Overgrown in parts
Newell Open Space Preserve
- 6/25/2026
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Distance: 5.82 Miles
Duration: 2 hours, 36 minutes
Penny and I made our first visit to Newell in a couple of years. The dusty parking area is now nicely paved. There's even a charger station for EVs.
Not long after starting our hike we came upon a rafter of turkeys in one of the thick blackberry bushes along the trail. Some trotted farther up the trail and some took flight when they managed to get out of the brambles. It's a little early in the season for blackberries, but a few had some plump, ripe fruit that were quite tasty.
The main acreage has free roaming cows and we encountered one on the trail that was to be deterred from her chosen path. She patiently waited, still and resolute. As we passed by on the other side of the jeep track trail. Once we passed she slowly ambled down the path.
The clean parking area is not reflected on the trail conditions unfortunately. We found many of the trails a bit overgown and needing some maintenance. But the most Southeastern portions of the trails were beyond just a bit overgrown. The trails here were hard to see from the overgrowth and I was happy to have long pants on. At times we were uncertain whether we were on the official trail or had diverged onto a parallel cow path. I'd recommend avoiding that area until trail maintainers are able to address the issue.
We were blessed with perfect weather for comfort. A "June Bloom" of clouds kept the Sun from raising the temperature too much and provided releaf throughout the hike. Only upon returning to the trailhead did the Sun break out.
Just a stroll on the paved trail
Sonoma Valley Regional Park
- 5/24/2026
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Distance: 2.65 Miles
Duration: 55 minutes
The trail was not too overly crowded despite a number of people getting out on the Memorial Day weekend. The weather was pleasant and in the middle of the walk we were shielded from the chillier winds experienced at the start and turnaround points.
We stopped and looked at the many painted stones at the memorial for Zoe, the Happy Dog, and other loved pets. Through an arrangement with park management, the display is allowed to be temporarily set up every Memorial Day weekend. The picnic table itself was dedicated to Zoe, who passed away in 2014.
We stuck to the paved Valley of the Moon Trail on this outing as we get an easy start to many more hikes in the future as my wife and I are now both retired.
City and overlook walk
Sonoma Overlook Trail
- 5/24/2025
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Distance: 5.86 Miles
Duration: 2 hours, 14 minutes
Coppertone and I walked through the town of Sonoma before and after hiking to the top of the Sonoma Overlook. The map I've uploaded includes only the path through the cemetery and the Overlook trails themselves.
The Overlook was recently just reopened after some trail maintenance and improvements were put into place. The biggest sign of the changes are the new stone steps that have been added to a few spots along the trail. They look very well done and should last a long while. Much nicer than wood and dirt steps that you might see elsewhere.
The view from the top of the overlook was outstanding. We could clearly see into San Francisco itself.
Quick walk while out running errands
Helen Putnam Regional Park
- 1/18/2025
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Distance: 2.32 Miles
Duration: 55 minutes
Coppertone and I were running errands around Petaluma so we decided to stop by Helen Putnam to get a few miles in. We mostly kept to the Ridge Trail (paved path) to avoid mud. The trails seemed dry though so we also walked along the Ridge Trail's non-paved route on the way back.
We parked on the street near the Oxford Court trailhead and hiked over the ridge to the main trailhead on Chileno Valley Road.
At one point we spotted a bird hovering in mid air looking for a snack in the field below. It came to a rest in a tree nearby. Looked like a Kestrel based on size and behavior, but we didn't have binoculars to try and confirm this.
Prairie Ridge Trail Loop
Newell Open Space Preserve
- 9/2/2024
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Distance: 5.97 Miles
Duration: 2 hours, 46 minutes
Coppertone and I returned to one of our favorite hikes in the area. We did the loop that included the Prairie Ridge Trail since it offers so many nice views in 360 degrees.
We're late enough in the year such that all of the grasses are brown and brittle. Much, although not all, of the trail was the beneficiary of recent mowing. We did not have to brush past brush for most of our hike.
Strangely, we found a dead rabbit and a dead mouse on the trail. We were surprised some scavenger had not yet dragged them off for consumption. A swarm of yellow jackets were busy working on the rabbit.
Several powerlines crest the ridge within the park and descend towards American Canyon. Since our last visit one of the lines appears to have had its metal towers replaced with new wooden poles. The bases of the old metal towers were all that remained of the old supports.
We stopped at a couple of blackberry brambles along the trail. Although most of the berries were not yet ripe, we found a few morsels to enjoy.
A few years ago, a local Scout had installed a set of Orienteering markers along the trail. An online guide provides background on how to find the markers. Unfortunately, many of the markers appear to be missing now, though some remain.
In the end we logged almost 6 miles and only saw a few other people on the trails.