Top 5 Sonoma Valley Hikes

Top 5 Sonoma Valley Hikes

05.09.2018

1) The Overlook Trail

A locals’ favorite, and spectacular at sunset, the Overlook Trail is walking distance to Sonoma’s historic plaza, with valley views rolling all the way out to Mount Tam.

2) Hood Mountain Regional Park

Hiking to Hood Mountain’s Gunsight Rock Overlook (2,730 feet) is a rite of passage, offering an amazing view of Sonoma Valley’s crescent shape, all the way out to the bay and Golden Gate Bridge.

3) Jack London State Park

In the heart of the valley, the ranch and mansion ruins of its namesake adventure writer include miles of hiking trails through redwood trees and up to fantastic valley vistas of vineyards.

4) Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park has a liquid asset that’s not wine (a waterfall!) and a panoramic peak hike, Bald Mountain, offering a spectacular view of the valley.

5) Sonoma Valley Regional Park

Oak woodland, wildflowers, a large reservoir with trails around it, a hidden picnic spot with an incredible view of the rolling landscape—these are just a few features that make Sonoma Valley Regional Park special (it’s also dog-friendly!).

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  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

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    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

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  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

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    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

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    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

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