Heron's Head Park

Heron's Head Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a beautiful way to explore nature with a twist -- it is actually one of the last areas of artificially-made city land. Created in the 1970s as part of a failed project that was supposed to be a shipping terminal, the area was turned into Heron's Head Park in the late 1990s by a few environmental groups.

Now, it's a pawpular destination for hikers, bike riders, bird watchers, and dog walkers. It's a peninsula, so the wildlife you'll get to see is abundant, and the scenery can't be beat. The three sides of water attract plenty of birds, and the salt marsh at the south side brings in a bevy of animals looking for their next meal.

While the simple dirt trail here is flat with no incline, it would be easy to spend the day here with your best furry friend and a picnic lunch and watch nature at its best. Along the trail, you will find interpretive panels that provide information about many of the local birds that inhabit the area.

The trail dead-ends at the bay, but it is easily accessible for all ages and is wheelchair-friendly. There is an EcoCenter if you are interested, but Fido has to stay leashed at one of the outdoor picnic tables (where you can also cook on one of the barbecue grills provided). You can also head to the trail break on the right, which takes you to India Basin Shoreline Park.

The views are spectacular: you can see across the bay to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the north, and the Hunter's Point old naval shipyard to the south.

Many locals who live in the area volunteer to keep this trail clean, and it is used as a youth leadership experience, so you will likely see many young people offering to help you learn about the area.