500+ Acres of Sonoma Coastal Land Open for First Time in a Century
A 547-acre stretch of undeveloped California coastline at the mouth of the Estero Americano estuary has officially opened to the public for the first time in nearly 100 years.
The Estero Americano Coast Preserve is located south of Bodega Bay and west of Valley Ford. It is managed by the Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit organization based in the San Bernardino Mountains. The conservancy acquired the property in 2015 and spent years preparing it for public access.
The preserve features tidal marshes, mudflats, eelgrass beds, and grassy hills that bloom with irises in the spring. It provides critical habitat for species such as the Central California Coast steelhead, California red-legged frog, and tidewater goby. Visitors can also enjoy panoramic views extending to Point Reyes National Seashore and seasonal whale-watching opportunities.
The public can now access the property free of charge via a pedestrian gate off of the Shorttail Gulch Coastal Access Trail in southern Bodega Bay.
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Read more at SF Gate
