Almanac note · Outdoors
Hamilton Wetlands turns a former airfield toward the bay
Hamilton Wetlands gives Novato a baylands restoration story where former military land, levees, public trails, habitat, and long-term monitoring meet.
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.
Where to see it
Hamilton Wetlands and the public trail edge near Novato. Check city and USACE updates before assuming access.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 1, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
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