Walking Cloverdale River Park

This post was from February 2013 with a few 2010 pictures added. We’ve visited Cloverdale many times  and it’s great for winter with its wide paved path. Going uphill to the cemetery will possibly be more soggy right now. Don’t forget it for the wildflowers in later in February and March.

Cloverdale River Park follows the Russian River for a little over a mile. Trail is paved and flat – my favorite kind. We almost started our walk at the south end of the park on First Street. (The other entrance is at the McCray on the north end of the park.) We made a detour to the cemetery.

Someone recently commented that the cemetery near the south end of the park provides some great views of the river and the surrounding area. Trees grow up and a madrone blocked the best view of the river. It’s more that we could see the Shamrock sand and gravel place.

It was a bit of a hill, but rewarding and the dirt path was gentle. We took the road to the right, followed the main trail and took the last zig to the right to make a loop of the cemetery. The hill is dotted with oaks.

The Cloverdale’s Riverside Cemetery is at Crocker Rd. off of First Street just before the Russian River. To me it seemed similar to the Rural Cemetary in Santa Rosa in style and general dates on the headstones. The earliest date I noticed was 1848 and the most recent 1955. Most dates ranged from the 1860s to the early 1900s.

The main path led us to a view across the valley to Cloverdale and Hwy 101. According to the Cloverdale History Center, some of the markers precede the incorporation of the town in 1872.

Down by the Russian River we walked the flat trail for a short walk.

We’re glad we challenged the hill to explore the cemetery and more glad the park’s trail is flat and easy along the river.

See you on the trail!

Words by Lynn Millar, Photos by Mike Millar

To park at the north end, fee is $7 (or by a Regional Park pass), the picnic tables and portapottie are gone at southend. For the Regional Park page, click Cloverdale River Park.

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