San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds, Salt evaporation ponds in San Francisco Bay, California, US
The San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds form an extensive network of shallow basins where seawater evaporates to create salt through natural processes. The system spans thousands of acres and is connected by channels and levees that control water movement between pools.
Salt production began in this region during the 1850s when local families started industrial operations to meet growing demand for preservation. The ponds later became a significant economic activity in the bay and have shaped the landscape ever since.
The salt ponds reflect how local Native peoples, the Ohlone, harvested salt from these waters long before Europeans arrived. Today the site remains a reminder of how communities have worked with the bay's resources for generations.
You can observe the salt ponds from several hiking trails that run along the bay, with easy walking access to viewpoints. The winter months offer the best time for watching birds and wildlife that pass through the area.
The ponds shift in color from green to pink as the salt concentration increases and water stays longer in the basins. This striking change happens because specific microorganisms thrive in highly salty water and tint the pools with their pigments.
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