining tidal marshes to accept winter rainfall and purify water in the bay.The refuge provides critical migratory and wintering habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl, particularly diving ducks, and provides year-round habitat for endangered, threatened, and sensitive species like the California clapper rail, salt marsh harvest mouse, California black rail, San Pablo song sparrow, and Suisun shrew.Numerous other threatened, endangered, and sensitive species require tidal marsh habitat for their survival, including 11 fish species that swim through San Pablo Bay to reach their freshwater spawning grounds.

San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Group Campsites

Juniper Campground

Live Oak Campground

Mount Diablo SP

Contra Loma Dam and reservoir are part of the Central Valley Project - Delta
Division and offers recreational opportunities for the East Bay area near San
Francisco. Numerous hiking trails exist as part of the facility and the area
provides excellent access to the Contra Costa Canal Regional Trail. The trail
system provides for bikes, equestrian and pedestrian use and are available
from 5:00 am to 10:00 pm daily. The park also provides picnic and other day
use facilities and adjacent to the Antioch Municipal Golf Course.

<a href="http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/dams/ca10143.htm" rel="nofollow">Contra Loma Dam</a> and reservoir are part of the <a href="http://www.usr.gov/dataweb/html/delta.html" rel="nofollow">Central Valley Project - Delta Division</a> and offers recreational opportunities for the East Bay area near San Francisco. Numerous hiking trails exist as part of the facility and the area provides excellent access to the Contra Costa Canal Regional Trail. The trail system provides for bikes, equestrian and pedestrian use and are available from 5:00 am to 10:00 pm daily. The park also provides picnic and other day use facilities and adjacent to the Antioch Municipal Golf Course.