Bodega's Beautiful Bird Walk

Bodega Bay may be best known as the backdrop for Alfred Hitchcock’s famous movie The Birds, but there’s a softer side to the dramatic coastline here, and its resident birds!

Thank the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department for revitalizing the saltwater marsh at Bodega’s Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail, which loops around two ponds and provides a bird’s–eye view of serene Bodega Bay. Bird Walk Trail is adjacent to the marsh, which is home to thousands of feathered friends, among them snowy egrets, willets, and northern pintails.

From the small parking area, walk up just a few feet to the 1-mile trail and choose your own direction. You can’t really get lost. A few benches make nice vantage stops. We recommend connecting to the Cheney Creek Bridge Trail, which literally bridges to Doran Regional Park and its 2 miles of white sand beach and BBQ area. Tomales Point unfurls to the south, complemented by the bluffs of Bodega Head to the west. 

Park at the small Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail parking lot on Hwy. 1 (map), or go into Doran Regional Park and start the walk there. Either way there’s a $7 parking fee. Wheelchair accessible trail. Dog-friendly!