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Local Secrets

Hear the Call of the Wild

Jack London State Park encompasses 1,400-acres in the foothills above Glen Ellen. An easy 1.5 mile round-trip hike leads to the Wolf House, a massive 15,000 square foot, 4-story mansion built from quarried lava-rock, redwood logs and Spanish tiles. The house burned down in 1913, days before the London's planned to move in. The trail winds through a madrone and oak forest to the historic ruins.

Another easy 0.75-mile hike circles Jack London's Beauty  Ranch, tucked into the foothills of Sonoma Mountain. The loop trail visits the London's cottage, the innovative Pig Palace, silos built in 1914, a rock sherry barn built in 1884, a distillery building and London Lake, a five-acre oasis with a bathhouse, surrounded by redwoods.

From Day Hikes Around Sonoma County by Robert Stone

Mom's Apple Pie

Outside Sebastopol

If you are lost somewhere outside Sebastopol, you're in luck.

Look for the "Mom's Apple Pie" sign on the side of Gravenstein Highway, just north of the intersection with Guerneville Road. Not only will Betty Carr, the friendly owner and "mom", give you directions, but she'll also offer you some of her heavenly apple pie with the flaky crust. The apples, she'll point out, grow right in the back of the shop.

Order it. With ice cream. Get some coffee. Sit.

Stay lost for as long as you can.

Also serves excellent rhubarb, strawberry, pecan, berry and just about any other kind of pie you need. Sandwiches, coffee, espresso sold, directions given for free.

Submitted by secret local: Tim Z, Windsor, CA

Tasting of a Different Kind

Olive oil tasting is the next new thing. Try different varieties, including a bright, lime-infused oil, at Figone's Olive Oil Company in Glen Ellen.

If you're traveling in southern Sonoma Valley, stop in at The Olive Press, located in Jacuzzi Winery.

Submitted by secret local: Tina L, Sonoma, CA

Italian Roadside Café

Look no further than Kenwood for that "I've just traveled to Italy" fare. Café Citti, 9049 Sonoma Highway, offers a relaxed atmosphere with amazing food. Try the Chicken alla Toscana - roasted chicken, stuffed with garlic and fresh herbs. The fall-off-the-bone goodness can be paired with penne pesto pasta. You'll have leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.

  • Café Citti
  • 9049 Sonoma Hwy
  • Kenwood, CA 95452
  • (707) 833-2690
  • MAP

Submitted by secret local: Tina L, Sonoma, CA

Nap Time Delight

Bodega Head's parking lot is atop a ragged cliff above the Pacific Ocean. Crack open your windows or sunroof, push your seat back and snuggle in. The fresh air and pounding surf lulls you to sleep for a refreshing nap.

Submitted by secret local: Tina L, Sonoma, CA

A Taste of Old Sonoma

Bite into a juicy burger at Happy Dog, 18962 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma. The yummy burger, with a side of onion rings or fries, is best washed down with an authentic malted milk shake.

  • Happy Dog
  • 18962 Sonoma Hwy
  • Sonoma, CA 95476
  • (707) 935-6211
  • MAP

Submitted by secret local: Tina L, Sonoma, CA

Kozlowski Farms in Forestville

The Kozlowski family still makes everything from hand and offers goodies ranging from BBQ sauce to apple butter and blackberry jam. They also make some of the best Gravenstein Apple Pie I have ever had. If you visit make sure to have a slice.

Submitted by secret local: Keri H, Santa Rosa, CA

Spud Point Crab Company

Spud Point Crab Company makes some of the best clam chowder along the Pacific Coast. Their little shack with picnic tables nestled near the water makes them the perfect location for local seafood. The crab sandwich is amazing and the views don't get any better. Make sure to dress for the weather as they only offer outdoor seating.

Submitted by secret local: Keri H, Santa Rosa, CA

Best Coastal Hike

Salt Point State Park is located on the spectacular Sonoma Coastline. Perched on the rugged cliffs, the 6,000-acre park has 7 miles of coastline with 20 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails. The Salt Point Trail follows the sheer oceanfront bluffs with breath-taking panoramas of the chiseled headlands, rocky promontories, secluded coves, natural bridges, dramatic offshore rocks and the crashing surf. The trail passes ancient Indian midden sites and leads to intricate wind and wave-sculpted honeycomb formations in the sandstone, known as tafoni.

From Day Hikes Around Sonoma County by Robert Stone

Best Trail through the Redwoods

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve is tucked into a stream-fed canyon on the edge of Guerneville. The 805-acre reserve contains the largest remaining first-growth coast redwoods in Sonoma County. It is also the only grove of first generation redwoods open to the public in the county. Scattered among the stately redwoods are tanbark oak, big-leaf maple and California bay laurel. The Pioneer and Discovery Trail meander through the heart of the redwood cathedral on the shady forest floor along Fife Creek. The self-guided nature trail has interpretive panels and a printed guide.

From Day Hikes Around Sonoma Countyby Robert Stone

Best Trail With Your Dog

Hood Mountain Regional Park sits in the Mayacamas Mountains five miles east of Santa Rosa. The diverse 5,800-acre wilderness park contains the headwaters of Santa Rosa Creek, tributaries that feed Sonoma Creek, rolling meadows, deep canyons, wooded slopes and dramatic rock outcroppings. The Hood Mountain Trail, one of my dogs favorite hikes, leads to Gunsight Rock, a jumble of rocks sitting high above Sonoma Valley. From the overlook are spectacular vistas stretching from the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge to the Sierra Nevada Range. En route, the trail weaves through canyons, dense forests, open grasslands, and picnic areas and crosses creeks, streams andridgetops.

From Day Hikes Around Sonoma County by Robert Stone

Best Hike at a Winery

Bartholomew Memorial Park and Winery sits in the foothills above the town of Sonoma at the end of Castle Road. The 375-acre park leases part of its diverse land to the Bartholomew Winery. The Grape Stomp Trail and You-Walk Miwok Trail form a 2.4-mile loop that begins and ends at the winery. The trail winds through oak-covered mountain slopes with Douglas fir and redwood groves, following portions of Arroyo Seco and the South Fork of Arroyo Seco. En route, the hike passes a lake, a pond, caves and two spectacular overlooks with vistas of Sonoma Valley, San Pablo Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

  • Bartholomew Memorial Park
  • 1000 Vineyard Lane
  • Sonoma, CA 95476
  • (707) 935-9511
  • www.bartpark.com
  • MAP

From Day Hikes Around Sonoma County by Robert Stone

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