Bring a flashlight and your sense of wonder as you explore the park after dark. This hike begins at the White Barn and heads up to the top of Bald Mountain, where we will see the moon rise over the Mayacamas and the sun set over Sonoma Valley.
This route is a strenuous 6.5 miles roundtrip with 1500+ of vertical and some steep sections not recommended for children under 12. Tickets are $10 general, and $5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds), Sugarloaf members, and Sugarloaf volunteers. All minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. You must have a ticket to attend. Meet at the White Barn at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the hike for a prompt departure. Bring your flashlight, at least a quart of water, snacks, and extra layers for the evening. Parking fees apply.
Ease of access: The White Barn parking lot has one van-designated parking spot and an accessible porta-potty. There is a 1/4-mile paved road from the Observatory to the Lower Bald Mtn trailhead. Lowr Bald Mtn Trail is a single-track dirt and gravel trail with multiple narrow switchbacks and inclines for an elevation gain of approximately 500ft. It merges with Bald Mtn Trail, a paved fire road with elevation of 1,000+ ft of elevation gain. The route backtracks on these same trails.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.
Volunteers play a crucial role at keeping Sugarloaf Ridge State Park open and accessible to all! Help Sugarloaf with trail restoration work by coming to our every-other-Thursday Volunteer Trail Crew. Activities include bridge and step construction, installing signs, clearing, lifting, carrying, and hiking.
Bring gloves, hat, and water that you can carry hands-free (i.e. a backpack). Wear long pants, boots or sturdy shoes and sunscreen. Long sleeves are recommended as poison oak is present. We have tools and trained crew leaders with tasks for all. Minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. We will provide tools, and if allowed, lunch.
If you are a current Sugarloaf volunteer, log onto Better Impact to sign up.
Not a Sugarloaf volunteer yet? RSVP to sugarloafvolunteer@sonomaecologycenter.org no later than the Sunday prior to the work day to ensure we have lunch for you.
First-time volunteers are welcomed and encouraged to formally join our volunteer program if they’d like to support us more frequently. Start here to become a volunteer.
CA Naturalist Carolyn Greene leads this wildflower hike along Lower Bald Mountain Trail through mixed evergreen forest and chaparral. Enjoy the warming spring sun, the variety of colors, shapes, scents, and arrangements peeking through the vegetation, as well as the added bonus of whatever birds cross our path.
Tickets are $5-$10 sliding scale for adults and free for children under 18. Meet at the White Barn. Wear hiking shoes, layers appropriate for weather, bring at least a quart of water, sun protection, a camera, and a wildflower guide if you have it. Parking fees apply. Heavy rain cancels.
The 2024 City Nature Challenge runs from April 26 to 29. It’s a bioblitz-style friendly competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. Learn more about City Nature Challenge or view the Sugarloaf Project here!
Participants of any level of experience can help find, photograph, record, and/or identify life in the park. Smartphones with the iNaturalist app will be our main tool, but those lacking phones are also welcome to participate. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance – just make sure to load the iNaturalist app on your phone before you arrive. This event is part of the Challenge along with other events scheduled from April 26-29. View the rest of our City Nature Challenge activities here!
Ease of access: The main parking lot has one van-accessible parking space and an accessible vault toilet. There is no running water in this area. The Lower Bald Mountain trailhead beginning from the main parking lot is a single-track dirt and gravel trail of approximately one mile in length and 500 ft of elevation gain. It has narrow sections with steps and switchbacks, as well as some wider sections in full sun exposure. Stern Trail is a roughly-paved fireroad with a few steep areas of loose gravel. It is about a mile in length, with the second half of the mile being flatter and sunny.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar of events.
Community scientists John Hibbard and Alex Weishaar set up a butterfly display in the greenhouse at the White Barn parking lot for you to you to enjoy during the 2024 City Nature Challenge. Free event; no RSVP required. Stay until noon on Saturday, April 27 or Sunday, April 28 for a guided butterfly walk.
View the rest of our City Nature Challenge activities here!
Soundscapes are auditory landscapes that encapsulate the diverse and harmonious interplay of ambient sounds, from the wildlife to the non-biological, creating a rich and immersive sonic environment. Venture out on this auditory experience with Jack Hines, Soundscape Ecologist at Ear to the Wild and Sonoma Ecology Center’s GIS Specialist. As part of this year’s City Nature Challenge, we will learn about recording sound for submission to platforms such as iNaturalist or Merlin for species identification, or options to improve sound quality of recordings using external microphones. No mobility is required, as we will simply remain around the White Barn parking lot and adjacent areas, including the creek on the Creekside Nature Trail.
Meet at the White Barn. Bring water, layers, a full battery on your mobile device (or alternatively, an audio recording machine), a flashlight to light the way, and if you desire, a cushion to sit on. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children ages 7 to 18. This event is not recommended for children under 7 years old. Parking fees apply; rain cancels.
The 2024 City Nature Challenge runs from April 26 to 29. It’s a bioblitz-style friendly competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. Learn more about City Nature Challenge or view the Sugarloaf Project here!
Participants of any level of experience can help find, photograph, record, and/or identify life in the park. Smartphones with the iNaturalist app will be our main tool, but those lacking phones are also welcome to participate. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance – just make sure to load the iNaturalist app on your phone before you arrive. This event is part of the Challenge along with other events scheduled from April 26-29. View the rest of our City Nature Challenge activities here!
Ease of Access: The White Barn parking area has one van-designated parking spot and multiple regular parking spots that can easily be used by accessible vans. There is an accessible porta-potty a few feet from the van-designated parking spot. The parking area is adjacent to the road that leads to the group camp, outside Robert Ferguson Observatory. The road to the group camp is flat, paved, and about 1/4-mile one-way. The Creekside Nature Trail is ADA-compliant. There are no lights other than a safety light at the White Barn.
For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar of events.
UPDATE 4/10, 4:15pm: The 4/27 walk has been rescheduled to 5/5 due to a change in availability of the hike leader.
Join Certified California Naturalist Mary Good on a hike exploring the medicinal and edible plants of the park. Weaving in natural history, ethnobotany, herbalism and folktales, this walk will open your senses, as well as your curiosity to the abundance of plantlore in Sonoma County.
Tickets are $15-$20 sliding scale for general audiences, $7.5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds), Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf volunteers, and free for children under 12. Meet at the White Barn parking lot. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear for two miles of leisurely walking and chatting over moderate and possibly muddy terrain. Bring at least a quart of water, and if desired, a snack and a plant identifying guide. Heavy rains cancel; parking fees apply.
Edible plant information is for educational purposes only. Foraging is illegal in CA State Parks.
Ease of access: The White Barn parking lot has one van-designated parking spot and an accessible porta-potty. Creekside Trail has two trailheads. The trailhead from the White Barn is ADA compliant for about 0.1 miles. Our route for this hike veers off to the left across a narrow bridge and single-track trail that connects with Hillside. Hillside Trail is a gravel and dirt road with two 100-ft hills and a small stream crossing. Meadow is a mostly flat composite trail manageable by strollers and wheelchairs from the trailhead to about a mile in, although officially not an ADA-compliant trail. The entire loop is a fire road sometimes driven by authorized vehicles.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.
Community scientists John Hibbard and Alex Weishaar lead this easy-to-moderate 2-mile butterfly walk as part of 2024’s City Nature Challenge. We will encourage butterfly and bug photography; cameras, binoculars, hand lenses, and field guides are recommended. Stop by the greenhouse (across from the White Barn) between 11:00 am-12:00 pm prior to the walk for everything butterfly-related.
Meet at the White Barn for the walk. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children under 18. Wear comfortable shoes, sun protection, bring at least a quart of water, a fully-charged battery on your mobile device, butterfly identification guides (if you have them), and if desired, a snack. Parking fees apply; rains cancel.
The 2024 City Nature Challenge runs from April 26 to 29. It’s a bioblitz-style friendly competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. Learn more about City Nature Challenge or view the Sugarloaf Project here!
Participants of any level of experience can help find, photograph, record, and/or identify life in the park. Smartphones with the iNaturalist app will be our main tool, but those lacking phones are also welcome to participate. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance – just make sure to load the iNaturalist app on your phone before you arrive. This event is part of the Challenge along with other events scheduled from April 26-29. View the rest of our City Nature Challenge activities here!
Ease of access: The White Barn parking lot has one van-accessible parking spot and an accessible porta-potty. We’re unable to determine ease of access for the hike as the route will be decided the day-of by the hike leader and other logistics (temperatures, seasonality of butterflies, etc).
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar of events.
The Robert Ferguson Observatory (RFO) is open to the public at least once a month, usually on a Saturday near the time of the New Moon.
Star Parties: Presentations on astronomical topics are given in the classroom throughout the course of the evening. Starting at dusk, the Observatory’s three main telescopes are open for your viewing. Docents set up additional telescopes in front of the building. Friendly and knowledgeable docents are available to answer your questions.
You must have a ticket to attend, as we are limited to 40 attendees per County Health Orders. Proof of vaccination or a negative rapid test taken within the last 48 hours are also required to attend. Tickets are available at rfo.simpletix.com
FAQs:
- Map and Directions
- When to arrive: We keep the observatory open as long as there are visitors, but you must arrive within 3 hours after start time to ensure that we remain open for you. Summer Star Parties begin with tours and presentations until it’s dark enough for observing.
- Bring warm clothing, even in summer—observing is done outdoors.
- There is a short walk from the parking area to the Observatory and you may wish to bring a small flashlight.
- White Light: No white lights should be used after dark; the observatory is a red-light-only area to protect everyone’s night vision. We will supply red cellophane to cover flashlights. Please note:
◦ Bring a SMALL flashlight (large camp lanterns, light sticks, etc., cannot be adequately covered by red cellophane).
◦ Cell phones or cell-phone flashlights are acceptable but must be covered in red cellophane. (No cell service at the observatory).
◦ Some head lamps are difficult to cover with red cellophane. Once covered, head lamps should be worn around the neck or used pointing down as they are usually very bright at eye level.
◦ Red flashlights are available for $5 at the observatory. - Alcohol is prohibited on Observatory grounds.
- The Observatory is not open to the public except for scheduled events.
Classroom presentations are always offered on Star Party nights even if the weather is poor. For current conditions call the observatory at (707) 833-6979.
For more info please visit the Robert Ferguson Observatory website.
TICKETS
Join wildflower poet and Sugarloaf docent Phil Weil on this wildflower walk along Lower Bald Mountain and Meadow Trail.
Meet at the main parking lot, about 1/4 past the entrance kiosk. Tickets are $5-$10 sliding scale for adults and free for children under 18. Wear comfortable shoes, sun protection, bring at least a quart of water, a fully-charged battery on your mobile device, butterfly identification guides (if you have them), and if desired, a snack. Parking fees apply; rains cancel.
The 2024 City Nature Challenge runs from April 26 to 29. It’s a bioblitz-style friendly competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. Learn more about City Nature Challenge or view the Sugarloaf Project here!
Participants of any level of experience can help find, photograph, record, and/or identify life in the park. Smartphones with the iNaturalist app will be our main tool, but those lacking phones are also welcome to participate. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance – just make sure to load the iNaturalist app on your phone before you arrive. This event is part of the Challenge along with other events scheduled from April 26-29. View the rest of our City Nature Challenge activities here!
Ease of access: The main parking lot has one van-accessible parking space and an accessible vault toilet. There is no running water in this area. The Lower Bald Mountain trailhead beginning from the main parking lot is a single-track dirt and gravel trail with narrow sections, steps, and switchbacks, and elevation gain of at least 100ft. The Meadow Trail is a mostly-flat, unpaved fireroad of approximately one mile in length with some sections in full sun exposure.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar of events.
March and April make for good reptilian-spotting months as ectotherms leave their burrows in search of food and mates. Join Galen and Rachel Freed in this easy 2-mile hike in search of snakes, lizards, and other wildlife. We’ll start off with a presentation inside the Robert Ferguson Observatory classroom and then hike Lower Bald and Creekside Trails, whose habitats is preferred by these species.
Meet at the White Barn parking lot. Tickets are $5-$10 sliding scale for adults and free for children under 12. Wear sun protection ad comfortable shoes, bring at least a quart of water, and if desired, a snack. Rains cancel. Parking fees apply.
The 2024 City Nature Challenge runs from April 26 to 29. It’s a bioblitz-style friendly competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. Learn more about City Nature Challenge or view the Sugarloaf Project here!
Participants of any level of experience can help find, photograph, record, and/or identify life in the park. Smartphones with the iNaturalist app will be our main tool, but those lacking phones are also welcome to participate. If you haven’t used iNaturalist, or haven’t made an observation for a while, this is your chance – just make sure to load the iNaturalist app on your phone before you arrive. This event is part of the Challenge along with other events scheduled from April 26-29. View the rest of our City Nature Challenge activities here!
Ease of access: The White Barn parking area has one van-accessible designated parking spot and one accessible porta-potty. There is a flat, paved 1/4-mile road from the parking area to the observatory. The observatory is wheelchair-accessible by a wooden ramp and deck. The Lower Bald Mountain Trail has two trailheads: one outside of the observatory, and one at the main parking lot. It is a single-track trail with sections of dirt, and some sections of gravel, with switchbacks, steps, and a cumulative elevation gain of 54ft. The Creekside Nature Trail is ADA-compliant from the main parking lot to the White Barn parking lot, about 0.48mi.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.