Pinnacle Gulch is our hiking spot whenever we vacation in Bodega Bay…read more This year March 2026 is our 12th year vacationing and numerous times hiking the trail. It's my favorite trail because of the flowers, trees, creek and beautiful nature. I prefer hiking during the week because it's very quiet and less people. At the end of the trail you get a nice ocean view and met by the beach and ocean. There's much ocean life on the shore such as crabs, star fish, anemone, clams, birds and many other ocean life. FYI next to Punnacle Gulch there's a couple new hiking trails but much longer called Bluff Trail & Ridge Trail. I highly suggest if you're in the area to hike these trails. 5 Stars all around

One of my favorite trails Just the best way to experience…read morenature Love it and great workout

Wide dirt path. It's like getting to eat dessert first! Great view when you start with a moderate…read moredownhill grade the whole way. No help for it, you have to eat your veggies some time! All uphill on the way back. Also, a fairly tick rich environment. We even came away with ticks in early January. Use of the area is by permit only. See photo below. However, I have a feeling most people using the area do not have permits. Contact: www.landpaths.org, (707)524-9381. Dogs are permitted on leash. My observation is that most people politely adhere to on leash protocols. I'd recommend first time visitors park at signage which indicates "no turn around beyond this point." The road does continue for another 1/4 mile but it's extremely narrow and really meant for the few residents who live down there. Better to park at the sign and walk that last 1/4 mile the first time to get the lay of the land. So how do you find this place? It's really just a stone's throw up the hill from the town of Occidental. It's easier to just put in these GPS coordinates: 38.422560, -122.996500. Want even more information? We found the AllTrails app really helpful.

Pretty cool place for a little hike! Decent dirt road for a 6.8 there and back hike. Downhill there…read moreand uphill back. Filled with towering green trees, bright fungi, flowing creek, grassy hills and beautiful views!

SCW and I visited Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Park one day while staying nearby. I'd use…read morecaution when using a driving app to get here as we were led along a very narrow road through a local residential area with no room and switchbacks galore. Suffice it to say we saw a few locals along the way that seemed perplexed why we were driving very slowly through their neighborhood. I think that had to do with a bridge closure. Anyways... The return was not the same route thankfully. The park has for pay parking areas and what seemed to be free parking along the road to the park at your own risk. We found a spot in the paid lot ($10). Get a receipt, put it on your car's dashboard and off you go. There's a small welcome center and info at the entrance as well. The Redwoods are incredible here, some alive for 1400 plus years. You simply can't see the tops of the Redwoods from the ground. Truly incredible. The trails are well marked and it's highly discouraged to get off the trails as the environment is very ecologically sensitive. Unfortunately we saw some disregard for that. Stay on the trails people! You'll find placards noting interesting names and places along the way in addition to information about the flora and fauna. The history of the park and previous residents from indigenous peoples to the parks name sake are along the trail. It's an incredible park to visit and appreciate nature. The redwoods are incredible and certainly worth a visit.

Wow! What can I say that will convince you to come visit the splendor at Armstrong? We walked…read more Hiked. And drove our vehicle up a tiny one lane hillside road to the top for a spectacular view of the whole area. It was beyond words! The park was immaculately clean. Everyone was kind and polite. The air was so fresh. I hope to return soon.

Went here on Friday because the Regional Parks newsletter talked about new trails that were open…read more Yes they have EV charging, lots of parking and a portable restroom but there signs for an accessible trail lead to a steep rock strewn path that was impossible for a person with balance issues and could never work for a wheelchair. So disappointed, we had to turn around and leave. There were only a few cars there. We came in on Petaluma Hills Road.

My family loves visiting Taylor Mountain!…read more Parking is $8 or $69/year (less for seniors or those with accessibility needs). Dogs on leash welcome! It's an 1100-acre park with 15 miles of hiking. We've explored only a fraction, starting in the oak woodlands close to the parking lot and getting to the grassy hills (with cows!) as you go up. Apparently you can go up to the 1400-foot summit but we haven't made it that far.

Flat accessible trails but not much to see this time of year. A lot of parking spots and apparently…read moresome of the trail are horse friendly, dogs are also allowed on leash. Maybe give it another try in the Spring.

Trail Bonding 1.8…read moremiles (one way) of trails that border the Laguna Wetlands Preserve and is located just a short drive from Downtown Sebastopol. We honestly weren't expecting much, and just needed a place to kill a few hours while we waited for our lunch reservation, but walked away kinda impressed with the place. The Good: *Free *Fairly large dirt parking lot *Port-o-potty in the parking lot *Leashed dog-friendly (on certain trails) *Trails are flat and should be easy enough for almost anyone of any age. *Lots of wildlife *There's a few other offshoot trails to mix things up if you want to stray off the main one. The Meh: *Not the biggest park The Ugly: *Trails can get quite muddy after a rain Conclusion: Swell, easy trail with tons of nature and easy parking. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit, but if you happen to be in the area and want to get your nature on then it's highly recommended.

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.)

A splendid park- views over the valley and Rohnert Park…read more Great views of Sonoma mountain to the east.

Looking for a holiday activity to do with my family that wasn't centered around food, I found Crane…read moreCreek Regional Park on AllTrails. I'm glad I did! This park is not too far from Cotati and Rohnert Park, but it feels like you are far away amongst the vineyards and farms. Parts of the trail have great views. There is a decent size parking lot with a $7 fee. Trail maps near the parking lot direct you where to walk and sign posts on the trails keep you from getting lost. It's not humongous so we walked for less than an hour, only about 2 miles, but the trails were well maintained as mostly gravel, hard packed dirt, or grass. There is also a very popular disc golf course here. Dog friendly, on leash. Pit toilets. No sink or hand sanitizer.