North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park — Attraction in California

This park is absolutely beautiful—rolling hills, sweeping views, and a quiet serenity that makes you feel like you’ve found a hidden gem in the North Bay. It’s one of those places where the natural landscape really invites you to slow down and appreciate being outside. I’d gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful escape into nature.

That said, my experience was unfortunately overshadowed by an unexpected and frustrating interaction with the park’s enforcement system. I parked in a pull-out on the road leading into the park—no signs indicating it was prohibited, and nothing that suggested a fee was required. Despite that, I received two citations: one for parking in an undesignated space and another for not paying a parking fee. The total? $100. It felt less like a fair warning and more like a ticket written in bad faith.

What really bothers me is the bigger picture. Park rangers are public servants—stewards of our shared outdoor spaces. In many other states, you’ll see them actively improving trails, building new mountain bike infrastructure, engaging with visitors, and clearly working to make the parks more enjoyable and accessible. In California, too often they seem disconnected from this mission. Here, rangers rarely maintain trails, and when they do interact with visitors, it’s often in the form of handing out steep fines for things like staying out past sunset or parking in unclear zones.

I understand that ranger funding has been cut and that some of their law enforcement capabilities have been stripped away—but that only strengthens the case for focusing on public service, community building, and positive engagement. If parks want more public support (and they deserve it!), they need to earn that trust by being visible, helpful, and focused on improving the visitor experience—not just enforcing rules that aren’t clearly posted.

At parks like Annadel, a growing number of locals feel like rangers are more of a hindrance than a help. I’d hate to see Sonoma County parks go the same way. The land is stunning—it deserves a ranger staff that matches that level of care and...

Well-maintained trails combined with challenging ascents. Great views when you climb out of the switchbacks. There is not a lot of trails here - really 1 main trail up Sonoma Mountain. Also these are not technical rocky trails, but still thoroughly enjoyable. Now that this park connects to Jack London State Park, it is effectively much larger and another piece in the growing Bay Area Ridge Trail. Parking is a steep $7 per day, but I'm likely to get the annual parks pass. There is a well-maintained bathroom at the parking lot, but no potable water: be prepared for your...

This is an excellent park for people of all ages. My almost 3 year old can make the entire trip to the top by the umbrella trees yet it's an uphill climb the whole way, giving everyone a workout. There are picnic tables, zones transitioning from oaks to a redwood grove to grasslands at the top. Sometimes you'll see the roaming cows along the path and you'll definitely see deer, birds and the impressive view of the valley below. Quick trip from Santa Rosa, I'm surprised it's not as busy as other parks are but that's ok. It's a great sanctuary for those of us who...