The Baylands protects some of the last remaining salt marsh and mud flat habitats on the west coast. It offers excellent birding year round. Wintertime high tides bring bird watchers from around the world. In the spring and fall, the Baylands is a prime stopover or destination for birds traveling on the Pacific route of their migration flyway.

Esther Clark Nature Preserve is a small, undeveloped nature reserve of grassland and oaks. It has no picnic tables, restrooms, or other amenities. It is a good place for quiet meditation or watching the sun set.

Foothills Park is a 1,400-acre preserve with rugged chaparral, woodland, fields, streams, a lake, and spectacular views of the bay. Wildlife abounds, and it is common to see deer and coyotes; if you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of a bobcat.

Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is a beautiful mixture of rolling savannah grassland and broadleaf evergreen forest. It varies in elevation from 275 feet in the northeast to 775 feet in the southwest. Wildlife abounds on the preserve and it is not uncommon to see deer, bobcats, coyotes, and many varieties of birds. Each area of the preserve has something different to offer, whether it be a view of the bay, a quiet walk through the grasslands, or a snooze by the lake.

The City of Palo Alto offers a variety of nature programs, hikes, bike rides, walks, workshops, and other activities in the open space preserves. A schedule of these events is listed in the Enjoy! catalog.

Visit the parks map for location and addresses of the open space preserves and parks.