This is a beautiful stop in Sonoma County. It features easy walks that allow you to learn about Jack London and explore his homes, including the House of Happy Walls Museum and the ruins of his Wolf House. The trails are well-maintained and shaded by trees, with some minor uphill and downhill sections, making it a great outdoor activity for all ages. There is a vehicle entry fee to get into the park, but it is covered if you have a California State Parks pass. Highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area or need a break from wine tasting. read more

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Jack London's gravesite and ruins of Wolf House. We came for the abandoned house and were very impressed by the scale and size, Jack London must have been very wealthy for the time to have a house like this. The sad thing is it burned down right before completion so they never got to live in the house. The use of stones and rock kept a lot of the walls despite the fire and it reminds me of of an oversized version of a Greene and Greene style Craftsman Bungalow I saw in Pasadena, CA. If you are a fan of abandoned places you will like coming here. It's fenced off for safety so you can't go running around the structures but you can do a full 360 walk around and there is a platform you can walk on that's about in the middle of the house and you get a good view of the pool and different floors from here. The hike from the parking lot to the museum and to the grave sites and house are easy, my senior parents and young kids were able to do it easily. I would stop by the museum on the way back, there are some nice artifacts from Jack London as well as a scale model of what the hosue was supposed to look like. read more

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Jack London is such a beautiful state park! We came for the first time this spring and were absolutely amazed by all of the beauty this state park has to offer! We started in the museum which was very informative and educational. We then started a hike towards the old redwood tree. The trails are very clean and spacious. There is a good variety in terms of incline. We were excited to see the lake (which was unfortunately dry) but hope to come back sometime when there is water. Parking is very easy and I love that there is a lot of variety in both the trails and things to do. I definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

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Can def spend all day here. Interesting to learn about Jack London. Loved that he lived such a full life even when cut short. Thankful that his wife Chairman left everything for us to learn and explore. There a $10 fee per vehicle to enter. Def worth it as there are numerous sites to see. I started with the museum as it opens at 9 am. Short hike to his once dream house unfortunately got burned down. His resting place all can be done in a short hikes on the other side the cottage open at noon. Meanwhile I did a few hikes in area. Def worth to visit read more

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We heard about the Jack London State Park through the historian state parks passport and were in the area and decided to visit. The author's ranch has 29 miles of hiking trails, a museum, and buildings from his time on the ranch. I found he and his wife's lives very interesting. We went through the House of Happy Walls Museum and visited the Wolf House Ruins. The park is beautifully maintained and I recommend visiting. read more

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Such a lovely and beautiful setting in Sonoma County! It has a variety of historic (house museum, Wolf House foundation and Ranch house) buildings and trails/hikes. There's a nice walk to the Pig Palace! A fun morning exploring! read more

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I didn't even know this historic park existed until this weekend! I grew up in Oakland and knew about Jack London Square, but I didn't know much about the history of the author. I really enjoyed being able to hike through the woods while seeing all the landmarks along the way. It was $10 for parking and that included seeing the cottage where Jack lived and died, the wolf house museum, the ruins, the orchard/farm, and gravesite of Jack and Charmain. We spent almost two hours here and I was so impressed with how well it was preserved and maintained. read more

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Great place to learn more about the famous author. Also a nice place to explore with the kids. Not sure how the weather is in the summer, November was pretty great for a visit. Nice museum/bookstore/residence. Wolf Lodge ruins are impressive. We didn't get around to see everything, so I may come back with an adult, who is willing to do more hiking. read more

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Great trail through redwoods, past vineyards and with tables to stop and picnic at. Just watch out for poison oak! A friend of mine got married at the winery ruins awhile back which was amazing at sunset. Highly recommend whether you're there to explore trails and historic artifacts or figure out whether or not you want to get married there! It's beautiful. Just make sure to bring lots of water, since it gets hot out there! read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Winery Ruins - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

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So glad that we decided to visit Jack London State Historic Park. I enjoy history and it was fascinating to learn about Mr. London's life and times. I highly recommend checking out the Cottage. I must confess that I did not know much about Mr. London before, but I learned a lot about him from the exhibits and the short films that were playing at the Cottage. We enjoyed the hiking trails and walking to London Lake. Pig Palace was quite interesting. Next time, we want to see Wolf House and the Museum. Happy exploring! read more

We didn't plan to visit this historic park but we ended up postponing later plans to spend more time at the park because it was so wonderful. We didn't know much about Jack London other than two of his most famous books, but the more time we spent there the more we wanted to learn about his inspiring life. The museum house was not large but packed with interesting things to see, read and learn about him and his wife. We joined the tour from the museum to the Wolf House ruins and that was the highlight of our visit because our docent Jim gave us an amazing tour! He was an incredible storyteller. Telling Jack's life story while walking the trail was such a fun experience. I wish we had time to go on his afternoon tour at the other trail to visit Jack's cottage. But now we have a reason to revisit! I think children that are old enough to read his books would really enjoy the historic park and be inspired by Jack's life. read more

Such a great experience and beautiful place! We brought our parents here and were worried they could t walk. To our surprise, they have golf cart services for seniors! Thanks to the translate, my parents were able to enjoy the park. There's so many things to see and explore. We spent about 4 hours there! Will definitely visit again! read more

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Great bathrooms. Great trails. Very well maintained. Super nice docent volunteers. Make sure to have enough time to see the museum and learn about Charmian London. What a woman!!! The Wolf House was impressive and quite a marvel of its time. We went to the London Lake which was a bit sludgy but nice to see the bath house and it was a beautiful hike in the woods. read more

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Was visiting Sonoma area for a family girls trip and we decided we needed to walk off all the delicious wine and cheeses we were having all weekend, so my sister found this park with some amazing hiking trails. We were crunched for time, but did the "lake trail." Sadly we never made it to the lake because we had to turn around haha. Wish we would have left earlier because I'm sure it was as beautiful as the rest of this trail. I'm not a hiker by any means. It was slightly uphill and downhill at times, but nothing crazy! It was a beautiful trail where you actually hike by some vineyards, too. We even came across a man walking his two horses which was kind of cool, too. It also leads you through a forest as well, which was so beautiful. I seriously wish we had more time for this trail. It was so beautiful! And the weather was perfect. Parking was super easy, too. And the trail was very clearly marked and easy to find so no getting lost either, which is always great. Again, wish we had more time for it because it really was so beautiful and peaceful. read more

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I have enjoyed coming to and hiking this gorgeous park for many years and yesterday was no exception. My girlfriend and I took advantage of the Sonoma County program of obtaining a FREE state park pass through them (you have it for 3 weeks) and have been trying to hit up as many state parks as we have time for. We were greeted warmly at check in and purchased a park trail map for $1. When we asked if there were rattle snake sightings she immediately answered oh yes, and to just stay on the trails (don't need to tell me twice!). The trails were marked pretty well and we chose a few of them to visit the Wolf House, the cemetery and where the Transcendence theatre company performs- all interesting. read more

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Beautiful state park to visit for half a day. We started at the visitor center which included a museum and lots of interesting historical artifacts from Jack London and his wife. It includes a nice gift store as well. We then headed out to see the Wolf house and it's remains. It's a 1.2 mile walk out and back. There's a golf cart service that drives those who need accessibility services. All staff were super friendly and welcoming as well. Wolf house was amazing! Then we drove over to the other side of the park and hiked out to see the Pig Palace. The area has amazing views surrounded by vineyards. We could have explored so much more but we had dinner reservations. We spent about 2 hours but didn't see it all. Highly recommend a visit here--great history and beautiful scenery. Nice for couples and families alike. $10.00 parking fee. read more

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Highly recommend this well-managed, well-maintained gem of a state park. $10 entrance fee per a vehicle. That's it. No tickets to buy. $10 for my family of four. I'll take it. We spent a solid 2+ hours here. Of note, the parking attendant takes cards and there's ample parking available. We hiked to the Wolf House ruins and Jack London's gravesite. Hikes to both spots and back to the main house is just under 2 miles roundtrip. There is an incline but my 4 and 8 yr old were able to do it with minimal complaint. The ruins are beautiful and sad and really something to behold. You can climb up stairs to viewing platforms. There's a golf cart that will give people with mobility issues a lift, which I thought was pretty cool. The entrance fee also gets you into the Jack London museum, which was his wife's house she built after his death. It's a big gorgeous stone house and you can see various items from his and her collections from their travels. Also notable is the wall of first edition copies of his books. That 1st edition of White Fang is worth 20k alone ‍ On the other side of the park, which we did not accomplish today is a ton of other hiking trails which apparently go to an ancient redwood and a lake of some sort. We'll be back to check out the other trails. As far as state parks go, this one is hard to beat! read more

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Very interesting but a bit disorganized. The staff were kind and helpful but I rescued several handicapped seniors who were lost. It's not Disneyland but seniors and handicapped should have better signage and accommodation. We saw the same thing in Arizona with tourists suffering from heat stroke. read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Jack London's life story. - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

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Great easy hike! 10$ fee to get into the park. Plantly of parking. Everything was kept nice and clean. Went there with our dog and really enjoyed it. It is a very beautiful and well shaded Historic Park. The trail to the ruins is short so you get to see them pretty quick. Lots of big beautiful trees. Nice picnic area with lots of tables. I definitely recommend this park! read more

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Highly recommend!! Can't believe it took me this long to check out this park. I happened to have the California State Library Parks Pass that day so parking/admission was free. Note: there is quite a bit of walking from the parking lot to the various sites, and in between. However, they do have complimentary golf carts where they'll shuttle you around, if needed. I loved checking out the museum, gravesite, Wolf House, cottage, and the ranch. It was amazing getting to check out all the various things Jack and Charmian London collected during their travels. Took about 2.5 hours for me to check everything out. Given the heat wave that day, I didn't check out the other hiking trails, but I highly recommend you check out Jack London State Park just for the historical factor alone! read more

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Simply beautiful is how I would describe this little gem in Glen Ellen word to the wise my gentle readers always buy the map. My friend and I started around 10:30 on Saturday morning we decided to do the orchard trail to the ancient tree, I still am in awe over a tree that has stood tall for 2,000 years and stood the test of time really put in perspective how little time we have been on this planet. We got a little lost on our way back and our mistake took us on a 5 mile journey on the backside of the park very steep very isolated. My biggest advice lots of water and buy the map! read more

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This is a great place to hike and learn the history of Jack London. The park is huge so come back a few times to experience it all. Your poppy pass gets you in. The gift shop is nice and the museum is very cool. read more

This park is truly a beauty. Not too far from Sonoma itself, and very close to Glen Ellen. You can either enter the park through the gates at Hwy 12. (Just make sure to pay at the booth 7$) Or walk through Arnold Drive through the many trails. Love the fact this park has many trails, different sights to see and is perfect for a walk, hike, or bike ride. The scenery is very beautiful, and there are tons of nature animals roaming around in these areas. I actually saw a couple taking family pictures here, and I am going to assume they came gorgeous since the sun the sun was coming down,and the park itself is very pretty. During summer time, just watch out for rattle snakes. Because we do have them here. read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Beautiful sunset - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

A friend of mine suggested this park for a day hike. Arrive early to avoid the crowd and the heat if in the summer. The website is a bit misleading for dogs. Dogs are welcome but only on certain trails; the Wolf House and the gravesite. We hiked in April and there was a ton of poison oak on the trails so be mindful of that. The Wolf House, burial site and grove of young Redwoods were, what I considered, the most beautiful parts of the park. The park is split in two sides of the parking lot. To the right you can hike up the mountain, to the left is the house and other historical markers. There is so much history tied to this land. Be sure to read the plaques to learn more about the story of Jack London. read more

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Went here with some friends recently for a day hike. Beautiful trails. Picnic tables. We had a nice picnic lunch and played some chess. Beautiful trees. We also hiked by a creek with redwoods. Especially loved the historic connection to the writer Jack London. You can walk by the Jack London Vineyard. We also got to check out the Jack London Wolf House. It was a massive three story mansion that burned in a forest fire three years before Jack London died. He and his wife were living in a nearby cottage as they were planning to move in. There is a poignant area of the hike where Jack London and his wife had their ashes poured over when they left their body. Moving and historic! Worth a trip here for the beautiful hiking trails and especially for those folks that have an interest in the legendary writer Jack London. read more

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My family started visiting over 4 years ago and we try to come up at least once a year, from over an hour away. The state park is peaceful, quiet, educational, well maintained, historical. The volunteers are all extremely friendly and helpful. The price of admission is extremely reasonable, especially due to everything you can do in the park. We always treck up to the Wolf House ruins every visit. The museum is fascinating, as is the cottage. We enjoy smelling the many eucalyptus trees, so refreshing. We highly recommend this marvelous, magical oasis. read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Wolf House - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

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What a lovely park! For the low price of $10, you get access to a historical park where you can learn about the author Jack London, an endless supply of hiking trails, lovely picnic tables, and clean restrooms! I can't believe it's taken me so long to visit this park! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here on a recent weekday. The park wasn't super crowded and nearly everyone was wearing masks. The trails weren't cramped, so it was super easy to keep a distance. The park staff were friendly and helpful and all of the facilities were clean. The Wolf House ruins were beautiful (but tragic!) and you can visit Jack London's grave. There are an abundance of picnic tables spaced apart to enjoy a peaceful lunch. My group and I got quite a substantial hike in -- there are so many fun trails to explore! The vineyards on the property also added a nice touch of Sonoma County beauty. Such a fun place to spend the day! Now I can't wait to read Call of the Wild. :) read more

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Beautiful park with plenty of trails to walk or bike. Lots of nature to explore in this large park. Additionally, you'll find picnic tables throughout. On the Hwy 12 side there's plenty of parking for a fee and closes at sunset. read more

Not going to lie and I'll admit that originally when I picked this place to visit that I could not remember who Jack London was. However the other reviews that I saw of this place showed very beautiful photos of the house ruins and I just had to see it. There is also a museum on site and when I saw the books they had on display that little light kicked on in my head and I remembered all the books that were written by this man. Unfortunately at the time that we had went the area was already dry in the green had gone away but it was still a beautiful sight to see. I would definitely love to come back at some point when everything is in bloom. read more

$10 all day car entrance fee for a tour, light hike and heavy hike. There is a golf cart that can pick one up if walking is too strenuous. This will take you to the museum, gift shop, house remnants and graves. This half of the offerings was so inspiring and amazing for such a couple who thought so highly of each other and their environment. Ran out of time and could not do the real hiking trails this day. Parking closes 5pm. The parking ranger was so proud and informative of this property, I wanted to hear more from her. There was another car behind us so we got cut a little short. Families young and old tolerated this walk/hike well. Beautiful. Shady, too. read more

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Jack London State Historic Park has over 26 miles of trails across 1400 acres in Glen Ellen. The daily parking fee is $10 unless you have the state parking pass. In that case, your parking fee is free. There is plenty of parking as well as an area for horse trailers to park if you are wanting to go horseback riding. There is so many different trails that are for all different hiking levels and so many different things to see such as historic buildings, vineyards, a musuem, etc. You can walk, hike, mountain bike, or horseback ride on the trails. Some of the trails are dog friendly and others are not. This place is kept nice and clean for everyone to enjoy. Yesterday we decided to go on the Mountain Trail, which is a 6.3 mile hike with a little over 1,600 elevation gain. It is an out and back hike that is well shaded so it's great for the summer months as well. We saw beautiful views from the top, beautiful vineyards along the way, and walked through redwood trees. If you are going on a longer hike, I would recommend bringing a water pack and hiking shoes since this trail is rocky during parts of the trail. There was a bathroom along the trail, which was nice and plenty of benches and picnic tables if you want to rest and enjoy the views of have a picnic. We look forward to coming back and going on more of the trails in the future since there is so much to explore here! read more

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Wow, I had leisurely spent time out in this area to camp and/or wine taste about 10 times over years. But I had not ventured into this historic park until recently. Man was I missing out! So there is a gate at this park and a $10 day fee. I came here to hike but ending up finding so much more. Down at the base of the park, in different areas, (so you do have to walk around) are the preserved remnants of a dream ranch, accomplished American writer Jack London built and stayed during his latter years. There is a cottage that you can go inside of, which replicates the time's era and get a feel on how people lived in a rural area back in the 20th turn of the century. There's even the ruins of the Wolf House which was his ultimate dream home that got destroyed by a fire, even before completion. The stone ruins are amazing and such a tragedy for such efforts to never get enjoyed and utilized. There's also a small museum in a building that the wife built after he passed. It was all self tour when I went and not sure if there is a guided tour, especially during the covid era. But just reading all the exhibits and listening to a few recorded narratives, you can pull in a lot of info and take home a very valuable lesson. His grave site is also here, not much to see physically but to see a moss covered grave stone in the middle of the woods, can definitely make the hair on your arms rise and tingle. There is also another back story on this resting place that I won't cover for now, so you're just gonna have to go yourself and find out. I went during early October and it was so fitting since Spooktober was in full effect. Lol Now let's get to this hike, cuz that's why I really came here. Actually did the hike first early morning, then browsed the grounds after I took a refresh break. The hike is over 7 miles total I'd say, and is an out and back, so same way back. There's an elevation gain of about 1700 ft and the top of this climb, you will be looking down from 2500 ft. I loved every step. The first third of the hike is quite easy and mellow, so great warm up. Starts off around vineyards then into a moderately wooded forest. On the map showed a lake, but when I arrived to it, it was completely dried up and over grown with reeds. Bummer cuz I love a good water feature on a hike, but we've been in a drought the last few years, so I'm sure that had something to do with it. The 2nd phase it starts to elevate, but all of a sudden the trails become really shady due to larger trees with some being majestic redwoods. Redwood hikes are my favorite, so to get a piece of it here was such an epic bonus. The last third of the hike is the toughest. Certain parts are pretty steep, but anytime one approaches a significant peak, this is usually the case. Now the redwoods and shade are gone. It is replaced by golden hills and mighty oaks. Once up at the top, the breeze grips you like a long lost friend, hawks whiz by almost eye level and a view of the Sonoma Valley 2000+ ft below you. There's a lone bench up there and on a weekday morning, not a soul up there. It was incredibly therapeutic and rewarding. So to get all this in one shot was such a nice surprise. Totally blew my expectations. And anytime that happens, a resounding fiver has to be dealt. read more

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We spent a few hours here a few weeks ago. Very enjoyable grounds to explore. We happen to arrive just before a docent-led tour which lasted a little over an hour. The guide was very nice and knowledgable and we managed to learn quite a bit about Jack London while vacationing. He lead a pretty interesting (and fairly short) life so it was time well-spent. It was both sad and intriguing to see the ruins of Wolf House. What could have been... read more

There's a $10 entrance fee you pay at the gate, lots of parking, this is a beautiful park with easy hiking trails with lots of beautiful scenery to enjoy there's a Vineyard and of course there's the ruins of the Wolf house. Both Jack and Charmian London are buried at Beauty Ranch, as is Jack's sister Eliza. Heirs of the London family donated the property to the State of California in 1960. The Wolf House ruins were designated a California Historical Landmark in 1959, and a National Historic Landmark in 1963. They have a museum which was closed because of COVID-19 but since things are looking up and restaurants are opening I'm sure you'll be able to visit the museum soon. Some trails are steep so be careful with the young ones or your older folks. This is a beautiful place, we brought a picnic with us and we just enjoyed a beautiful day in Glen Ellen. Next time I'll be bringing my boos. Cheers my friends SYOY read more

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Up, up, and away... Your experience of Jack London State Park will be exactly what you choose to make it. You can pay the $10 parking fee and see all sorts of historic sites requiring little to no hiking. Alternatively, you can bypass all that and head up. The Mountain Trail (which the park map accurately describes as "strenuous") takes you by some of the remnants of Jack London's time here but the longer you move your legs the less intensive those sightings become. After passing the Pig Palace (really), some silos, and some far newer vineyards you come to Lake London then May's Clearing. Neither are remarkable; keep going. About 4 miles up you'll come to the Mountain Spur Trail which, if followed a bit longer, will bring you to the park's summit. Congratulations, you've reached an elevation of 2400 feet and scaled Sonoma Mountain. There's a bench up there, facing out towards the stunning view, but right behind it is metal fencing and cell towers. Ignore it. Everything you do down in the valley will now be enhanced by gazing up at Sonoma Mountain trying to spot where you were. Look for the highest point and the towers and voila, you were there. Most of this 8+ mile (round trip) trek is in the shade and, given that it's not a loop trail, what you go up you'll retread on your way back down. A trail map will cost you an additional $1 but it's helpful. The trails are marked but the map proves useful at some of the required decision points. Jack London State Park is immaculate; not a single piece of wayward trash was spotted anywhere. Perhaps that's due to their draconian "no dogs" policy on the trail I hiked though my dog has never tossed a beer can or chip bag anywhere. (Leashed dogs are allowed in some areas of the park). There's one other, longer (9+ mile), "strenuous" trail in the park but aside from these two, most of the trails are far shorter and remain at lower altitudes. I suspect most people who come here don't venture far from the valley floor - where most Jack London sites are found - but those with the energy and wherewithal to do so get the bragging rights along with the ability to point up while enjoying a glass of something local and state with pride, "I was there". I was. read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Get off the valley floor for views like this - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

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Stunning park with so much to see and do. Beautiful hiking trials with a lot of interesting sights and history along the way. I am going back for sure. read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California

Super nice park with lots of great trails. The museum.is super interesting and staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Lots of water stations. The house and grave sites are a must to see. read more

This is one of my favorite parks in Sonoma County, it has a lot to offer! There are historic buildings, a museum and gift shop. I love to wander around the ruins of Wolf House, there is a nice easy trail to get to it. A short walk from the parking lot to the right is Beauty Ranch which still has a stone barn, pig palace and the cottage which the London's lived in during Jack's final years. The cottage is furnished and has exhibits with artifacts. There is also an active vineyard, hiking trails and picnic areas. A little bit of something for everyone! We love to take a hike or meander around the park exploring and then have a picnic. It really is a lovely park. read more

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I was hoping to see super bloom, but it has been cold so I saw flower buds but not blooming flowers. The park may belong to state of California but it is completely run by volunteers as they do not receive funding from the state. The parking charge goes toward maintaining the park. There are guided tours on the weekend and it is done very well. Each tour takes about 1-1.5 hr and does require quite a bit of walking. The Wolf House tour I thought was done well, thanks Greg! And I would highly recommend the guide to anyone as it also covers the Londons grave site. The Cottage and the museum have specific timed opening so check before you go. read more

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Beautiful park, nice facilities, excellent hikes! We went primarily for a hike, but also walked around the grounds and looked at historic buildings and read many interesting facts about Jack London. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the museum, because of the restrictions. It was still very interesting and informative - kids also liked it a lot. The highlight was the hike up the peak and back down - very pretty, not too busy even on a weekend, and views from the top are amazing. We also got to talk to few staff members - all were super-friendly and very knowledgeable. This is now one of my favorite parks - absolutely perfect for a day trip. The location is very nice - easy to get to and close to towns with many great restaurants. read more

Jack London State Historic Park - Top of the Park Summit - Parks Near Me - Glen Ellen, California