May 24, 2004

This was a varied and interesting hike. We parked in the lower portion of the park that was originally a cove in the bay beneath an island that is now a series of peaks. The variety of flowers was probably the greatest we have had on any hike this year - and this seems so late in the spring. We saw the usual hikers and fishermen, but also people flying kites and radio controlled airplanes.

We started the hike on a boardwalk across marshy ground. The flat hiking didn't last long as we started steeply us the hill on rutted and dry grass covered trails. We crossed along the ridges to three peaks in the park. The highest was all of 371 feet high. Along the way we enjoyed our views of the San Francisco Bay including several islands and bridges. Other notable sites below the trail were a building used to build Ford Model T's and Golden State Model Railroad Museum,

We descended the steep hill and ended up on a small beach. Darn, we forgot our swimming suits. It was to cool to play in the water anyway.

We followed old railroad tracks along the bay shoreline. The bay islands and Marin Counties peaks made a nice contrast to the water and sky.

We read that the WW II Liberty Ships were built in Kaiser Shipyards here. The last remaining Victory Ship, the Red Oak Victory, is docked near Ferry Point. The ferry pier was obviously a ferry for train cars that has been burned.