Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont spreads across 1,266 acres along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay and has been a destination since its dedication in 1967. The terrain mixes marshlands with rolling grasslands, giving you plenty of variety on trails that work well for dogs of different fitness levels. You’ll see plenty of other people out here year-round—spring through fall draws the biggest crowds, though winter offers a quieter experience if you prefer a more peaceful walk.

The park is part of the East Bay Regional Parks system, so it’s well-maintained with clear access points. Most visitors come for hiking and jogging, but the trails work just as well for a dog walk. Bring binoculars if you’re into bird watching, since the bay-adjacent location means you’ll spot waterfowl and raptors, though your dog will be more interested in the ground-level smells.

A meaningful detail that sets Coyote Hills apart: on November 27, 2022, the park unveiled 35 updated trail markers that include names in Chochenyo, the language of the Tuibun Ohlone, the park’s First Peoples. This project, which started back in 2016 with the Muwékma Ohlone Tribe Language Committee, restored traditional place names to the landscape and now appears on signage throughout the park. The markers were installed during Native American Heritage Month, honoring the Máyyan Šaatošikma—what we know as Coyote Hills—as ancestral homeland.

The park’s interpretive programs have been enhanced by these additions, so if you’re interested in the land’s history and indigenous roots, you’ll find more context as you walk the trails. The combination of good dog-friendly terrain and this cultural restoration makes a visit here feel like more than just another park outing.