Making up over 10 percent of California’s remaining natural wetlands, the Suisun (suh-soon) Marsh , 35 miles northeast of San Francisco, is a massive sprawl—nearly 116,000 acres. Sitting at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, it’s a striking area of low-lying islands and silent, sprawling tidal wetlands, and offers great hiking (trails are level and easy), wildlife viewing and fishing.
Grizzly Island’s waters are home to striped bass, white catfish, white sturgeon, black crappie, and even the occasional largemouth bass. (The bass seem most abundant in early summer, when the normally brackish waters of the marsh are at their freshest.) The Grizzly Island complex isn’t small; we’re talking roughly 15,000 acres with 75 miles of road and trail.
Try hiking the graveled trails at Peytonia Slough. Wherever you hike, keep a close eye on the trail; you might see otter footprints or the hoof marks of tule elk. Introduced to the island in the late ’70s, the elk have flourished. Don’t neglect the skies either; the marsh is home to over 220 species of birds. If you’re lucky—and alert—you might spot a peregrine falcon.