Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
8 mi northeast · Fish and Wildlife Service
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in a vast cultural and natural landscape.
Outdoors
Wildlife viewing and birding near Palo Alto
Refuges, lakes and wild areas near Palo Alto for wildlife viewing and birdwatching.
24places to see wildlife
8 mito the closest
1within 30 miles
Good to know: Early mornings and evenings are best for wildlife; bring binoculars and keep a respectful distance.
Closest picks
Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK)
31 mi northwest · National Park Service
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
Rob Hill Group Campground
31 mi northwest · Presidio Trust
As San Francisco's only group campground, Rob Hill offers a national park camping experience just minutes from the city.
Map of all 24 places
Map of 24 places loads as you scroll.
Within 30 miles (1)
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in a vast cultural and natural landscape.
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Nature education
- Photography
- Ranger programs
30 to 75 miles (17)
Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK)
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Climbing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- History
- Horseback riding
Rob Hill Group Campground
As San Francisco's only group campground, Rob Hill offers a national park camping experience just minutes from the city.
- Biking
- Birding
- Camping
- Hiking
- History
Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
An area of 3,295 square miles off the northern and central California coast, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary protects the wildlife and habitats of one of the most diverse and bountiful marine environments in the world.
- Boating
- Diving
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Photography
- Ranger programs
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
Kirby Cove Campground
Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Visitors are awarded breathtaking views of San Francisco, its famous Golden Gate Bridge, and the rugged Pacific Coast of northern California.
- Birding
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- History
- Mountain Biking
- Picnicking
- Water Access
S F Bay Model Regional Visitor Center
The Bay Model was built in 1957 as a research tool to test the impact of proposed changes to San Francisco Bay and its related waterways.
- Boating
- Fishing
- History
- Picnicking
- Water sports
- Wildlife viewing
Haypress Campground
Haypress Campground is nestled within the coastal scrub of Tennessee Valley, near Mill Valley. The hike to this campground is 1 mile from the Tennessee Valley Trail head parking lot, which means car or RV camping is not allowed.
- Biking
- Birding
- Camping
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
John Muir National Historic Site
John Muir’s life was a tapestry of roles—fruit rancher, family man, writer—each interwoven with his deep love for nature.
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- History
- Horseback riding
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
Muir Woods National Monument
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog.
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
Elkhorn Slough is one of the relatively few undisturbed coastal wetlands remaining in California.
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Photography
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
This 367-acre coastal National Wildlife Refuge is located where the Salinas River empties into Monterey Bay.
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Wildlife viewing
San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge
The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge located in Stanislaus County encompasses more than 7,300 acres of riparian woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands that host a diversity of wildlife native to California’s Great Central Valley.
- Birding
- Hiking
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Entirely offshore, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary protects soft seafloor habitat, a rocky bank, deep-sea canyons, and diverse wildlife, while acting as a feeding ground for many marine mammals and seabirds.
- Boating
- Fishing
- Wildlife viewing
Point Reyes National Seashore Campground
Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. Note: For reservation purposes, our campgrounds are organized under the "loop" column of the reservation grid.
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Camping
- Hiking
- History
- Horse Camping
San Luis Lake and State Wildlife Area
Recreation facilities at San Luis Lake were constructed under a cost-share agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation and the State of Colorado during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Picnicking
- Water sports
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the most spectacular marine protected areas. This sanctuary also has one of the largest underwater canyons and closest-to-shore deep ocean environments.
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Diving
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Paddling
Point Reyes National Seashore
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
75 miles and farther (6)
Oak Shores Day Use Area (Ca)
Nestled between Blue Ridge and Cedar Roughs east of Napa Valley, Lake Berryessa provides ample public recreation opportunities.
- Birding
- Camping
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Guided Interpretive Walks
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Nature education
White Oaks Campground
Amid a grove of towering trees, eight campsites create a loop within White Oaks Campground, just off Tassajara Road.
- Biking
- Camping
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
China Camp Campground
Pleasantly nestled under a large canopy of pine trees, China Camp is a campground where peace and quiet is commonplace. The spacious campsites allow you to set up camp with more than enough space between you and your neighbors.
- Biking
- Camping
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Pinnacles Campground
Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California. The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano.
- Camping
- Climbing
- Hiking
- Ranger programs
- Wildlife viewing
Deer Flat Boat In Campground
New Hogan Dam and Lake is located in the oak- and brush-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The 4,400 acre lake was created in 1964 with the completion of New Hogan Dam.
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Swimming
- Water Access
- Wildlife viewing
Arroyo Seco
Arroyo Seco Campground is a semi-rustic, but developed facility in California's westernmost national forest.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Palo Alto. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Get outside around Palo Alto
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
Things to do Palo Alto, California
A local activity Short shared by ThingssToDo.
Watch on YouTube ↗
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
Top 3 Best Things to Do in Palo Alto, CA! 🌴🚶♂️
A local activity Short shared by Sudarshan Senthilvel.
Watch on YouTube ↗Around Palo Alto
More outdoors near Palo Alto
Questions
Where is the closest place for wildlife & birding near Palo Alto?
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Fish and Wildlife Service), about 8 miles northeast of Palo Alto as the crow flies. Next are Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK) (31 mi) and Rob Hill Group Campground (31 mi).
Who manages these places?
Federal agencies including National Park Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fish and Wildlife Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.