HomeCaliforniaEast Palo Alto › Cooley Landing Park

Cooley Landing Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 89 Google reviews · Running trail in East Palo Alto, California · Dawn to dusk

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Mixed
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Dawn to dusk

Confirmed from Cooley Landing Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

MixedScenicStroller / ADAFlat & fastRestroomsTrailhead parkingQuiet

Scenic park on the bay featuring a trail for hiking, biking and dog-walking.

What runners say about Cooley Landing Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (89 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 9 mentions

“Beautiful little area to walk dogs or bring kids to see the bay.”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 8 mentions

“Very peaceful except the engine drones of small planes taking off from a nearby airport.”

Nice vistas on the bay, very quiet on weekdays. Connects to bay trails where you can stroll and bike and observe nature for miles!

★★★★☆ — Jl , Sep 2022

Nice little Park on the water. Few picnic areas to occupy if you're wanting to spend significant time at the park. Some picnic area are also covered which is nice on those high UAV days. There's also some walking paths in the area as well that range from paved walkways to boardwalk and dirt/ gravel.

★★★★☆ — Iggy , Sep 2021

Beautiful little area to walk dogs or bring kids to see the bay. It's connected to the bay trail so if you want a longer walk it's perfect. There's a couple gravel docks where folks fish. And it has public restrooms and a bunch of picnic tables too. It's often windy so you might bring a jacket!

★★★★★ — Sara , Aug 2023

Plenty of parking for a short loop of a walk, very windy. Better smelling when it’s high tide probably.

★★★★☆ — Paul , Apr 2023

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 89 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 16 mentions

“The views of the Dumbarton Bridge and bay area great, There's a section of the bay trail running through which is great for biking or walking.”

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🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 7 mentions

“Very peaceful except the engine drones of small planes taking off from a nearby airport.”

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🚻 Restrooms 4 mentions

“First time coming here, clean bathrooms lots of places to sit.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 3 mentions

“Good history apparently used to be known as little San Francisco , i love bay area history, lots of parking, thanks for taking the time to read my short review 😎”

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🪨 Crushed gravel / limestone 2 mentions

“There's also some walking paths in the area as well that range from paved walkways to boardwalk and dirt/ gravel.”

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Flat & fast 2 mentions

“Great hiking/biking trails mostly flat in tidal flat preserve.”

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🪵 Boardwalk

“There's also some walking paths in the area as well that range from paved walkways to boardwalk and dirt/ gravel.”

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Stroller / ADA accessible

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Plan your run at Cooley Landing Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
  • SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
  • Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
  • Websitecityofepa.org
  • Phone+1 650-385-3100

Hours

Monday 6 am–10 pm
Tuesday 6 am–10 pm
Wednesday 6 am–10 pm
Thursday 6 am–10 pm
Friday 6 am–10 pm
Saturday 6 am–10 pm
Sunday 6 am–10 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Cooley Landing Park

2100 Bay Rd, East Palo Alto, CA 94303

Get directions

Running trails near East Palo Alto

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

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All running trails in East Palo Alto, CA →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.