Top 5 Sonoma Valley Hikes

Top 5 Sonoma Valley Hikes

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. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

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  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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