Tiburon Waterfront

According to Access Northern California (http://accessnca.org/access-northern-california/explore/explore-detail-view/?site_id=151): On the eastern shore of Richardson Bay, at the intersection of Tiburon Boulevard and Greenwood Beach Road, is a 12-acre public open space called Blackie’s Pasture, dedicated to a celebrated horse named Blackie who grazed here for 28 years. This is where people park to begin hiking the wide, paved, and mostly level Tiburon Peninsula Historic Trail (aka Tiburon Linear Park or Tiburon Bike Path), which runs 2.5 miles along the water through Richardson Bay Park to downtown Tiburon. There’s abundant bird-watching at Richardson Bay, as it hosts more than 1 million migratory birds every year. The trail was once part of a train route bringing food and supplies to Tiburon, as you can learn from interpretive panels along the way. Toward the end of the trail, in linear Shoreline Park, is the Tiburon Railroad and Ferry Depot Museum. Constructed in 1885 as part of the San Francisco and North Pacific Tiburon terminal, this depot was the railroad and ferry link to San Francisco until 1967. The ground floor houses a working scale model of the rail yard and ferry terminal as it was in 1909 with historic photographs, and artifacts. The second floor (not accessible) has a reconstruction of the stationmaster’s residence. Before heading out on the trail, you can follow the dirt path on the Bay side of the parking lot that leads to a lovely area where you can get close to the waters of Richardson Bay and admire the views of Sausalito and San Francisco. Scheduled passenger ferries to Angel Island leave from 21 Main St. in downtown Tiburon. ACCESSIBILITY: There is designated handicapped-accessible parking at Blackie’s Pasture, along Tiburon Blvd. (south of Lyford Drive), and at Donohue Depot on Paradise Dr. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are a few hundred feet past the bridge at Blackie’s Pasture (open sunrise to sunset), by the children’s play area, and on Main Street at the ferry landing for Angel Island. Sometimes there is an accessible portable unit at the west end of Paradise Drive. There are accessible picnic tables at Located at the children’s playground at McKegney Green and at Blackie's Pasture. The trail is mostly level, except for a short uphill stretch by McKegney Green and a very steep incline where the asphalt trail connects back to the main trail. The typical width is at least four feet. A landscaped area with more than 250 native plants is at the start of the asphalt trail that leads toward downtown Tiburon. A statue of Blackie stands tall off in a field - the field surface may be firm enough to roll across and get close to the statue. Back on the trail, you cross over a small creek bed on Schapero Bridge (named after the Tiburon town treasurer responsible for protecting Blackie’s Pasture), then pass restrooms before reaching a junction. Continue uphill on the asphalt trail or follow the hard-packed gravel trail for less than 0.3 miles as it hugs the shoreline. Some of the best views are on this stretch. A children’s play area that is tucked against the hillside can be reached from either trail, but access is easiest from the asphalt trail. After the trail curves inland, it climbs a very steep incline and reconnects to the main trail. Back on the main trail, Bay views soon disappear. Instead you see residences and tennis courts for the next 1.5 miles. After you cross San Rafael Avenue, trees enclose the trail. At Cove Road, bicycles are directed to an on-street bike lane and pedestrians continue on sidewalks another 0.5 miles to downtown. Here you can opt for a lunch break or drinks at one of the waterside cafes along Main Street, or continue a quarter-mile on the trail as it curves along the Bay through Shoreline Park. Grassy areas with benches provide opportunities to stop and admire Angel Island. You’ll pass the Railroad and Ferry Museum before you reach the trail’s end at Elephant Rock, which is a few feet offshore and is reached by a ramp. The wooden deck surrounding the rock has small gaps through which you can see the water below.