Bay Nature Hike: Sausal Creek Restoration

01/24/2026 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT

Description

Join Bay Nature and Mark Rauzon and Michael Thilgen of Friends of Sausal Creek for a restoration tour of Sausal Creek on Saturday, January 24 from 10am - 12pm. For centuries, many of Oakland's creeks have been "dammed, concreted, and abandoned," writes Tanvi Dutta Gupta. "Then the creek got a little help from its friends—specifically, the Friends of Sausal Creek, which formed in 1996 to plant native species along the waterway’s banks as the city replaced a nearby sewer line. Since then, the group has expanded into a nonprofit that stewards the watershed in all its wanderings. From 2012 to 2016, Friends of Sausal Creek helped unearth the creek from underneath a manicured lawn in Dimond Park. Today, the creek flows in dappled sunlight—supporting rainbow trout, dense willows, and children who splash through the water." Learn about this history and the work that FOSC has done to restore Sausal Creek at this event! Tickets are free for Bay Nature Members.

This event is inspired by an upcoming piece by Tanvi Dutta Gupta in our Winter 2026 Issue about 25 years of restoration at four historic Bay Area sites, including Sausal Creek.

Meet Your Hike Leaders:

Mark Rauzon is a retired geography professor from Laney College. He is also a seabird biologist, specializing in the effects and eradication of invasive animals and plants on islands. A founding board member of the Friends of Sausal Creek, he has applied his specialization to the management of ‘islands’ in the urban Oakland landscape, while monitoring bird populations at nine sites in the Sausal Creek watershed for over twenty years.

Michael Thilgen is a retired landscape architect and landscape contractor who focuses on improving the ecological health of urban and suburban environments. Michael is a founding member of Friends of Sausal Creek. He has participated in the design and installation of many projects in the Sausal Creek Watershed during the last thirty years, including a native plant nursery, native plant gardens, and the daylighting of a section of the creek in Dimond Park.

Meet up Location: Attendees should meet up at the basketball court, near the bathrooms and within sight of the two parking lots. Google Maps Link.

Length and difficulty: This trip is approximately 2 miles round trip. The terrain is relatively flat (approximately 150 - 250 feet of elevation gain), bring boots as the terrain can be wet underfoot, most of the route is on hard-packed dirt, with some portions of paved pathway. The trail is near some seeps, with some foliage, trail of varying widths, some areas can be slippery when wet. Bring hiking poles if helpful.

Parking:

- Option 1: The parking lot near the Lion's Pool. Address: 3860 Hanly Rd, Oakland, CA 94602. Google Maps Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tute9iUD4L95WVsP7.

- Option 2: The parking lot right next to the park, including a couple of handicapped parking spot. Google Maps Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fxBMLh3eruRHhsuo9.

- Option 3: Street parking, especially west of the park

Weather Note: This event is a rain or shine event. We'll keep you posted closer to the event date if conditions seem troubling.

Access to restrooms and water: There is a bathroom and a sink for water, but plan to bring your own water bottles. At times the bathrooms can be closed, so plan to use the restroom beforehand.

Other notes: Bring a water bottle, warm layers, snacks, sun protection, and binoculars if you have them. Comfortable, waterproof walking shoes are recommended, hiking poles if helpful. No dogs are allowed on Bay Nature hikes. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entirety of the hike.

Photo by Lech Naumovich.