Byxbee Recreation Area

Rate this place

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Byxbee Recreation Area is a 126-acre park located in Santa Clara County, California.


°F

°F

mph

Wind

%

Humidity

Summary

The park is known for its natural beauty, wildlife, and outdoor recreational activities. One of the main reasons to visit Byxbee Recreation Area is for its scenic walking and jogging trails that offer stunning views of San Francisco Bay and the surrounding hills.

The park also features a bird sanctuary that attracts a variety of bird species, including egrets and herons. Visitors can explore the bird sanctuary through a network of raised boardwalks that wind through the area. Additionally, the park features a playground, picnic areas, and a large pond where visitors can fish.

One interesting fact about Byxbee Recreation Area is that it was once a landfill that was transformed into a park through a process called "cap and cover." The park's hills and trails were built over the old landfill, which is now safely sealed off.

The best time of year to visit Byxbee Recreation Area is in the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the park is not too crowded. However, it is open year-round and visitors can enjoy the park's amenities during any season.

       

Weather Forecast

Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
View more

Featured Parks