THE PLACES WE STEWARD
Explore Places
Discover the public parks, open spaces, and guided-access natural areas managed by Sonoma Ecology Center.
Shortcuts
PUBLIC ACCESS
LIMITED OR GUIDED-ACCESS
Public Access
Sonoma Ecology Center keeps more than 5,000 acres of Sonoma Valley open space accessible to the public through year-round stewardship, restoration, education, recreation, and volunteer programs.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is located in Kenwood and offers 47 family-sized campsites, 25 miles of hiking trails, guided educational hikes, forest bathing, stargazing, fitness and wellness experiences, and volunteer opportunities.
Sonoma Ecology Center manages Sugarloaf Ridge State Park with the support of a wonderful community of volunteers. We welcome visitors daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Sonoma Garden Park
Sonoma Garden Park is a 6.1 acre public garden located at 19996 7th St E, Sonoma, CA, 95476 and is open daily from sunrise to sunset. The park offers community gardens, a natural playground, seasonal Harvest Markets, educational programs, and volunteer opportunities in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Montini Open Space Preserve & Sonoma Overlook Trail
Montini Open Space Preserve’s looped trails are open from dawn to dusk every day and are accessible to the public by two trailheads, one at 4th Street West and Haraszthy Drive and one at Field of Dreams on 1st Street West.
Sonoma Ecology Center partners with the City of Sonoma to manage the Montini Preserve’s land, including habitat restoration and trail work by our Restoration Department.
Sonoma Overlook Trail is a nearly 3-mile walking path set onto the hillside backdrop above the City of Sonoma. Sonoma Overlook Trail Stewards, an all-volunteer group, maintains the trail and provides information focusing on the trail’s flora, fauna and history. Overlook Trail Stewards partner with Sonoma Ecology Center and the City of Sonoma.
Nathanson Creek Preserve
Nathanson Creek, which runs north-to-south through the middle of the City of Sonoma, was once a beautiful waterway. But it had deteriorated over the years due to pollution and neglect, and by the late 1990s was little more than a runoff ditch. That’s when Sonoma Ecology Center, with help from partners Ag + Open Space, Sonoma Water, and the City of Sonoma began leading clean-up and restoration efforts along its banks.
Today, Sonoma Ecology Center manages the ecological health of Nathanson Creek Preserve through contract with the City of Sonoma. The Preserve is a beautiful and thriving greenway, accessible to the public by bridges and walking trails. Its waters are cool and clear again, allowing Chinook salmon to return to spawn.
The Nathanson Creek Preserve hosts a native plant demonstration garden to educate the public on the benefits of plants and provides habitat for pollinators.
This city jewel in the heart of downtown is located alongside Sonoma Valley High School and Adele Harrison Middle School. Both use Nathanson Creek as a living outdoor classroom. Meanwhile, local gardening enthusiasts volunteer their time to keep the demonstration garden and their local community flourishing, and we organize community creek cleanups to keep the waterways free from trash.
Limited or Guided-Access
Sonoma Ecology Center manages properties that are not regularly open for public access but can be experienced through guided hikes and special events. These limited-access landscapes provide unique opportunities to explore conservation areas and ecological restoration projects with our staff.
Van Hoosear Wildflower Preserve
Van Hoosear is a stunning 163-acre wildflower preserve in the foothills of Sonoma Mountain. The property is a gently sloping grassland with more than 250 species of common and rare wildflowers and native grasses. It is permanently protected under a conservation easement made possible by the voter-approved Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space) and the California Wildlife Conservation Board.
Sonoma Ecology Center manages Van Hoosear through a partnership with the landowner, and every spring our naturalists lead the public on guided tours through its spectacular wildflower displays.
To be first to learn about our wildly popular wildflower walks, subscribe to our newsletter or become a member.
You can also learn more about our prescribed burns at Van Hoosear Wildflower Preserve.