Coyote Hills Regional Park
Map SatelliteThe Coyote Hills, which trend in a generally north-south direction for some 4 kilometers (2.5 miles), are the peaks of ancient hills. Franciscan chert and greenstones are the dominant rocks and date from the early Cenozoic or late Cretaceous. The alluvium from the more recently uplifted Hayward hills to the east has all but buried this small range.
Along the western boundary of the Park are salt ponds which host many waterbirds in season. In the Park itself there are several freshwater marshes with cattails, Typha sp., and tule, Scirpus sp., dominant. A number of birds breed in the marshes, and during the migratory season a variety of ducks are found here. Most of the remainder of the Park is grassland with some Stipa sp. present or scrub, with coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, and California buckeye, Aesculus californica, prominent.
There are several Indian shell mounds in the Park.
Integrity: The area is developed as a park with full day-use facilities. Quarries are present. A former military base is now used as a Biosonar Laboratory for sea mammal research.
Use: Educational, light recreational, present.
November 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
