The Salt Ponds of Bedwell Bayfront Park
/Hear ye, hear ye,
2020 is hereby declared as the year of the local explorer!
If you’re like me and travel is indispensable for your good constitution, you can relate to my now weekly exercise of planning weekend ‘trips’. The word has taken on a simplified definition these days, signifying a relaxed drive on a sunny Saturday to someplace reasonably close that we haven’t been before. Here’s where I get misty eyed about where I live, because as much as I yell about my problems with the Bay Area on a daily basis (and there are many!), it sure is a soul filling wonderland of explorers’ delights. I like to think that I’ve explored a fair amount in the 3+ years that I’ve lived here, and yet, there’s an endless list of local sights that keeps forming. Having lived in places that weren’t as abundant with explorations prior, I never, ever take this for granted! 🙏🏽
A couple of weekends ago, the destination of our trip was this hidden gem- the salt ponds of Bedwell Bayfront Park. Only a 20 minute drive from where I live, this 160-acre bayside park (that used to be a landfill!!) is popular for walking, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities. But what we were really there to see were the salt ponds. If you’re not the robot that I am, sleeping soundly before the plane even takes off, you may have seen large colorful lake-ish areas flying into or out of the Bay Area and wondered what they were. These are the 16000 acres of salt ponds in the Peninsula and South Bay, including the ones at Bedwell Bayfront Park. They were privately owned by Cargill until 2003, when the majority of the ponds were sold back to the state. The state has since been working to restore them to their original native state via the Salt Pond Restoration Project. If the project’s goal of reverting the ponds back into an abundant marshland ecosystem continues on track, the unique landscape in these photos is but a temporary attraction. Read as: Plan your visit sooner than later! ⏳
Fun fact about these salt ponds: the amazing colors are from the various microorganisms that are thriving in the super-saline waters! They’re only visible up close, so make sure to walk up the hill towards the Facebook property after parking at the restrooms and peer at it like I am in these photos.
Also, I just discovered that a second salt pond site that’s open to public access is in Alviso Marina County Park in San Jose. Are ya reading this, K? 😛
Also, on a tangential topic, please forgive me for a second while I gush about my outfit here! This eyelet lace top with it’s summery floral print, puff sleeves, tortoise button front and waist tie is a new favorite addition to my closet. 💙 I mean, how many cute details is too many for a single piece of clothing? Asking for a friend.😍
If you happen to visit this amazing spot, be sure to let me know how you like it! 😊
Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead!
XO Sushmitha :)
