Slew of Great Hikes Within 45 Minutes of Sonoma — Take Your Pick!

Crane Creek Regional Park

Just up north back yard, this park offers a range of activities — from meandering hiking paths, to a disc golf course and plenty of benches perched atop rolling hills. This great park is just a five-minute drive from Sonoma State University — perfect for a day away with the dogs or kids, or even a romantic date!

Other info: Parking is $6 a day in the lot. Dogs are allowed on leash.

Getting there: From Rohnert Park Expressway, take a right on Petaluma Hill Road. Then turn left onto Roberts Road. Continue on to Pressley Road, destination will be on the left, up a slight hill. 

Olompali State Historic Park

Located just minutes from Petaluma, the park offers a 3 mile loop and hundreds of years of California history. The area was once inhabited by Miwoks, then by Galen and Mary Burdell who built a mansion and elaborate gardens on the property sometime in the 1860s. Parts of the gardens remain, along with several homes from the Burdell property.

The site was also temporarily home to a commune and at least one Grateful Dead concert. This is an easy hike that offers views of the San Pablo Bay.

Other info: Open sunrise to sunset year-round. No dogs or bicycles are allowed.

Getting there: Driving southbound on Highway 101, pass the San Antonio Creek Road turn off and look for the park sign on your right.

Warren Richardson Trail, Annadel State Park

Located in the Valley of the Moon, made popular by Jack London’s book of the same name, the park offers a variety of trails. One of the more popular ones is the Warren Richardson, which takes hikers along a fire road through a forest of fir and redwood. Look out for pygmy owls and woodpeckers along the way.

The five mile trail leads to Lake Ilsajo, named after Ilsa and Joe Coney, who built the lake in 1956. The trail is covered with wild flowers in the spring and early summer and has steady elevation gain. Once at the lake, you can take a dip or try your hand fishing for some bass that are plentiful in these waters.

Other info: Dogs are not allowed, but bicycles are, on designated trails. Check the site for details.

Getting there: Driving northbound on Highway 101, take the turn off for Highway 12 and head east. Turn right on Montgomery Drive, then right again on Channel Drive and go for about a mile.

Jack London Historic Park

You don’t have to be a fan of the author to appreciate the varied terrain and scenery of the 1,400 acre park. And, it's right in our backyard. There are more than 10 miles of trails for all levels, starting from a one mile round trip to the ruins of Wolf House (the main house) and London's grave site. London bought the property in 1905 hoping to become a rancher, but died just 11 years later.

If you’re seeking more of a challenge, look for the Mountain Trail, and then head north toward the park summit, or south on the Sonoma Ridge Trail. The park offers mixed forest, oak woodlands and meadow grasslands and is best visited during spring or fall.

Other info: Dogs on a leash are allowed in the historic area only (ie, the old ranch.) Bicycling is permitted on some trails.

Getting there: From Highway 12, make a right at Arnold Drive. Drive south one mile into Glen Ellen, then turn right on London Ranch Road.

Sugarloaf State Park

Located between Sonoma and Napa in the Mayacamas Mountains, Sugarloaf offers numerous trails along chaparral covered ridges, oak and fir forest and redwoods and features a 25 foot waterfall that is beautiful after the winter rains.

From the east side of the parking lot, take the Lower Bald Mountain Trail, which crosses a meadow, then ascends through an oak and madrone woodland. After a mile, the path intersects paved Bald Mountain Trail.

To get to the summit, follow the signs past the turnoff to Red Mountain (2,548 feet) where you will be rewarded with a view of the Napa Valley below. On a clear day, you can see as far as the High Sierra and San Francisco Bay.

Other info: Dogs are not allowed on the trails, but bikes are in designated spots.

Getting there: Take Highway 12 and go east to Adobe Canyon Road. Turn left and follow it 4 miles to the hikers' parking lot.

Hood Mountain Regional Park

Offering more than 1,700 acres of wilderness, Hood Mountain is less crowded than many other regional parks in Sonoma County. The park features steep wooded slopes, rolling meadows, deep canyons and rock outcrops. There are also remnants of a ranch and trails where pygmy owls and peregrine falcons can be spotted. Trails here are steep and rocky and are recommended for experienced hikers only.

Other info: Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash. Bicycling OK on designated trails.

Getting there: Hood Mountain is located east of Sugarloaf Park. From Highway 12, take Pythian Road 1.3 miles north.

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve

It’s a simple drive from Guerneville — just 45 minutes from Rohnert Park. The seemingly endless canopies of Redwoods and hiking trails at this state park are the perfect respite for a weekend, or even a day, away.

Armstrong offers nine different hikes, ranging from a leisurely one mile stroll under a shaded paved trail, to a medium two-mile loop with a 400 foot climb, to a 10-mile back country hike around Bullfrog Pond. Bring a picnic, plenty of water, and make a day of it!

Other info: Parking is free, but a little limited. During the summer months, Armstrong also opens up for camping. Dogs are allowed on leash.

Getting there: Take 101 North and get off at Exit 494 towards River Road/Guerneville. Take a left on Mark West Springs Road, and that will turn into River Road. Then, simply stay on River Road; Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve is about a 30 minute drive once you get off the freeway.