The Baylands is a great place for kids of all ages. There are wildflowers and wildlife galore to see up-close; loop trails with great views of the bay; a nature center with interactive displays, animated exhibits and an ecology lab; wildlife observation decks to watch pelicans floating on the Mayfield Slough; and the ever-popular Duck Pond with hundreds of ducks and shorebirds.
We recommend starting your visit at the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center. The center is open Tuesday and Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. All exhibits are presented in English and Spanish.
After learning about the sounds of some of the birds you will encounter around the marshes, the microscopic creatures that live in the bay mud, and the web of life betweens birds, fish and the invertebrates of the Baylands, follow the quarter-mile boardwalk behind the Center to the edge of the bay. Along the way you can enjoy interpretive displays that point out the natural features and inhabitants of the marshes. After orienting yourself to the ecology of the Baylands, visit the destination map display near the Nature Center main gate. From here you can plot an easy hike to the Duck Pond, to the Sailing Station, or a longer walk to Byxbee Park Hills.
One of the most popular hikes for older kids is the 3-mile San Francisquito Creek Loop Trail. Parking for access to the trail is available either at the Duck Pond, Nature Center or Baylands Athletic Center at the end of Geng Road. Kids can explore the trail on bike or by foot. Along the way kids will pass the end of the airport runway and be able to watch planes fly over fifty feet above their heads. Along the reeds of San Francisquito Creek visitors can seek frogs, lizards and turtles basking in the sun. At the Baylands Athletic Center you can stop and get a drink of water, and perhaps catch a game of softball. The trail continues past the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course before rounding the bend of Embarcadero Road and passing the Duck Pond and Ranger Station.
The Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center also offers a myriad of classes, camps and canoe trips for kids. See the Enjoy! catalog on-line for additional program information.
School field trips are also available at the Center for students and scouts of all ages. Outreach program topics include ‘Baylands Birds’; ‘Salt Marsh Exploration’; ‘What’s In That Muddy Water?,’ ‘Feel, Look and Listen’; and ‘Introduction to the Baylands.’ Fees for these programs range from $59 to $150 for the group, depending on the length of the program.
