Along the south side of the Carquinez Strait, the hills rise up to 750 feet above the water, and tugboats push along the channel below. The East Bay Regional Park District's Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline covers 1,568 acres of those bluffs and shoreline along Carquinez Scenic Drive, between the town of Crockett and the hills above Martinez.

The George Miller Trail

The state built Carquinez Scenic Drive along the strait in 1912 and later handed it to Contra Costa County. Major storms and landslides in 1983 tore gaps in the road and closed it to cars for good. The county chose to make it a trail for hikers, joggers, cyclists and riders. Wikipedia recounts that the park district negotiated for nearly a decade before reaching an easement deal in December 2012. Stabilizing the old road with piers, drains and walls cost about $5.5 million. The trail opened in autumn 2014 and is named for former U.S. Rep. George Miller of Martinez, who helped get $3.5 million in federal funding. The San Francisco Bay Trail passes through the park.

Franklin Ridge views

From the Franklin Ridge Loop Trail and the California Riding and Hiking Trail, you can see Mount Tamalpais to the west and Mount Diablo to the east, the park district says. Across the strait are the marshes of Benicia State Recreation Area. The land mixes open grassland, wooded ravines, eucalyptus meadows and shoreline. Golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and barn owls use the valley oaks for perches and nests. Cattle graze parts of the hills seasonally.

History along the water

At the park's northwestern edge are the remains of a former brickworks, grain wharf and resort from around the turn of the 20th century. The park is split in two by private property. Its western section runs from Crockett to Port Costa, and the larger eastern section extends toward Martinez and the John Muir National Historic Site.

Getting there

There are three staging areas: Nejedly at 2 Carquinez Scenic Drive in Martinez; Bull Valley and Eckley Pier at 166 Carquinez Scenic Drive in Port Costa; and the George Miller Trail Port Costa staging area at 9000 Carquinez Scenic Drive. From November through February, the gates are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Also nearby: king-tide closures at the Martinez shoreline.