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!

We went to the Monte Rio Park on 9610 Main St Monte Rio.the signage is beyond horrible. We ended up…read moreby a large parking lot where their is a coffee shop, a wonderful neighborhood garden and paths along the river. A helpful perdón told us where the park entrance was located and we drove there since the signage is horrible from both directions. There is very limited parking, a porta bn potty and a picnic table. A sign warns you about a very steep path which has no handrails but the site is very quiet and beautiful.

2021 summer: algae floating everywhere, underwater, in water, above water. At first sight I felt…read moregrossed out. There are signs that warn dogs children and adults not to touch the algae. Hopefully it is better other years. Not sure how it is normally. The space is large and roomy for everyone to spread out. I enjoyed it. Food service is friday thru Sunday only. Water is deeper as you walk further away. Maybe 5 feet in the middle. I didn't go all the way to the other side. Plenty of parking. If you're carrying a lot be ready to haul the heavy items for a while at the same time walking on rocks. No lifeguards, make sure kids have life jackets if they tend to wander off. I love a good day in the water and sun so I'm happy anywhere I can do that.

So happy to finally be able to cross this hike off my bucket list. It was certainly worth the wait…read more It's not a long hike, but there is a little bit of climbing on rocks, especially towards the end I suggest wearing good shoes with traction The scenery along the way to the falls is lovely and changes throughout the hike. Meadows, fir trees, boulders, and ponds! We made it to the Falls on the last day of April. I would think that during the summer they wouldn't be flowing as greatly as they were now. Sitting below the falls was majestic. We also did the hike at the fork of the road, which eventually ends due to all the brush on the trail, and it was lovely as well with a beautiful pond

I always enjoy a hike to waterfall but it was quite disappointing that this fall was just a…read moretrickle. Though it's understandable because it is summer that the water flow is probably way better after some good rain. To get here, Google maps was help to get me to the parking lot. However, from the there i was quite confused reading others yelp or goggle reviews. Hopefully I can help those going. When driving up the hill from Napa, on the right you drive pass the Pacific Union College sign then pass by the city Angwin sign, immediately you will turn to your LEFT pass the baseball field into the gravel parking lot. From the baseball parking lot cross the street and walk along the bike path as you are walking against traffic flow. You will go back and pass the Pacific Union college sign and then you will see a bike path sign see pics. You walk on the pavement path for 6 min and then see the sign of Linda Fall preserve. See the map and the caution of the wild mushroom you should not eat. The path to the Falls is about 20 minutes in and 20 minutes out. You wil see your firstb Linda Falls sign. Then you will see a second Linda Falls sign. After the 2nd one be prepared for slippery dry dirt. You will want shoes with good grip. Soon you will be at Falls. Ther are lots of boulders to climb over to get close to the Falls. Its a small area and gets crowded. I suggest going before 11am. In my opinion age 6 and above it accurate. You will have to help kids the last 5- 10 minutes of the hike. Do not suggest infants and or in carriers. Im Glad I did this Falls hike while in Napa so I can write about and tell other people. It's a nice hike to get out with the family and friends, eat a snack or lunch at the Falls and head back. I recommend this hike just wish the beginning of the trail to get there had clear signs up.

Great playground but no bathrooms. Two play areas one for younger and one for older kids.read more

Such a lovely upgrade! Great park! Only downfall I can think of is there's no restroom.read more

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.

Spectacular views! My favorite spot in Bodega Bay is Bodega Head to see majestic ocean views and…read morehike along the bluffs. If you're lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of migrating whales! We enjoy getting chowder and sipping it while watching the waves. It is such a tranquil sight away from the hustle and bustle of life. Today was a beautiful sunny day at Bodega Head but even if it's raining, I love coming here to enjoy the views. Come prepared for some windy conditions just in case. The parking lot will get full on the weekends, especially during spring when you have a better chance of seeing whales. Several picnic tables available with friendly seabirds checking out what you're eating. Restrooms are next to the parking lot.

Incredible views of the coastline that I enjoyed every step of the way. Would be a great place to…read moretake out of town family or friends to show off California's natural beauty and to walk your dog too to the Blind Beach side. Goat Rock side no dogs allowed because the seals always wean their pups on the beach, but the dog friendly side is so spacious and a nice long stretch of beach with iconic rock arches out in the water that you will never forget. In my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in all of California and if it is low tide, there will be many starfish visible on the rock formations on shore lower section which is normally submerged! If you get a good sunset, this place cannot be beat for photos overlooking the water with those rock formations. It could make anyone with a cell phone camera take photos that look like a professional landscape photographer took them.

The Sonoma Coast near Jenner was a nice stop during our trip. We weren't completely blown away, but…read moreit was still a pleasant place to visit and take in the scenery. The coastline is rugged and peaceful, and it was really cool to see the seal nursery - lots of seals lounging and playing, which was definitely the highlight. Jenner has a quiet, calm vibe, making it a good spot to get some fresh air, take photos, and enjoy a low-key coastal view. Overall, a nice experience if you're already in the area.

I solo adventured to Sonoma Coast State Park in approximately 2018. I was looking for a beach a…read morenice drive away from where I was living in the East San Francisco Bay Area and had found this site listed on the California State Parks website. I went exploring around a large rock named Goat Rock. I did not see any of the hoofed ungulates on my visit. To the south of Goat Rock, the beach was a little narrowed with occasional pieces of rounded sea glass and intact mussel shells. I picked one of the shells up and noticed a faint violet color. It was one of those light phenomena where exposure to light drains the color from the shell, meaning the next day the faint violet color was gone. Parking was limited and I was fortunate to arrived before the masses. There were not any trees for shade on the beach, though the cool of the water on my feet did provide reprieve from the warmth for my feet.

Local regional park with baseball, volleyball, par course, four tennis courts (no pickleball…read moreallowed), soccer fields, kids play structure, dog park and hiking trails. We came birding here recently and saw a hawk and woodpecker perched up in a tree. They also had sheep and goat grazing in a temporary fenced-off area to keep the dry grass down. I love this eco-friendly method of managing vegetation. There were about a dozen dogs happily playing in the dog park when I was there. It was fun to watch how they interact with each other. There were a few growls but responsible dog parents were there to quickly call their dogs back. There are several picnic tables sprinkled throughout the park. You can reserve areas for special events. I have attended a wedding and a friend hosted a retirement party here. The Gravenstein Apple Fair has been held at this location for many decades as well. There are a few parking lots to choose from. You can park inside the park for free if you are a Sonoma County Regional Park member. Annual pass is currently $69. Seniors get a discounted rate.

We came out here for a day trip and we had a very nice time…read more Parking: 4/5 There is several places to park throughout the park and in different areas depending on what you are there to do. However, on a busy day some of the areas such as the playground parking can get crowded. Keep in mind there there is also a $7 fee for entry. (Pretty standard for regional parks like this though.) Trails: 4/5 We enjoyed the trails very much. There is a lot of space to explore and all the trails circle back to the parking areas. There were several spots that were very muddy, but we were able to pass most of them and keep our shoes fairly clean by walking on the side of the trail. However, there was one section of one trail that was too bad that we had to turn around. Aside from that, it was very nice everywhere else. Playground 5/5 They had a large playground and a toddler playground. Our kids (13 and 9) loved the large playground. They also had many picnic benches here and throughout the park to enjoy. We also loved that most of them were shaded. Amenities 5/5 There were many other things at this park such as sport fields, dog parks, a nice little zen type garden and park bathrooms. If you are looking for a nice place to picnic and spend some quality time outdoors, this park is a great place to come explore and enjoy for a few hours!