Recent visit: Sonoma Valley Walk

This has been a cool summer so we managed a walk at Sonoma Valley Regional in the afternoon. Amazing.

The new plantings seem to be overwhelmed with weeds – hard to tell how they’re doing. The blackberries are creeping back.

But the oaks and the grasses look just fine.

It’s a great short walk on a paved trail. slight downhill going out, means uphill on the way back. But if I can do it, you can do it.

This was from February earlier this year (2016):

We have often walked at Sonoma Valley Regional, as it is easy, wide and paved. We can keep dry in winter and can enjoy the wildflowers in spring.

Last November, we noticed some blackberries had been cleared out of the creek bed near the entrance and something planted. From a distance we couldn’t quite manage to figure out what.

Last week, it was hard to tell what was working and what wasn’t. The grass was green though.

Hope they work on taking out the rest of the blackberries and accessing the success of the plantings.

The oaks are still magnificent. We listened for birds. And noticed lots of milkmaids blooming. (4 petal white flower on a long stalk.) What was different for us was water, lots of water in the creek. Yeah!

The buckeyes were starting to put out leaves. Maybe we’ll have blooms in May this year.

Some buckeye seeds were sprouting and hoping to take root. (That’s a soap plant -long green leaves giving shelter.)

We discovered a fallen granary

And an unusual “granary”

The memorial to Zoe, the Happy Dog, seem to be well cared for. Last fall, it was embellished for the season.

Last week, it was more set for the recent holidays.

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From a January 2010 foggy walk.  Sonoma Valley Regional Park.

 

Liz Perrone Dog Park is in a large fenced field. Dogs can run free here, with water. On the trail, dogs need to be on a 6’ leash.

There are Blue, Coast Live (the ones with the leaves), Valley and Black oaks. Poison oak, too.

 

 

You will find a few Buckeye, Bay, Manzanita, Toyon and Madrone.

 

If you stay on the paved path it’s just over 1¼ mile out to Arnold Dr. It’s generally downhill. Keep this in mind for you’ll need to make the gradual uphill when heading back.

See you on the trail!

Lynn Millar

To Pay or not to Pay: If you park in the Hwy 12 lot, it’s $7. Buy a pass, since you’re now walking everywhere. You could park on Arnold Dr. for free, but then there’s a short steep incline to start. That access point is just north of the Sonoma Development Center. Annual pass link

Dogs okay on leash.

Portapottie near entrance. Water fountain.