Shoreline at Mountain View sits on the edge of San Francisco Bay. Few visitors realize much of it was built on garbage.

From landfill to park

Shoreline Lake says the City of Mountain View began planning a regional park in 1968. According to Wikipedia, the city bought the site in 1967, but raising it 20 feet to prevent flooding cost too much, so it was run as a landfill taking garbage from San Francisco. The park opened in 1983, with some early methane fires, and won the League of California Cities' Helen Putnam Award for public works in 1987.

What is there

  • Shoreline Lake: A 50-acre artificial lake. The Boathouse rents sailboats, windsurfing gear, kayaks and other boats, and offers classes, Wikipedia says.
  • Golf: Shoreline Golf Links is an 18-hole links-style course with a driving range.
  • History: The Rengstorff House, a Victorian mansion moved into the park.
  • Trails: Miles of paved and unpaved paths, some part of the San Francisco Bay Trail, linking to the Stevens Creek Trail and the Palo Alto Baylands.
  • Wildlife: A refuge at the bay's edge, and meadows near Permanente Creek that Wikipedia calls critical remnant habitat for western burrowing owls.

Current notes

Shoreline Lake says its American Bistro is temporarily closed for remodeling, while the Boathouse remains open. During construction, free parking is first-come, first-served, and the designated trailer spots are holding storage containers. The Boathouse closes at 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

No dogs, even in the car

Because Shoreline Park is a protected wildlife refuge, Shoreline Lake says no pets, including dogs, may enter the park, even inside a vehicle. The city, which owns the park, provides a dog area outside it.

Getting there without a car

Shoreline Lake suggests Caltrain to San Antonio station, then VTA Bus 40 to Charleston Road and Amphitheatre Parkway. From there it is less than a mile on foot along the trail bordering Permanente Creek, through the golf course and past the Rengstorff House to the lake.