ANGEL ISLAND STATE PARK
Overview
Angel Island State Park offers opportunities to hike, bike, or take
a narrated tram tour around a historic island with structures dating
from the Civil War through World War II. Panoramic views of the
Bay Area are without equal. Access to the Island is by private boat
or public ferry from San Francisco, Tiburon or Vallejo.
The Ayala Cove Visitor Center is open daily, but
all other structures are open more often during summers and on weekends,
subject to volunteer availability. The Immigration Station is closed
while under renovation and should reopen by early 2009. See more
details below under North Garrison.
Exhibits/Programs
Tiburon Shore Access Area:
Boarding Dock.The curbside drop-off area and the ferry boarding
dock are generally accessible. Restrooms. Boats have no restrooms.
Public restrooms adjacent to the boarding dock are generally accessible.
Parking.City parking closest to pier includes accessible spaces.
Paths of travel between these facilities are generally accessible.
Ayala Cove Area
Restrooms:Accessible restroom
facilitiess are now available in Ayala Cove.
Tram Tours. Narrated (taped) one-hour tram tours depart from the
Ayala Cove Café on varied schedules from spring through early
fall. Written transcripts are available on request. Portable lifts
provide wheelchair access to two trams with wheelchair spaces. For
more tram information, visit www.angelisland.com or phone 415-897-0715.
Gift Shop: Space is tight
but the sales kiosk is generally accessible.
Cove Café: A ramp
provides front entry. Some assistance may be needed at threshold.
Seating is accessible. Sales and food counters are slightly high,
but assistance is available.
Visitor Center: Open daily,
the Ayala Cove visitor center offers a captioned video about Chinese
immigration history on Angel Island. A ramped side entry provides
wheelchair access. Front stairs lack handrails. Exhibits are generally
accessible.
East Garrison Area
The Guardhouse/Visitor Center is generally accessible. Most exhibits
are generally accessible. A lift in the ground floor provides access
to the main floor. Restrooms. A restroom near the lift entry is
generally accessible.
West Garrison Area
Restroom: A generally accessible
restroom is near the West Garrison Hospital.
Officers Quarters 11 is a house museum with a historic brick path
of travel to a usable ramped entry and to the first floor.
North Garrison
The Immigration Station, also known as the Angel Island of the West,
is closed for renovation and expected to open again by the summer
of 2008.
BENICIA STATE RECREATION AREA
Overview
Benicia State Recreation Area covers 720 acres of marsh, grassy
hillsides and rocky beaches. It is a day use area that offers a
quiet, breezy refuge from urban bustle and great views of the bay.
It is located off Interstate Highway 780 less than two miles west
of Benicia at the Rose Drive/State Park Road/Benicia SRA exit. Alternate
less freeways route: exit I80 at Columbus Parkway, follow it to
Rose Drive and turn right into the park.
Picnic Area
Benicia Bay Trailhead Picnic Area. Two accessible tables are in
the first lot on the right beyond the entry lot, near the Deaner
Memorial Garden. Accessible exhibits, and parking also available
but at this time there are no accessible restrooms in this park.
Some have grab bars, but stall space is limited.
Trails
The Hike and Bike Trail is a paved trail that is accessible for
about 0.75 mile along wetlands adjoining the Carquinez Strait. Trailhead
and accessible portable restroom and parking lot at the Military
West exit off 780 just east of the Rose Drive exit to the main park
entrance.
The Benicia Bay Trail is a new 2.2 mile accessibly designed trail
through softly rolling hills with great views of the bay. Trail
has firm surface with most slopes under 5%. Four short sections
of 8% slopes are followed by rest areas. Some accessible benches
are located along the trail. Trailhead, accessible picnic tables,
and accessible parking located off the first parking lot on right
BEYOND the entry lot, just above the Deaner Garden. Trailhead parking
is above the garden parking.
CANDLE STICK
POINT STATE RECREATION AREA
Overview
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area offers beautiful views of
the San Francisco Bay from its hiking trails. Take the 3Com Park
exit from U.S. 101 in San Francisco.
Picnic Area
Lots of accessibly designed tables are in the park but firm pads
on which tables sit are often too small to permit moving around
table or getting to grills or water easily. The most usable sites
are described below.
Mudflat Picnic Area. Accessible tables on small pads may be usable.
Accessible restrooms are nearby. Routes of travel to tables may
require crossing short stretches of lawn. Paths to restrooms and
parking are generally accessible.
Windharp Group Picnic Area. Accessible tables on small pads. Water
spigots may require assistance. Restrooms. Accessible restrooms
are in park but not nearby. Parking. Accessible Parking is available.
Routes of travel from parking to tables are generally accessible.
Trails
The Bay Trail is a popular paved hike, bike and roller blade trail
about one mile long that follows the shore. Trailheads, generally
accessible restroom and parking are at Candlestick SRA main lot
and at the Last Port parking lot.
The Shoreline Trail, 0.75 mile, is a paved accessible hike, bike
and skate trail that leads to a fishing site at the Point. Trailhead,
accessible parking, and restroom are located at the main parking
lot.
CASTLE ROCK
STATE PARK
Overview
Castle Rock State Park sits atop the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains
and includes rugged terrain left mostly in its natural state and
crisscrossed by many trails popular with backpackers and horseback
riders. The park is located on Highway 35, just 2 1/2 miles southeast
of the junction with Highway 9.
Trails
The Whole Access Trail is about 0.08 mile long and leads to an outstanding
vista and picnic area. Trailhead is located at Castle Rock parking
lot. Parking and a pit toilet are usable. Picnic table at end of
trail is usable.
CHINA CAMP
STATE PARK
Overview
China Camp State Park was the site of a thriving Chinese shrimp-fishing
village of nearly 500 people in the 1880s. The park is north of
San Rafael off Highway 101 on North San Pedro Road about 5 miles
east of the highway.
Camping
Back Ranch Meadows Walk-in Campground. Eight walk-in or bike-in
sites are generally accessible in dry weather. It is about 200 feet
from the accessible parking spaces to the sites over gravel that
is level and very firmly packed. Large sites include accessible
tables, water spigots, cook stove, and tent spaces.(See photos below.)
Restrooms with showers: Toilets are generally accessible and showers
are at least usable, but some assistance may be needed to reach
shower controls.
Picnic Area
Weber Point and Buckeye Point Day Use Areas have very usable picnic
sites. Generally accessible parking and restrooms are available.
Bullhead Flats has a usable site with a generally accessible restroom
and parking. Routes between sites and supporting facilities are
usable.
Trails
The Back Ranch Campground Trail is a loop trail accessible for its
entire 0.24 mile. The trailhead is located in the campground with
potable water and generally accessible parking and restrooms.
The Shoreline Trail is accessible from the Back Ranch Meadows Walk-in
Campground to San Pedro Road, just north of the intersection of
Shoreline Trail and the Miwok Fire Trail, a total one-way distance
of 1.5 miles. It is an oak woodlands trail with riparian areas and
offers very nice views of San Pablo Bay.
OLOMPALI STATE HISTORIC PARK
Overview
The name "olompali" comes from the Miwok language and
may be translated as "southern village" or "southern
people." The Coast Miwok inhabited at least one site within
the area of the present-day park continuously from as early as 6,000
BC, until the early 1850s. The park is located three miles north
of Novato on U.S. 101, and entry must be made from the southbound
lane.
Exhibits/Programs
A visitor center, parking and a no-flush restroom are accessible.
Visitors to the park may see two kotchas (houses), one made from
redwood bark and another made with bundles of native tule reeds.
Future plans call fro a reconstructed native village.
SEACLIFF
STATE BEACH
Overview
Seacliff State Beach is often recognized by the crumbling WWI vintage
tanker, the Palo Alto, that sits at the end of the fishing pier.
The beach is also a popular swimming spot. Exit Highway 1 at State
Park Drive a little northwest of Aptos.
Camping
The campground is a converted parking lot, so all 26 sites are asphalt
and for self-contained RVs only. A self-contained vehicle contains
permanent working plumbing fixtures, flushable toilets, and a sealed
effluent holding tank. The maximum consecutive stay is 7 days. All
sites overlook the ocean and have electric, water, and sewer hook-ups.
Site 13 is designated accessible. Reservations are accepted year-round
and are a necessity in summer and beyond at this highly popular
beach campground. Restroom with shower: Toilets and showers are
adjacent to site 13 and are generally accessible. Two other restrooms,
one at each end of the overflow camping area, are generally accessible.
Parking: Designated accessible parking is available.
Picnic Area
South End Day Use Area. Many accessible picnic sites under shade
structures are available. Accessible parking and several accessible
restrooms are available.
Trails
The Seacliff Walking Trail is a paved level pathway that goes between
the beach and bluff for 0.9 mile and provides access to picnic sites
and the beach. The trailhead is at Rio Del Mar with accessible parking
and accessible restrooms available nearby.
SUNSET STATE BEACH
Overview
Beyond the miles of agricultural fields west of Watsonville, Sunset
State Beach offers huge sand dunes and beachside picnic tables.
The park is 16 miles south of Santa Cruz via Highway One and San
Andreas Road.
Picnic Area
North Beach Access Area. Several accessible picnic tables are on
asphalt pads in this accessible picnic area. However no wheelchair
accessible restroom is currently available in this area at this
time. There is a generally accessible restroom at the South Day
Use area. Two van accessible spaces are at the North Beach Access
lot.
WILDER RANCH
STATE PARK
Overview
Wilder Ranch State Park includes acres of coastal terraces and valleys
along with the site of several structures from the historic Wilder
Family Ranch. Once the main rancho supplying the Santa Cruz Mission,
the property later became a successful and innovative dairy ranch.
The park is located at 1401 Old Coast Road in Santa Cruz.
Exhibits/Programs
The historic ranch and outbuildings are located some distance away
from the parking lot, but visitors may arrange to be dropped off
in the historic area. Several barns and other historic structures
are open and generally accessible via short ramped entries that
may require some assistance. Some structures are viewed from the
exterior only; exhibit panels provide general information. Parking
and restroom in the main lot are accessible. An accessible portable
toilet is available in the ranch area. Call the park for details.
The Visitor Center is generally accessible via
a rear ramp; staff will open gate to get to the ramp.
The Victorian House has a lift and is generally accessible, but
only open on an occasional basis.
