Golden Gate Audubon Society

Oakland

Friday, January 1, 2010

Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com

GGAS MLK Shoreline Arrowhead Marsh Jan 1-Bicycle Trip ALERT

A half mile segment of trail at the north end of Martin Luther King Shoreline Park
known as the Tidewater area will be closed from July 20, 2009 until November 2010
as the for construction of the Tidewater Aquatic Center.
The park section closed is from Tidewater Avenue to the East Creek Bridge
which includes the trail, parking, turf area and restrooms.
The bridge across East Creek Slough and the Damon Marsh Trail will remain open
as will the rest of the shoreline park.

Because of this closure and the likelihood of rain, we will invoke the change to meet at Garretson Pt at 10:30 am. Blair and I will drive and not take BART. If you decide to use BART you will have to arrive earlier; look at the map from the URL below to see how you would have to ride. We will probably put our bikes into our van in case it does not rain. Call or email early if you need a ride.
http://www.ebparks.org/files/MLK_map_12-09A.pdf

Winter high tides are a good time to see rails at the shoreline’s Arrowhead Marsh, and if there has been enough rain, lots of ducks and shorebirds will be in the seasonal wetlands. Those who cannot make this trip will have another opportunity for independent viewing during high tides at Arrowhead Marsh January 28–31. Meet at the Fruitvale BART at 10:15 a.m. or at the East Creek Point trailhead at 10:30. We’ll ride the San Francisco Bay Trail from East Creek Point to Damon Marsh and Arrowhead Marsh. High tide (8.2 feet) is at 11:44 a.m. Bring snacks/lunch and liquids, and dress in layers. Bicycle helmet required. Leaders will ride from Fruitvale BART to the trailhead. No reservations are necessary, but an email or phone call  is appreciated. BART schedules: www.transitinfo.org.

Rain cancels the bicycle trip, but we will still run the trip; in that case, go directly to Garretson Point and meet at 10:30 a.m. We will bird this area. Then, if the rain is light, we will walk the trail to the Arrowhead Marsh viewing platform and walk the circuit to view the seasonal wetlands. Otherwise, we will drive to Arrowhead Marsh.

East Creek Point trailhead: Exit I-880 at High St. in Oakland. Go southwest to the High Street bridge to Alameda, cross the bridge, and turn left onto Fernside. Park on street. Bike back over the bridge, turn right onto Tidewater Ave., and go .25 mi. to the East Creek Point trailhead on the right. Lesser St. is just beyond, on the left.

Arrowhead Marsh: From I-880 in Oakland, exit at Hegenberger Rd. and head west. Turn right onto Doolittle Drive (Hwy. 61) and right again onto Swan Way. Take the first left into the park and continue to the parking lot at the end of the road.

Garretson Point: From I-880 south, exit at Zhone Way/66th Ave. Turn right and go a short distance to end of road. Turn left on Oakport St., which parallels freeway, and make the first right, onto Hasser Way. Turn right on Edgewater and follow it to the Garretson Point Staging Area parking.