McLaughlin Eastshore State Park

McLaughlin Eastshore State Park is a wildlife refuge and state park along the San Francisco Bay shoreline in the East Bay. The property spans tidal zones and upland areas with various ecosystems including salt marshes and coastal prairies.

The property became a state park in 2012 and was named after Sylvia McLaughlin, a co-founder of Save The Bay organization. The land underwent cleanup and conversion into wildlife habitats following its official designation.

The refuge reveals to visitors the diversity of bay habitats with salt marshes, coastal prairies, and bird-watching opportunities along the trails. The landscape offers different views across seasons and allows people to experience wildlife and plant life firsthand.

The park has multiple entry points along the shoreline with wheelchair-accessible trails and restrooms at main access areas. Visitors should plan to walk the trails during earlier hours of the day, as the location sits in a heavily traveled part of the East Bay.

Much of the park was built on the site of a former landfill that underwent extensive cleanup and was transformed into valuable natural habitat. The transformation demonstrates how severely damaged land can be brought back to life.