Best Hikes in Sonoma County: 9 Trails From the Coast to the Peaks

The best hikes in Sonoma County range from the flat Pioneer Nature Trail through old redwoods at Armstrong to a 15-mile round trip up Pole Mountain on the coast. For a first visit, the Kortum Trail is the easiest coastal walk. Bald Mountain at Sugarloaf is the classic peak, and the Sonoma Overlook Trail starts a few blocks from the Plaza.

Below are nine trails we can vouch for, with distances, dog rules and hours checked against each park’s own pages in October 2026. Rules change and storms close trails, so check the park’s alerts before you go.

Trail access is one of the things people mention most when they move here. Where it fits, we note the nearby towns.

Quick comparison

Easy walks

Pioneer Nature Trail, Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve

This is the easiest way to stand among old-growth redwoods in the county. The self-guided trail is about 1.5 miles round trip, mostly flat and wheelchair accessible. The Parson Jones Tree, the tallest in the grove at more than 310 feet, is about 0.1 mile from the entrance. The Colonel Armstrong Tree, estimated at more than 1,400 years old, is about half a mile in. A Discovery Trail has Braille panels.

• Hours: 8 a.m. to one hour after sunset.
• Fee: $10 per vehicle at the time of writing ($9 for drivers 62 and over).
• Dogs: only on the paved road and in picnic areas, not on dirt trails.

The reserve sits just north of Guerneville, the Russian River town.

Sonoma Overlook Trail

The Overlook Trail climbs the hillside above the town of Sonoma and links to the Montini Open Space Preserve. Together they make nearly 3 miles of looped paths, with views over the town and the valley. The main trailhead is at 198 First Street West, next to the Mountain Cemetery. A second entry is at Fourth Street West and Haraszthy Drive. The trails are open dawn to dusk. Dogs are not allowed. The small lot fills on weekends, so walk from the Plaza if you can.

Living close to trails like this is one of the draws of homes in Sonoma near the Plaza.

The coast

Kortum Trail, Sonoma Coast State Park

The Kortum Trail follows the bluffs south of the Russian River mouth. It starts at the Blind Beach parking area on Goat Rock Road, about a mile south of the Highway 1 and Highway 116 junction. It passes sea stacks and a climbing outcrop, then reaches Shell Beach. The walk to Shell Beach and back is about 4.6 miles. You can continue south to Wright’s Beach and leave a second car there. The grades are gentle and most of the climbing is on optional side trips down to the beach.

• Dogs are not allowed on the Kortum Trail.
• State Parks may close the Goat Rock gate to cars in dangerous surf. Walk-in access stays open.
• Stay well back from the bluff edges and never turn your back on the water at the beaches.

The trail is a few minutes from Jenner, a small coastal village with a handful of homes on the hills above the river mouth.

Sea to Sky Trail to Pole Mountain, Jenner Headlands Preserve

This is the hardest hike on the list. The trail climbs about 7.5 miles from Highway 1 through grassland, oak and redwood to the top of Pole Mountain, at 2,204 feet. From the summit you can see the coast and far inland. Plan on a full day for the roughly 15-mile round trip, and carry 2 to 3 liters of water.

• The preserve is open 8 a.m. to sunset and has a small free lot. Do not park in front of the gate before it opens.
• Leashed dogs are allowed, except on the last mile of the Sea to Sky Trail.
• The trails can be muddy and some may close in the rainy season.

Sonoma Land Trust built the trail with The Wildlands Conservancy and Sonoma County Ag + Open Space. Shorter trails on the preserve suit a half day.

Valley and ridge hikes

Helen Putnam Regional Park, Petaluma

Rolling grass hills and oak, with about 6 miles of trails just southwest of Petaluma. It is one of the few parks on this list where leashed dogs can use every trail. Open 7 a.m. to sunset. Parking is $8, or free for county park members.

Shiloh Ranch Regional Park, Windsor

Nearly 8 miles of looped trails through oak woodland and along a creek, with a pond near the top. The county suggests a loop of the Ridge, Creekside and Pond trails. Open 7 a.m. to sunset. Parking is $8. Dogs are allowed only in the picnic area and parking lot. The park is on the southeast edge of Windsor.

Lake Ilsanjo, Trione-Annadel State Park

Annadel has more than 40 miles of shared trails on the east side of Santa Rosa. The 26-acre Lake Ilsanjo can only be reached on foot, bike or horse. The Central Annadel Loop from the North Burma trailhead is 5.3 miles with about 757 feet of climbing. In spring, the meadows around the lake fill with wildflowers. Open 8 a.m. to sunset. Dogs are not allowed on trails. Watch for bikes on multi-use trails.

Jack London State Historic Park, Glen Ellen

Jack London’s former ranch has more than 26 miles of trails. An easy one-mile walk leads to the lake, dam and bathhouse London built. Longer routes climb through fir and oak toward Sonoma Mountain. The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except December 25, and is run by the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association. Dogs are allowed only in the historic and developed areas. The park is above Glen Ellen.

The classic peak: Bald Mountain at Sugarloaf Ridge

Bald Mountain, at 2,729 feet, is the high point of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The usual loop is about 7 miles. It climbs the Lower Bald Mountain Trail and the High Ridge Trail to the summit and returns on the Gray Pine Trail along the Napa-Sonoma county line. On clear days, panels at the top identify more than 30 peaks and towns. Sonoma Ecology Center and Team Sugarloaf run the park. It is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. A parking fee applies. Dogs are not allowed on trails. The park also has the Robert Ferguson Observatory. The entrance is 3.5 miles up Adobe Canyon Road from Highway 12, near Kenwood.

Practical tips

• Check each park’s alerts page on the morning you go. Rain, landslides and fire repairs close trails without much notice.
• Inland trails get hot in summer. Start early and carry more water than you think you need.
• Ticks are common in grass and brush. Check yourself after every hike.
• Poison oak grows along many of these trails. Learn what it looks like.
• Cell service is weak on the coast and in the canyons. Download a map first.
• A California State Parks or Sonoma County Regional Parks annual pass can pay for itself if you hike often.

Questions people ask

What is the easiest hike in Sonoma County?

The Pioneer Nature Trail at Armstrong Redwoods. It is about 1.5 miles round trip, mostly flat and wheelchair accessible.

Which Sonoma County trails allow dogs?

Of the trails here, Helen Putnam Regional Park allows leashed dogs on all trails, and the Sea to Sky Trail allows leashed dogs except on the final mile. Most state parks keep dogs off dirt trails.

What is the highest hike in Sonoma County?

Of the hikes here, Bald Mountain at Sugarloaf Ridge tops out highest at 2,729 feet. Pole Mountain, at 2,204 feet, is the high point on the Sonoma Coast.

When is the best time to hike in Sonoma County?

Spring brings green hills and wildflowers. Fall is usually dry and clear. In summer, hike the coast or go early inland.

If being near trails is high on your list, we can help you compare towns. See our Sonoma County homes for sale guide or read about ranch and acreage properties in Sonoma County. To see what is on the market now, start a property search.

Sources & notes

• Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (California State Parks)
• Sonoma Coast State Park (California State Parks)
• Jack London State Historic Park (California State Parks)
• Trione-Annadel State Park and things to do at Trione-Annadel (California State Parks)
• Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (Sonoma Ecology Center and Team Sugarloaf)
• Sonoma Overlook Trail and Montini Preserve (Sonoma Ecology Center) and Sonoma Overlook Trail (Overlook Trail stewards)
• Helen Putnam Regional Park and Shiloh Ranch Regional Park (Sonoma County Regional Parks)
• Jenner Headlands Preserve (The Wildlands Conservancy)
• Hiking the Jenner Headlands Preserve (Sonoma County Tourism)
• Trail of the Week: Kortum Trail and Bald Mountain (Sonoma Magazine)

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.