Rating the Bay Area outdoors experiences

The crown prince of Bay Area wildlife, a big tule elk photographed in February, 2014, out of Pierce Ranch at Point Reyes National Seashore, backed by Tomales Bay The crown prince of Bay Area wildlife, a big tule elk photographed in February, 2014, out of Pierce Ranch at Point Reyes National Seashore, backed by Tomales Bay Photo: Martin Denicke Photo: Martin Denicke Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Rating the Bay Area outdoors experiences 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Does the Bay Area make the grade for the outdoors?

As spring peaks, the vacation season is imminent and visits spike to the region’s 275 recreation sites, how does the Bay Area rate for natural beauty, wildlife watching, hiking, biking, camping, fishing and boating?

The final exams for natural beauty, wildlife watching and hiking reward with A grades. The ratings range across the spectrum for biking and camping. Fishing and boating get mediocre passing grades.

In most cases, the quality of the experience is magnified — negatively and positively — based on when you visit. It can be two worlds out there: a paradise Mondays through Friday mornings, but issues of congestion, filled parking lots and conflicts on the roads and trails on the weekends. That known, here are the grades, and in some cases, what needs to be done to make it better.

Natural beauty

Everywhere you turn, the beauty of the region is preeminent. Experiences can be surreal. For those who live here, the views can validate your choice: the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, the coast to the Farallon Islands, across protected foothill and canyon wildlands, and the 360-degree panoramas from dozens of mountaintop lookouts. According to the best surveys available, about 75 percent of the land in the region is protected in parks, watersheds or open space.

Grade: A+

Wildlife watching

Elk, deer: Elk watching at Pierce Ranch at Point Reyes National Seashore and Grizzly Island Wildlife Area are the best in California. Populations of small black-tailed deer (and their fawns in June) flourish in many foothill habitats and, in turn, provide prey for a growing population of mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats.

Whales: You can see the “puff-of-smoke” spout of passing gray whales January through June from the best coastal lookouts. At times, a wayward whale even enters the Bay, as happened last Thursday off Crissy Field. In summer, the number of humpback whale — and their spectacular shows with jumps and pirouettes — have been excellent in the Gulf of the Farallones.

Waterfowl, raptors: About 1.5 million waterfowl, shorebirds and marine birds will spend the winter at 20 primary bay wetlands, and thousands of others arrive on the Pacific Flyway for shorter stays. The large population of ground squirrels in the Calaveras Watershed and Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness leads to high numbers of golden eagles, as well an array of local-resident raptors.

Grade: A+

Hiking

This past year, I made a list of my favorite 200-plus hikes in the region, looked it over in detail, and saw it included 12 mountaintops, 20 waterfalls, 10 redwood forests and dozens of trails with waterfront views and many others in foothill wilderness. What other metropolitan area in the world could offer this? None. The region is not without issues, however. Many would like to see more — and better — parking available on weekends at trailheads. On the Peninsula’s Crystal Springs Watershed, the Fifield-Cahill Trail could be opened up overnight. In turn, a connecting route on an existing service road could then be added that leads up the backside of Montara Mountain to connect with trails at McNee State Park.

Grade: A

Biking

Mountain biking: My analysis of the region’s parks, open space and Marin watershed lands counted about 150 top routes available for mountain bikers. On many watershed lands, the ranch roads still closed to the public could greatly expand biking opportunities and reduce numbers at current areas. In the meantime, too many mountain bikers go too fast downhill and poach trails that are closed to them and, in turn, create conflict, trail erosion and contribute to a poor image. That needs to stop.

Road biking: The two-lane roads in the foothills could provide a network of world-class routes. But the roads are so narrow, with lack of safe passing areas, that conflicts over shared space at different speeds is inevitable. In addition, the lack of raised warning bumps on the right side of lanes means a distracted car driver could drift into the shoulder and hit a road biker they never see. Some riders act entitled, some drivers seem out to get them.

Grade: B

Camping

A perception, for many, is that “all the good spots are taken.” Last week, I rated the greater Bay Area’s top 50 campgrounds; only three are perpetually booked where you have to game the reservation system: Steep Ravine Cabins on the Marin Coast, and Wildcat and Sky Camp at Point Reyes. Of the rest, you often have your choice of campsites, Sunday-Thursday, though nailing a Saturday night reservation requires some planning. The high number of trail camps — I counted 137, including 52 hike-in sites at seven trail camps in the Santa Cruz Mountains — provides spectacular prospects in May through mid-June, when the High Sierra is still snowbound.

Grade: B+

Fishing

Trout, bass: The Department of Fish and Wildlife is required to spend one-third of fishing license money on trout stocks. But in the greater Bay Area, for instance, the DFW made only two small trout plants for all of April in 74 lakes (57 of which have public access). Only the lakes in the East Bay hills that get supplemental stocks purchased with daily fishing permits are worth the trip. Del Valle, San Pablo, Los Vaqueros, Lafayette and Chabot are the best. One solution would be to plant spotted bass to create a self-perpetuating fishery.

Striped bass, salmon: It’s been a very good spring for striped bass in the delta and San Pablo Bay. That could be a sign of a good summer to come in San Francisco Bay and along the coast at Pacifica. As for salmon, with a fair forecast of abundance and some rough weather days, salmon trips have been few and sporadic since the April 2 opener. In the past two weeks, though, several trips have rocked out with limits for all aboard with big fish, and often within 10, 15 miles along the Marin Coast.

Grade: C+

Boating

Kayaking: The ability to throw your kayak on top of your car and quickly launch and paddle can make the bay, coast, delta and several lakes in the East Bay hills your paradise. From the water, the beauty of local bay landmarks is unparalleled. But it remains ridiculous that kayaking is not allowed at 40 lakes in the region, including all the lakes in Marin and on the Peninsula.

Powerboats: The delta is a savior, with unbelievable miles of waterways to explore, fish and play. If you have a slip at a marina on the bay or at Pillar Point Harbor, you hit the lottery. Otherwise, the Bay Area is a difficult place to own a powerboat or sailboat. Many towns won’t even let you park a boat in your driveway. Even then, for an area with 7.65 million people and need for the wide-open spaces of water, boat ramps are scarce. In addition, of the 74 lakes in the region, the rules forbid powerboats at all but a few; San Pablo and Del Valle in the East Bay hills, and Calero, Coyote and Anderson in southern Santa Clara County.

Grade: C-

Tom Stienstra’s Outdoor Report can be heard at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Saturdays on KCBS (740 and 106.9). Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com

Bay Area recreation contacts

Federal

Golden Gate National Recreation Area: Pacific West Information Center, (415) 561-4700, www.nps.gov/goga

Point Reyes National Seashore: Bear Valley Visitors Center, (415) 464-5100, www.nps.gov/pore

Marin Headlands: Visitor Center, (415) 331-1540, www.nps.gov/goga

Presidio: Visitor Center, (415) 561-4323, www.nps.gov/prsf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife: Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Newark, (510) 792-0222, www.fws.gov; Environmental Education Center, Alviso, (408) 262-5513, www.fws.gov/desfbay

State

State Parks: Bay Area District, (707) 769-5652, www.parks.ca.gov

Department of Fish and Wildlife: Bay Area Regional Office, (707) 944-5500, www.wildlife.ca.gov

Regional watersheds

Marin Watershed: Marin Municipal Water District, (415) 945-1195; Sky Oaks Ranger Station, (415) 945-1181www.marinwater.org

East Bay MUD: East Bay Municipal Utility District, (866) 403-2683, www.ebmud.com — click on “recreation”

Contra Costa Water District: Los Vaqueros Marina, (925) 371-2628; watershed information, www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros

San Francisco Water Department: Customer Services, SF PUC, (415) 551-3000. www.sfwater.org

Regional park districts

San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department: McLaren Lodge/Golden Gate Park, (415) 831-2700, http://sfrecpark.org

Marin Parks: Marin County Parks and Open Space, (415) 499-6387, www.marincountyparks.org

East Bay Regional Park District: Headquarters, (888) 327-2757, www.ebayparks.org

Midpeninsula Open Space District: Headquarters, (650) 691-1200, www.openspace.org

San Mateo County Parks: Headquarters, (650) 363-4020, http://parks.smcgov.org

Santa Clara County Parks Department: Headquarters, (408) 355-2200, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks

Napa: Napa County Regional Park & Open Space District, e-mail form available at website, http://napaoutdoors.org

Sonoma Parks: Sonoma County Regional Parks, (707), 565-2041, http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

Solano Parks: Solano County Parks, (707) 784-6765, http://solanocounty.com