This hike is always a great one. I would rate this one as moderate as the loop we hiked was a bit…read moreover 7 miles with 1225 ft in climbing. It begins with approximately over 3 miles of climbing with ferns & redwoods. We were on the search for the rocking chair- we found the location but it was replaced with Adirondack chairs- not as much fun, however, much more suitable to sit and enjoy the fabulous views. Instead of making this an out and back hike we did the loop coming down a much easier incline.

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this amazing trail sooner! I've hiked it for years and it never…read moregets old. Usually I stop at the Pomo Campground, but this time we went all the way up Red Hill and looped back. The views are unreal -- ocean, Russian River, and the coastal range all in one sweep. If you make it to the top, bring a sandwich and take in the scenery from the picnic table. Totally worth it!

Fun trail with lots of diversity. Hiking the Pomo Canyon trail, you'll get redwoods, coastal views,…read morewildflowers, sweeping hillsides and rocky meadows. I find the easiest way to start is by parking at Shell Beach on the Sonoma coast-it's also free to park here. Cross Highway 1 and you'll see the trail climb, at first as a wider fire road but then narrowing and starting to leave behind the traffic noise of the coastal highway. It's moderately challenging to climb but levels out in spots and alternates between sun and shade. When you get to the first junction (a short way in) of Red Hill trail, keep left and follow the signs for Pomo Canyon, as I feel the trail is best done counter clockwise. Along the way up, you'll go through narrow single track trails that are a bit overgrown-long pants recommended! In April, there was a colorful array of wildflowers and still some mud on the trail. You'll encounter some beautiful redwood groves before you each the next junction which gives you an option to turn left and make it down to the Pomo Canyon campground or to the right to complete your loop via the Red Hill trail. I like to turn right and climb red hill to enjoy the sweeping views of the coast and Jenner, where you can see the junction of the Russian River. This will loop you back down to where you started and ends up being just shy of 6 miles. Beautiful views, majestic redwoods and colorful wildflowers make this a fun spring hike.

An amazing network of trails of all levels can be found at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, as well as…read moreinformational trails that are great for kids. You can pick up a list of trails and rough map at the entrance. We meandered creekside, and looped Hillside Trail to meadow trail, all with amazing scenery. Very clean and well-maintained park, with plenty of rangers. Loads of great picnic areas as well. Can't wait to return and try more hikes.

This state park was relatively easy to get to despite the long drive and heavy traffic from…read morePeninsula. However the road leading up to the park was relatively straightforward. We are getting into camping this year and this was our trial run with all the new gears we bought. We rented camper site #1 which is labeled as "premium". Maybe it was a bit bigger than the regular sites but other than that it didn't feel particularly premium. Since #1 and 48 are the first and last sites in the campground loop and closest to the visitor center, they had the best WiFi reception. The downside is we were the farthest to the bathrooms and showers which were located on the opposite site of the loop. This made trekking over at night a bit inconvenient. The bathrooms were somewhat clean and the showers are coin-operated at the cost of 25c per minute. Shampoo and body wash were provided which is nice. All in all this was a nice introductory experience for us. If we were to come back to camp at this park we will opt for site #3 which is nicely tucked into the shaded corner and is fairly close to the bathrooms.

An easy trail that you can catch in Forestville, Graton or Sebastopol. It does join up with the…read moreJoe Rodota trail too. It is flat, mostly paved and offers some shade. People are always friendly but be careful because bikes whiz passed at a high speed. Thoughtful bicyclists will ring a bell or they'll yell out "on your left", which is helpful. I often do my walking meditation on these paths because it is quiet and serene. You'll see a water recycling pond, hear lots of birds, but most of the trail is quiet and you'll see vineyards and lots of trees, vegetation and farms. There are dog waste bags with receptacles available near the trailheads and benches appear here and there on the trail. On our recent walk, we saw quail, various birds, bunnies, and a turkey vulture landed directly in our path! Not sure what it saw but it stopped us in our tracks. On the Forestville trailhead side, there is an unpaved parking lot with picnic tables and porta potties. A small Certified Farmer's Market is held there on Tuesdays, May - August.

This is a nice, flat trail for walkers and bikers that traverses from Forestville to Graton to…read moreSebastopol along vineyards, waste treatment plants, and along the side of the road in certain sections. It's not the most picturesque hike, but it's a nice stroll for families or dog walks. (During COVID, pretty high level of mask wearing compliance.)

We went to the Monte Rio Park on 9610 Main St Monte Rio.the signage is beyond horrible. We ended up…read moreby a large parking lot where their is a coffee shop, a wonderful neighborhood garden and paths along the river. A helpful perdón told us where the park entrance was located and we drove there since the signage is horrible from both directions. There is very limited parking, a porta bn potty and a picnic table. A sign warns you about a very steep path which has no handrails but the site is very quiet and beautiful.

2021 summer: algae floating everywhere, underwater, in water, above water. At first sight I felt…read moregrossed out. There are signs that warn dogs children and adults not to touch the algae. Hopefully it is better other years. Not sure how it is normally. The space is large and roomy for everyone to spread out. I enjoyed it. Food service is friday thru Sunday only. Water is deeper as you walk further away. Maybe 5 feet in the middle. I didn't go all the way to the other side. Plenty of parking. If you're carrying a lot be ready to haul the heavy items for a while at the same time walking on rocks. No lifeguards, make sure kids have life jackets if they tend to wander off. I love a good day in the water and sun so I'm happy anywhere I can do that.

The Sonoma Coast near Jenner was a nice stop during our trip. We weren't completely blown away, but…read moreit was still a pleasant place to visit and take in the scenery. The coastline is rugged and peaceful, and it was really cool to see the seal nursery - lots of seals lounging and playing, which was definitely the highlight. Jenner has a quiet, calm vibe, making it a good spot to get some fresh air, take photos, and enjoy a low-key coastal view. Overall, a nice experience if you're already in the area.

I solo adventured to Sonoma Coast State Park in approximately 2018. I was looking for a beach a…read morenice drive away from where I was living in the East San Francisco Bay Area and had found this site listed on the California State Parks website. I went exploring around a large rock named Goat Rock. I did not see any of the hoofed ungulates on my visit. To the south of Goat Rock, the beach was a little narrowed with occasional pieces of rounded sea glass and intact mussel shells. I picked one of the shells up and noticed a faint violet color. It was one of those light phenomena where exposure to light drains the color from the shell, meaning the next day the faint violet color was gone. Parking was limited and I was fortunate to arrived before the masses. There were not any trees for shade on the beach, though the cool of the water on my feet did provide reprieve from the warmth for my feet.

In between wine adventures, my fiancé and I decided to do little hikes around the area. We found…read morethe Petrified Forest and were excited to check it out. It was about $14 each to enter, which was a little pricey for what we saw. You are able to do the entire space under an hour if you so wish. The people who work here are kind. There is a gift shop with both gifts and drinks. There were rudimentary women and mens restrooms. And plenty of free parking out front. You can check out the petrified woods up close. They also have a lot of informational plaques around.

We had some time to kill today and none of us had ever seen petrified anything so thought it would…read morebe cool to stop by. It's about a mile total around the inner loop + the out and back for some additional scenery. It is a little hilly but not too bad, my 65 year old mother was able to walk the entirety of the loop. The petrified wood is pretty cool along with all of the lava stone and ash. The trees are pretty huge. It was $14 which I thought was a little steep for how much (or little) there was to see, but I don't regret going.

5 stars because its dog friendly, it's across the road from our home, and it survived the fires…read more Great little respite close to home!

This park is absolutely gorgeous. I purposely go by here when running because there is a working…read moredrinking fountain. However, if one drinking fountain was the only thing this park had to offer I guarantee I would not be writing a review for it. There is immense green space at this park surrounded by high trees. The play set is on the smaller side, but looks brand new and amazing. Every time I have come by kids have been playing on it otherwise I would definitely have tried out the slide by now. There are also picnic tables and a place to BBQ. The drinking fountain is located just off the main road which is perfect for me. The water is cool and delicious. If you run in the area put this place on your route!