Calendar of Events

Part of our Hiking for Fitness program, these free, moderate-to-strenuous group hikes are geared to keep you motivated through the cold season. Registration is required. Parking fees apply. Hikes are (usually) every second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Part of our Hiking for Fitness program, these free, moderate-to-strenuous group hikes are geared to keep you motivated through the cold season. Registration is required. Parking fees apply. Hikes are (usually) every second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Winter in Sugarloaf offers many different colors, shapes, textures, and lighting: great for practicing nature photography.
California Naturalist John Lynch leads this easy, slow, 3.5 mile hike from creekside to hillside and back through the meadow using our cameras as tools to engage in the aesthetic appreciation of nature and natural landscapes while also documenting flora and fauna through iNaturalist.

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 and have your battery fully charged. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Bring at least a quart of water, a snack, sun protection, and if preferred, a digital camera/tripod.

Tickets are $15 for the general public and half price for students, youth (12-17 year-olds), Sugarloaf members, or Sugarloaf volunteers. Children under 12 can attend for free. Meet at the main parking lot. Bring at least a quart of water, sun protection, wear appropriate clothing and footwear for slippery and rocky trails, and if desired, a snack. Heavy rain cancels; parking fees apply.

Ease of access: the Creekside Nature Trail is short, flat, composite trail. The connection from Creekside to Hillside trail is a single-track, slopped uphill. Hillside Trail is a gravel fire road with two prominent hills of around 250 ft of elevation. Hillside Trail turns into Meadow Trail after the Brushy Peaks junction. Meadow, although not ADA-compliant, is a mostly flat fire road passable by wheelchair and stroller.

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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.

Join Certified California Naturalist John Lynch on his  wondrous wildflower walks.

On 3/2, we’ll follow Pony Gate Trail’s grassy slope, into the Oak woodland and through a mixed evergreen forest, along Canyon Trail’s shady riparian corridor lined with redwoods, to the 25-foot dramatic plunge of Sonoma Creek and back to the our starting point at the Visitor Center.

Departing from the Visitor Center, the 3/23 route takes us on the Creekside and Hillside trails returning via Meadow.

On 4/6, from the White Barn, we’ll scout Hillside to Brushy Peaks turning around at the Neptune picnic table and back on Meadow Trail.

We’ll celebrate Earth Day on 4/21 on Vista Trail via Lower Bald Mtn (from the White Barn) and returning on Meadow Trail.

Wear hiking shoes, layers appropriate for weather, bring at least a quart of water, a camera, and wildflower guides if you have one. Tickets are $10-$15 sliding scale for general audiences, $5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds; must be accompanied by an adult), Sugarloaf members and volunteers, and free for children under 12. Parking fees apply. Heavy rain or wind cancels and will be announced by 9:00am the day of the hike.

Ease of access: The Pony Gate-Canyon loop is approximately 2 miles with an elevation of 595 ft. Both trails are single-track dirt trails with steps that descend into a canyon. There is a seasonal water crossing (creek bed) on Pony Gate without a bridge.

The Creekside-Hillside-Meadow loop is ADA-compliant for approximately 0.35mi. From there, Hillside is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Meadow is passable by strollers or wheelchair up to the bridge, about a mile in, but is not officially an ADA-compliant trail.

Hillside Trail is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Brushy Peaks Trail is a rugged single-track dirt trail with 650 feet of elevation and a short section of steps.

Lower Bald Mtn Trail is a single-track gravel and dirt trail with at times, rough terrain and steps. It connects to Bald Mtn Trail, a steep, paved fire road. Vista Trail is a single-track dirt trail with at least three stretches of steep steps and at least two small seasonal water crossings without a bridge. Gray Pine, the connecting trail between Vista and Meadow Trails, has a year-round stream crossing with a board for a bridge.

Join Certified California Naturalist John Lynch on his  wondrous wildflower walks.

On 3/2, we’ll follow Pony Gate Trail’s grassy slope, into the Oak woodland and through a mixed evergreen forest, along Canyon Trail’s shady riparian corridor lined with redwoods, to the 25-foot dramatic plunge of Sonoma Creek and back to the our starting point at the Visitor Center.

Departing from the Visitor Center, the 3/23 route takes us on the Creekside and Hillside trails returning via Meadow.

On 4/6, from the White Barn, we’ll scout Hillside to Brushy Peaks turning around at the Neptune picnic table and back on Meadow Trail.

We’ll celebrate Earth Day on 4/21 on Vista Trail via Lower Bald Mtn (from the White Barn) and returning on Meadow Trail.

Wear hiking shoes, layers appropriate for weather, bring at least a quart of water, a camera, and wildflower guides if you have one. Tickets are $10-$15 sliding scale for general audiences, $5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds; must be accompanied by an adult), Sugarloaf members and volunteers, and free for children under 12. Parking fees apply. Heavy rain or wind cancels and will be announced by 9:00am the day of the hike.

Ease of access: The Pony Gate-Canyon loop is approximately 2 miles with an elevation of 595 ft. Both trails are single-track dirt trails with steps that descend into a canyon. There is a seasonal water crossing (creek bed) on Pony Gate without a bridge.

The Creekside-Hillside-Meadow loop is ADA-compliant for approximately 0.35mi. From there, Hillside is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Meadow is passable by strollers or wheelchair up to the bridge, about a mile in, but is not officially an ADA-compliant trail.

Hillside Trail is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Brushy Peaks Trail is a rugged single-track dirt trail with 650 feet of elevation and a short section of steps.

Lower Bald Mtn Trail is a single-track gravel and dirt trail with at times, rough terrain and steps. It connects to Bald Mtn Trail, a steep, paved fire road. Vista Trail is a single-track dirt trail with at least three stretches of steep steps and at least two small seasonal water crossings without a bridge. Gray Pine, the connecting trail between Vista and Meadow Trails, has a year-round stream crossing with a board for a bridge.

Join Certified California Naturalist John Lynch on his  wondrous wildflower walks.

On 3/2, we’ll follow Pony Gate Trail’s grassy slope, into the Oak woodland and through a mixed evergreen forest, along Canyon Trail’s shady riparian corridor lined with redwoods, to the 25-foot dramatic plunge of Sonoma Creek and back to the our starting point at the Visitor Center.

Departing from the Visitor Center, the 3/23 route takes us on the Creekside and Hillside trails returning via Meadow.

On 4/6, from the White Barn, we’ll scout Hillside to Brushy Peaks turning around at the Neptune picnic table and back on Meadow Trail.

We’ll celebrate Earth Day on 4/21 on Vista Trail via Lower Bald Mtn (from the White Barn) and returning on Meadow Trail.

Wear hiking shoes, layers appropriate for weather, bring at least a quart of water, a camera, and wildflower guides if you have one. Tickets are $10-$15 sliding scale for general audiences, $5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds; must be accompanied by an adult), Sugarloaf members and volunteers, and free for children under 12. Parking fees apply. Heavy rain or wind cancels and will be announced by 9:00am the day of the hike.

Ease of access: The Pony Gate-Canyon loop is approximately 2 miles with an elevation of 595 ft. Both trails are single-track dirt trails with steps that descend into a canyon. There is a seasonal water crossing (creek bed) on Pony Gate without a bridge.

The Creekside-Hillside-Meadow loop is ADA-compliant for approximately 0.35mi. From there, Hillside is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Meadow is passable by strollers or wheelchair up to the bridge, about a mile in, but is not officially an ADA-compliant trail.

Hillside Trail is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Brushy Peaks Trail is a rugged single-track dirt trail with 650 feet of elevation and a short section of steps.

Lower Bald Mtn Trail is a single-track gravel and dirt trail with at times, rough terrain and steps. It connects to Bald Mtn Trail, a steep, paved fire road. Vista Trail is a single-track dirt trail with at least three stretches of steep steps and at least two small seasonal water crossings without a bridge. Gray Pine, the connecting trail between Vista and Meadow Trails, has a year-round stream crossing with a board for a bridge.

Join Certified California Naturalist John Lynch on his  wondrous wildflower walks.

On 3/2, we’ll follow Pony Gate Trail’s grassy slope, into the Oak woodland and through a mixed evergreen forest, along Canyon Trail’s shady riparian corridor lined with redwoods, to the 25-foot dramatic plunge of Sonoma Creek and back to the our starting point at the Visitor Center.

Departing from the Visitor Center, the 3/23 route takes us on the Creekside and Hillside trails returning via Meadow.

On 4/6, from the White Barn, we’ll scout Hillside to Brushy Peaks turning around at the Neptune picnic table and back on Meadow Trail.

We’ll celebrate Earth Day on 4/21 on Vista Trail via Lower Bald Mtn (from the White Barn) and returning on Meadow Trail.

Wear hiking shoes, layers appropriate for weather, bring at least a quart of water, a camera, and wildflower guides if you have one. Tickets are $10-$15 sliding scale for general audiences, $5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds; must be accompanied by an adult), Sugarloaf members and volunteers, and free for children under 12. Parking fees apply. Heavy rain or wind cancels and will be announced by 9:00am the day of the hike.

Ease of access: The Pony Gate-Canyon loop is approximately 2 miles with an elevation of 595 ft. Both trails are single-track dirt trails with steps that descend into a canyon. There is a seasonal water crossing (creek bed) on Pony Gate without a bridge.

The Creekside-Hillside-Meadow loop is ADA-compliant for approximately 0.35mi. From there, Hillside is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Meadow is passable by strollers or wheelchair up to the bridge, about a mile in, but is not officially an ADA-compliant trail.

Hillside Trail is a single-track dirt trail for 0.1mi that widens into a 2-mile fire road loop with two 100-foot hills and a small stream crossing with a wooden plank for a bridge. Brushy Peaks Trail is a rugged single-track dirt trail with 650 feet of elevation and a short section of steps.

Lower Bald Mtn Trail is a single-track gravel and dirt trail with at times, rough terrain and steps. It connects to Bald Mtn Trail, a steep, paved fire road. Vista Trail is a single-track dirt trail with at least three stretches of steep steps and at least two small seasonal water crossings without a bridge. Gray Pine, the connecting trail between Vista and Meadow Trails, has a year-round stream crossing with a board for a bridge.