March & April Nature Adventures
I love to hike, take photographs of nature “the way God made it”, AND I love to eat healthy food! Combine them all together and I call it a self-care adventure. I hope that everyone who reads this page feels inspired to create your own nature adventures. ENJOY!
Even though it can have great benefits for our mental and physical health, spending time outside often comes in the form of a quick walk sandwiched in between other activities. We owe it to ourselves to take a break from the busyness of life and spend some extended time walking, hiking, or taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature - to remind ourselves of who we are and what we want.
HALLEUJAH! Spring is here!!! After an “endless winter” of freezing cold temperatures and atmospheric rains - and serious Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms - the weather FINALLY shifted here in Sonoma County. Sadly, all but one hike was cancelled in March, but then April made up for all the nature adventures I missed over the winter - bringing LOTS of opportunities to get out and experience the beauty of nature and the ABUNDANCE of wildflowers that all those rains brought forth. And that’s exactly what I did - so this will be a l-o-n-g blog filled with them all. I hope you enjoy!
It was SO great to finally get back on the trail at the end of March with the Sonoma County Go Wild Hikers group for a gorgeous morning hike at beautiful Lake Sonoma in Geyserville the last weekend of March. It was still cold, but sunny and blue skies - YAY!!! Our group of 15 hikers did a loop hike that combined Dry Creek, No Name, North Slope, and Bummer trails for a total of 5 miles and 900 feet elevation gain - a moderate hike. It’s always a pleasure to hike with this wonderful group of people and to experience this hike’s diverse landscape of magical madrone forests, flowering manzanita, streams running, the FULL lake after all the rain, and incredible views along the way.
Nestled in the beautiful coastal foothills of Sonoma County, California, Lake Sonoma is surrounded by world famous vineyards and land that is rich in history. Created by the construction of Warm Springs Dam in 1983, the lake provides for flood control, irrigation and recreation. When full, the lake has a surface area of more than 2,700 acres and 50 miles of shoreline, forming the perfect setting for a wealth of recreational activities - hiking, swimming, riding, boating, camping, or fishing.
It was time for lunch by the time we got finished hiking and I was so excited to return to Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg for another OMG AMAZING lunch of their Thai Crunch Mezzaluna - cabbage slaw, apple, orange, peanuts, & Thai dressing folded into a warm pizza crust. GENIUS combo and SO good! Another hiker from our group joined me this time and he loved it too!
Oakville Grocery - founded in 1881 - is the oldest continually operating grocery store in California. Since its opening, Oakville Grocery has been a destination for locals and visitors alike - offering a highly curated selection of the best products from farmers, artisans and purveyors in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Healdsburg plaza.
April started with another visit to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park with the Go Wild Group again. This park is dear to my heart because it’s where I got my hiking legs back in 2017 doing their 8 week Hiking for Fitness program. Always a pleasure to spend time there hiking the various trails available. This time, our group of 17 hikers climbed up, up, up on Hillside, Brushy Peaks, and Meadows trails to the Neptune picnic table for a total of 6 miles and 950 feet elevation gain. To be honest, this hike kicked my butt - a reminder of how out of shape I’d become over the winter. Still the beautiful evidence of Spring was all around and totally worth it!
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park contains the headwaters of Sonoma Creek. It runs through gorge and canyon, across the meadow floor, beneath scenic rock outcroppings, and is surrounded at times by redwoods and ferns. A 25-foot waterfall flows after the winter rains. Within the oak woodland and chaparral, the park has 25 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding. In spring, wildflowers provide a colorful palette across the green hills. On a clear day, visitors can see views of the Sierra Nevada and the Golden Gate bridge from the 2729-foot summit of Bald Mountain.
Definitely ready for food after this big hike, and happy to head to a long-time favorite restaurant, East West Cafe in Santa Rosa for a delicious turkey burger. A fellow hiker joined me for her first experience there and LOVED it too! Yummy, healthy food and great service!
A favorite among locals and visitors alike, East West Restaurant has been prospering in Santa Rosa for over 30 years. This culinary heaven is best known for their creative menu that combines food styles from the Eastern and Western part of the world, and includes a large variety of tasteful, fresh and local ingredients which embrace vegan and vegetarian options as well as high quality animal protein dishes.
Mid-April gave me the opportunity to get back in shape - starting off with a Go Wild Hike at our local Foothill Regional Park in Windsor. Our group of 17 hikers and 6 dogs enjoyed this beautiful community park with trails that wind through gently rolling oak woodlands, past ponds, and up to the fantastic views of Alta Vista trail - for a total of 3.5 miles and 500 feet elevation gain.
Foothill Regional Park is a 211-acre wilderness park in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. The park features thick oak woodlands, rolling hillsides, ridge-top views of northern Sonoma County, three ponds for bass and bluegill fishing, grassy meadows, and spring wildflowers. The park offers 6.8 miles of trails that vary from the challenging climb up Alta Vista Trail to the easy stroll along Three Lakes Trail. Westwood and Oakwood Trails feature beautiful woods of oaks and other trees and excellent views of Windsor and the Coast Range. Picnic tables and benches are located throughout the park.
I decided to try KC’s American Kitchen in Windsor for the first time after the hike and it didn’t disappoint. It was still early and breakfast was the only option, so I had an excellent veggie omelet. I loved that the veggies were crisp tender and there was just the right amount of cheese inside. The portions were so big I ended up taking half of it home for leftovers. YUM!
KC’s American Kitchen is a local Wine Country hotspot featuring American Comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and boasts the best outdoor dining in Sonoma County. Enjoy climate controlled all-weather patio year-round. Sit around the custom fire pit and enjoy Sonoma county wine and locally made craft beers. The fun and attentive staff will make you feel like a local, and if you are a local, they will make you feel like family.
Just two days later I was blessed with the opportunity to attend a 3 day hiking trip to Point Reyes National Seashore with my friend’s group, Sierra Sisters. On day 1 we drove down the coast on Hwy #1 and visited the Point Reyes lighthouse, did some whale watching, and just got to know the other members of the group. (The lighthouse and stairs were closed that day - no problem - I wasn’t interested in climbing down and then back UP 343 stairs!!!) Then we headed over to Chimney Rock for a bag lunch and a beautiful 3 mile walk with SO many wildflowers and stunning views. Best of all we had sunny blue skies and only occasional gentle breezes - an AMAZING rarity in Point Reyes!
We stayed at the Point Reyes Hostel where we enjoyed comfortable lodgings and quiet natural surroundings - along with NO wifi or cell reception! It was perfect! On Day 2 we headed to the nearby Sky Trail to hike to the summit of Mt. Wittenberg - a total of 5 miles and 750 feet elevation gain. The trails were lined with thousands of forget-me-nots - along with other wildflowers as well. The Spring green growth literally everywhere was SO beautiful. And, of course, more stunning views and great weather!
On Day 3, with MORE incredible weather, we visited Limantour Beach in the morning. We had it all to ourselves and could do whatever we wanted with the time. Some (like me) chose to just sit and commune with the ocean while others played with the waves and walked the beach or on nearby trails. Then we headed for The Bear Valley Visitor Center which provided a wealth of information about the history, diverse ecosystems, and cultural heritage of the area - along with retails opportunities as well. We enjoyed our farewell lunch on their beautiful grounds and then a short hike to Kule Loclo, a replica of a Coast Miwok village.
With body, mind, and spirit overflowing with good vibes, we hugged each other goodbye and headed for home feeling relaxed and renewed. SO grateful for this wonderful blessing! The pictures don’t do justice to the natural beauty, wildflowers, and incredible views, but I hope you enjoy them.
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, the Seashore preserves a tapestry of stories and interactions of people. Point Reyes awaits your exploration.
This is my dear friend of 34 years, Janet Kelly. She has been hiking and backpacking for 40 years and leading women’s hiking trips for 10 years. I did a truly memorable trip with her 5 years ago to Sequoia & Kings Canyon national parks to celebrate my 65th birthday. Janet is a retired first grade teacher and has a wealth of knowledge and stories to share. She leads 5 trips a year - which are usually 5 days and 4 nights, and include transportation from Sonoma County, lodging, and most meals. Hikes are about 5 miles a day, and are easy/moderate in difficulty with a very relaxed pace where the focus is on communing with nature and each other. Her next trip is to Yosemite in mid-June. You can visit her website, Sierra Sisters, for more information.
Then, just 3 days later, I joined the Go Wild group again for a hike at beautiful Lake Hennessey in St. Helena. Our group of 15 hikers went up Chiles Creek, Whiskey Ridge and Conn Peak trails for a total of 6 miles and 900 feet elevation gain. Lots of diverse terrain AND blue lupine EVERYWHERE! At the top there's a picnic table and a cool stone labyrinth. This was a moderately challenging hike, but I was feeling strong again and did just fine. And, as always, a memorable time with this great group!
Moore Creek Park includes 1,600 acres of rugged terrain including Oak woodlands, Douglas Fir & Madrone forest, grasslands, and chaparral. Wildlife in the park is plentiful, including large mammals such as black bears, mountain lions, bobcat, gray fox and coyote.The Lake Hennessy section offers stunning views of the Lake Hennessy watershed as well as the lake itself. Trail users can choose between trails up the rugged ridges, or a flat walk along the lakeshore.
A few days later, with more sunny weather forecast, I took my 100.5 year old mom on a nature adventure as well. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and a 2 mile walk/ride at Cloverdale River Park near where she lives. It was 80 degrees, so I definitely worked up a sweat pushing her wheelchair, but she was SO happy seeing all the wildflowers, talking to people we met on the trail, and just breathing it all in. Her favorite part was seeing all the sheep. No doubt about it - nature does EVERYBODY good!
And, finally, I ended the month with another gorgeous morning hike at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Petaluma with the Go Wild Group. Our group of 17 hikers did a loop hike that combined Ridge, Filaree, Pomo, Panorama and Savanna trails for a total of 4.75 miles and 500 feet elevation gain - a fairly easy hike. It was foggy for most of our time there, but the sun eventually came out near the end so we got to enjoy seeing the poppies open.
Helen Putnam Regional Park is a compact wilderness park southwest of Petaluma. Its 6 miles of trails cross grassy hillsides and weave through oak woodlands. Ridge-top trails provide panoramic views of the city and the southern Sonoma County countryside. A fishing pond contains bluegill and other fish. An accessible playground, picnic area and gazebo are located near the parking lot. Helen Putnam Park's looped trail system lets hikers create walks of varying length and difficulty, making the park a great choice for beginning hikers looking for a bit of a challenge.
It was definitely time for lunch by the time we got finished, so I headed to Aqus Cafe in Petaluma for my favorite - a California Wrap. A couple of fellow hikers joined me and we enjoyed our yummy lunch basking in the sunshine on their outdoor patio. SO good!
Aqus Café was created to foster community by providing a space for people to meet, connect and get to know each other. Locavore’s delight in an extensive selection of locally produced artisan foods and beverages, from breakfast scrambles and locally made pastries, to delicious paninis, plentiful salads, wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan options, and tasty dinner time offerings.
So that’s it for my March and April self-care adventure days - WHEW! I definitely feel so grateful to have access to such incredible beauty here in Sonoma County and beyond - and the impact that being in it has on my body, mind, and spirit. I’m literally flying high at this point! May looks promising with hikes scheduled for Shiloh Ridge, Tolay Lake, and the Valentine Trail at Moore Creek Park (which I’ve been wanting to do - the wildflowers are supposed to be stunning!). Also, maybe a trip out to the Sonoma Coast - since I haven’t been there in awhile. In the meantime, I hope you are inspired to create your own uplifting experiences. I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.