Hamilton Wetlands turns a former airfield toward the bay

Hamilton Wetlands shows a big change on Novato’s bay edge. Land that was once tied to Hamilton Army Airfield now includes housing, schools, parks, open space, and a long-running wetland restoration project beside San Pablo Bay.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers describes the project in phases, with a former airfield parcel and the Bel Marin Keys Unit V area part of the larger restoration vision. A levee breach in 2014 let bay water return to part of the site, and public trail access opened along a portion of the edge.

This is a restoration note, not a promise that every part is open. Cleanup, habitat work, monitoring, and public access can each follow different timelines. Check Novato and USACE updates before treating a map line as a walkable route.

The public trail is the visible part. The longer story is also about cleanup, former military land, levees, habitat, and how the bay edge is being repaired over time.

For a walk, stay with the public trail. For the bigger story, read the project page. Restoration takes time. Some areas are not for visitors.