Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail — Attraction in Santa Rosa

Laguna De Santa Rosa Trail is a stunning freshwater wetland walk and the largest wetland in Sonoma County. I’ve explored this trail in both winter and spring, and each season offers its own appeal. In spring, be prepared for muddy paths and puddles, so bring shoes you don’t mind getting dirty in. Even the parking lot has its share of potholes. Despite that, the trail is alive with vibrant green grasslands, open skies, and the fresh, clean scent of nature. Winter transforms the landscape into something more darkly calm yet equally beautiful. It's a season of brisk icy air yet refreshing.

The trail is a mix of grasslands with scattered oak and eucalyptus trees. On clear days, you can spot Mount Saint Helena from the Highway 12 entrance and vineyards if you enter through Occidental Road. It stretches 1.8 miles and eventually leads to Kelly Pond, a perfect spot for bird watchers. There are two access points: one at 5420 Occidental Road, which has 8 parking spaces, bike racks, and a portable restroom, and another at 6303 Highway 12, which features 12 parking spaces, bike racks, three spaces for horse trailers, and trash/recycling bins. Both entrances are wheelchair-accessible, and the trail itself is mostly flat with gentle slopes, making it easy and enjoyable for walkers of all ages. Dogs are welcome except on the pedestrian-only segment, and there are picnic tables for families, although there’s no playground.

This trail is perfect for a leisurely walk, whether you’re starting or ending your day. It offers enough time to soak in the scenery without being too strenuous. To the beautiful people of Sonoma County and visitors abroad if you’re looking for a new trail or just passing through, I recommend exploring the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail. It’s a beautiful slice of nature waiting to...

I took my dog for a walk on the trail - our first time out to the Laguna since it rained. I am fully aware of the flood prone ecology of this area and expected to run into areas where water was obstructing the trail due to the inch or two of rain recently. What I did NOT expect was how poorly the trail would be shedding water and at least 90% of the length of the trail was either pooling or using the trail as a small creek to funnel water along until there was a natural break in the "shoulder" of the trail. Most of the trail is a few inches lower than the surrounding terrain and thus the water follows the trail. I have done erosion control and dirt road management in the past, and I must say that this trail is very poorly constructed. There is a layer of packed gravel that appears to be imported, and I'm sure it costed taxpayers plenty for this project. Due to how poorly the trail is graded and how much erosion and water damage is happening on such a new trail with such a small amount of rain, I would guess that there will be excessive maintenance costs in the future. If this is how our parks spend the money they receive, it should be apparent that they need better planning and should hire someone who knows what they are doing. Summer time trail...

Always a good place to take a sunset walk. From the Occidental Rd entrance the visual perks are the vineyard to to right about a half mile in. Once you get toward the other end (the Hwy 12 entrance) perks include lots of bird watching opps, beautiful swamp life flora and fauna because you are approaching the creek. In the spring and part of summer cute little crayfish are crossing the trail. Respect them and their home by keeping a look out. Local birdwatchers abound. Dogs on leash only - nesting species. The parking lot at Hwy 12 is much better than the Occidental entrance which you can get locked into if parked too late - or get a scolding note on your car if your hike takes you past sunset. Hwy 12 does have a time limit but you can park outside the gate of you like. Beautiful tall grasses and colors as the sun goes down. Horse people like this spot. Porta...