This plaza is in memory of Henry Miller, who is known as California's cattle king, and the Founding…read moreFather of Los Banos. It's a belt shape park located across the street from the hotel. When I visited, the center fountain is currently under maintenance, I have no idea how long it's been like that there is no water.

Cute park for kids 5 to 12 years old. Has a dedicated parking lot, but one of the two slides were…read moreout of order. Not sure if there were bathrooms open to the public.

Lots of green grass and wide open field! Has a playground and other play areas. Palm tree along the…read moreperimeter of park gives an island feel.

Nice new equipment for kids, but the park was pretty dirty when we visited. There are no bathrooms…read moreor basketball courts.

Thus park is huge and so so beautiful! Love walking here every morning and evening. Everyone I've…read morecome across here has been soo friendly! The grass is always so well maintained! The bathroom clean. I love this whole neighborhood

The Waterfowl Management Area located at 18110 Henry Miller Avenue, on the left, one can't miss it,…read morealthough it's blessedly unlikely that anyone will be in office to greet you, though there are portable restroom accommodations, is in my opinion, the rarest and most precious part of the wildlife refuge complex, one of the nation's true, understated, and relatively unknown treasures. Los Banos, advertises itself as "the crossroads of California". Exactly what is crossing there and from where I have yet to figure out. To my eye, it's a generally hotter than blazes agricultural area far, far to the east of Monterrey, far, far to the north of Fresno, and far enough from the Sierras to the east, and south enough of the endless wastelands of Stanislaus County, as to be somewhere out in the middle of the crossroads of nowhere. There is housing for ag workers, planters and harvesters, who sought a better life in el norte, and found what we got, and religiously send checks home to their families. One thinks that rent might be reasonable here. Follow 165 north of Los Banos only a little past (maybe a few miles) the intersection with 33 and, Henry Miller Drive comes up on your right. That being said, the waterfowl refuge is a lonely place, and a certain pathos accrues with that feeling. The area is comprised of a series of interconnected canals, and the regularity of these, the symmetry and almost manicured clean lines of the shores which indicate the involvement of humanity. The park is dedicated to the preservation of the remarkably intricate and refined habitat, the wetlands. Dawn and sunset are simply magnificent. Look hard and many species of bird life will be revealed to you. Absolutely, bring binoculars. I was particularly fortunate to be able to observe a flock or large family of egrets, and to be able to meditate on much else, within, and somewhat beyond cognition, in these turbulent times, inspired by this rare environment.

There is an office, but it wasn't open when I went (but it was late). If you have a California…read morehunting or fishing license, then there isn't a fee for you, otheriwse is was just a couple dollars or so. I got some good wildlife viewing in (mostly birds).

We made a quick stop here in the heat of the day last week. The wetland was dry, so not many birds…read morearound, but I bet this place is full of birds in other seasons! I walked the wetland trail a bit, but it was very hot so I didn't spend much time. We unfortunately did not know there was a visitors center and we never saw one. Definitely bring binoculars and look for birds especially when it's not summer!

Bird loop was good but so windy. Many egrets and grebes. Visitor center is closed on Sunday but…read morethere is a bathroom outside

For those headed to Rte 5 from the South Bay, you've likely passed Pacheco State Park on Hwy 152…read morebefore descending to the San Luis Reservoir. (But don't blink, or you'll miss the exit). Despite the unassuming entrance, it's a surprisingly large and beautiful park. Like a lot of hikes in the Diablo range, your experience will depend much on the season. Summer here is to be avoided, unless you are a heat-freak (or masochist). Fall and winter are much better, but still brown with a capital B. Spring, however, is the time to see sprouting trees and hills bathed in green. I went here with hiking buddy M in early March, and conditions were absolutely ideal. Some wildflowers were already out; and we spotted munching elk on an adjacent hillside (They scattered quickly.) The weather was sunny, windy, and in the 60s. Just gorgeous. (Photos added). Trail junctions were well-marked, but some trails were so faint they sometimes faded into pasture. (For those who want to hike on anything but primary fire roads, a navigation device is recommended.) We had excellent trail maps on our phones, so we were able to explore some more remote trails. Note: Being next to Henry Coe State Park, I had thought to call this a "mini Coe" but that's not accurate. It feels a little less wild and is windier (a wind farm borders the eastern side). Believe it or not, my biggest issue with the park was in leaving. To get back to the Bay Area - and starting from a dead stop - we had to cross two lanes of busy, eastbound traffic on Hwy 152 while also merging with two lanes of 70 mph traffic heading the other way. Patience pants were required, size XL. Hiking Spot Checklist: -- Parking: Self-register lot (paid) after entering gate, but there's also free parking 0.1 mi away (outside the gate) -- Bathrooms: Pit toilets at main entrance -- Potable water provided: No (bring plenty, especially in summer) -- Maps provided: Yes (but not very good); bring good maps on your phone -- Highlights: Unspoiled oak woodland and expansive views

Without GPS you would be completely lost hiking these trails. At least 40% of the trails are…read morebeautifully overgrown with wildflowers. There are at least a dozen places to make a wrong turn, but as long as you're not in a hurry, the wrong turn will likely leave you to a steep beautiful hillside. I did this hike on a beautifully sunny and cool April 1st. On a blazing hot day I think it would be miserable unless you have a good hat and plenty of water. Almost zero cover. April 1st 2023, the wildflowers were amazing. So many wildflowers that you couldn't find the trail. Check out my GPS track for this trail and you'll see how chaotic it got. But all the time it was amazing and beautiful.