Outdoor Family Fun at Spring Lake Regional Park
Sonoma County parks offer activities for the entire family, but Spring Lake Regional Park is a standout, especially in the warm seasons when visitors come to splash and play.
Spring Lake is a 350-acre protected park near Santa Rosa that boasts a pretty lake, a fun swimming lagoon, and the scenic backdrop of oak woodlands and meadows with seasonal wildflowers.
Discover Spring Lake
Spring Lake is a 72-acre reservoir with tables and barbecues for a pleasant picnic by the water. Open daily, from sunrise to sunset, entry to the park is free with a nominal parking fee.
At this peaceful lake, you can also camp, hike, bike, and fish with a fishing license (required for those over age 16). From May to September, you can rent a boat from the concession stand to get out on the water and explore. All year, Spring Lake invites you to bring your own boats up to 16 feet (no gas motors/engines).
Play in the Swimming Lagoon at Spring Lake
Filled with filtered spring water and open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend with no admission fee — the Lagoon is a great place for lap swimming and water play. You’ll find a floating playground for anyone six and older, with stations to bounce, climb, slide, and balance. Inner tubes and life vests are available to rent.
At the end of the swimming season, a few weekends each September, the lagoon hosts an off-leash event for dogs known as Water Bark at Spring Lake. For a small fee, dog owners can let their pets swim and play in the lagoon before it is drained for the year.
Spring Lake’s Discovery Center for Kids
Don’t miss the Environmental Discovery Center at Spring Lake, aimed at kids ages six to 12, with interactive displays and activities. Youngsters can touch sea creatures in tidal-action pools, meet turtles, watch lake fish, view taxidermied mountain lions and coyotes, and learn about Mother Earth in the storytelling cavern. It’s a fun way to experience the benefits of earth stewardship.
Adjacent Parks Add to Your Fun
Spring Lake is connected to the 5,500-acre Trione-Annadel State Parkand the attraction-studded 152-acre Howarth Park, which has a small lake of its own and an amusement area with a miniature train ride.
- Before your visit, learn about Sonoma County’s safety tips for water activities.
- Find more things to do in Sonoma County.
- Use this handy listing of all Sonoma County restaurants and hotels & lodging.
Together, we can protect and preserve the beauty and natural resources of Sonoma County for generations to come. Check out our page on Sustainable Travel, and look over the Leave No Trace Seven Principles.
Written by Sonoma Insider Suzie Rodriguez
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