Berkeley Meadow
Berkeley Meadow Map
About Berkeley Meadow in Berkeley
McLaughlin Eastshore State Park State Seashore is a unique linear park that stretches along 8.5 miles of the San Francisco Bay shoreline, spanning from Oakland to Richmond in California. Established in 2002 and renamed in 2012 to honor environmental activist Sylvia McLaughlin, this 1,854-acre park encompasses both tidelands and uplands, offering visitors a diverse landscape of natural and restored habitats.
The park includes several distinct areas, each with its own ecological significance. The Emeryville Crescent, a 558-acre tidal marsh and cove near the Bay Bridge, supports up to 14,000 shorebirds and thousands of other avian species. To the north, the Albany mudflats rival the Crescent in waterbird numbers. The park's 260 acres of uplands provide crucial habitat for bird species that are becoming increasingly rare in the Bay Area, such as the Western Meadowlark and Northern Harrier.
McLaughlin Eastshore State Park reflects the unique influences of both natural systems and human intervention. Visitors can explore tidelands with rich marshes and mudflats, as well as restored meadows, beaches, constructed shorelines, and former landfilled uplands. The park comprises various sections, including the Berkeley Meadow, North Basin Strip, Brickyard, Albany Plateau and Neck, and Hoffman Marsh.
A significant feature of the park is its inclusion of a popular segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail. This multi-use path allows visitors to walk, jog, or cycle along the shoreline, enjoying panoramic views of the Bay, San Francisco skyline, and surrounding landscapes. The trail has been gradually extended over the years, with recent additions closing critical gaps and enhancing connectivity along the shoreline.
The park's creation and ongoing development are testaments to decades of citizen efforts to protect the San Francisco Bay as a public open space resource. It serves as a recreational facility that harmonizes with its natural setting, providing a vital green space in the midst of one of California's most highly urbanized areas.
