The entrance to the park is at the intersection of Caribbean Drive and Baylands Park Rd. Frequently there is no one at the booth to take fees so they let you in for free. The park is free from November to February. Bear right past the toll booth and head down the paved road until you reach the fence/road block and park your car here. There is a restroom at this end of the park but it is closed. Instead you can use the restrooms closer to the park entrance. There are a few miles of fully exposed, flat dirt trails out by the bay and wetlands where you can view a wide variety of birds so bring your binoculars. To complete the entire walk including the loop takes 90 to 120 minutes walking and about 30 to 45 minutes by bicycle.
Park entrance Park sign
Toll booth Parking at end of road
Follow the paved road for about five minutes and bear left at the gate (look for the Bay Trail sign) toward the seasonal wetlands. These trails are shared by hikers and bicyclists. Follow the paved trail until you reach a gravel trail on your right. Bear right onto the gravel trail.
Paved road to the bay
Bicyclists Left at gate
Bear right on gravel trail
Follow the trail for less than one mile past a salt pond and keep a look out for birds- people have cited over 400 birds such as Egrets, Great Blue and Green Herons, Vaux's Swift, a wide variety of terns, Bonaparte’s Gull, Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Red-tailed Hawk, a variety of sparrows and grebes, After the pond, the trail bears left, heading west.
Bikers on the trail Salt pond
Fleet of terns Bird watching pier
There is a waterway on your right where birds like to rest. If you are quiet, you may even have a Western Great Egret land on the trail in front of you.
Waterway Trail
Western Great Egret Great Blue Heron
Bird sightings - can you name them?
The trail is popular with bicyclists and joggers even at dusk. You will reach a red bridge to cross where you can head either clockwise or counterclockwise around the wetlands and bay for a loop that is a few miles long. These trails have water on either side and birds typically rest along the trails and in the water.
Jogger
San Tomas Aquino Creek Bicyclist
Bridge
Trail to the left Snowy Egret
Panoramic view of the dirt loop trail into the bay
Full Review: Sunnyvale Baylands County Park
The entrance to the park is at the intersection of Caribbean Drive and Baylands Park Rd. Frequently there is no one at the booth to take fees so they let you in for free. The park is free from November to February. Bear right past the toll booth and head down the paved road until you reach the fence/road block and park your car here. There is a restroom at this end of the park but it is closed. Instead you can use the restrooms closer to the park entrance. There are a few miles of fully exposed, flat dirt trails out by the bay and wetlands where you can view a wide variety of birds so bring your binoculars. To complete the entire walk including the loop takes 90 to 120 minutes walking and about 30 to 45 minutes by bicycle.
Park entrance Park sign
Toll booth Parking at end of road
Follow the paved road for about five minutes and bear left at the gate (look for the Bay Trail sign) toward the seasonal wetlands. These trails are shared by hikers and bicyclists. Follow the paved trail until you reach a gravel trail on your right. Bear right onto the gravel trail.
Paved road to the bay
Bicyclists Left at gate
Bear right on gravel trail
Follow the trail for less than one mile past a salt pond and keep a look out for birds- people have cited over 400 birds such as Egrets, Great Blue and Green Herons, Vaux's Swift, a wide variety of terns, Bonaparte’s Gull, Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Red-tailed Hawk, a variety of sparrows and grebes, After the pond, the trail bears left, heading west.
Bikers on the trail Salt pond
Fleet of terns Bird watching pier
There is a waterway on your right where birds like to rest. If you are quiet, you may even have a Western Great Egret land on the trail in front of you.
Waterway Trail
Western Great Egret Great Blue Heron
Bird sightings - can you name them?
The trail is popular with bicyclists and joggers even at dusk. You will reach a red bridge to cross where you can head either clockwise or counterclockwise around the wetlands and bay for a loop that is a few miles long. These trails have water on either side and birds typically rest along the trails and in the water.
Jogger
San Tomas Aquino Creek Bicyclist
Bridge
Trail to the left Snowy Egret
Panoramic view of the dirt loop trail into the bay