Welcome to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
PARK CONDITIONS
Sugarloaf State Park is open for hiking and camping.
ALL TRAILS ARE OPEN.
El Parque Estatal Sugarloaf está abierto para senderismo y acampada.
TODOS LOS SENDEROS ESTÁN ABIERTOS.
Trail Status: Please check at the Kiosk or Visitor Center for updated trail conditions.
Estado de los senderos: Por favor pregunte dentro del centro de visitantes o en el quiosco acerca de las cerraduras o condiciones de los senderos.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park contains the headwaters of Sonoma Creek. It runs through gorge and canyon, across the meadow floor, beneath scenic rock outcroppings, and is surrounded by redwoods and ferns. With 47 family-sized campsites and 25 miles of hiking trails, it is the perfect place to spend time outdoors!
Camping: We have 44 campsites open, both reservable in advance and first-come, first-served in our lovely creekside campground.
UPDATE 2/28, 4:30 pm: The 3/2, 3/23, & 4/6 hikes are sold out.
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.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.
The practice of Forest Therapy has been shown to improve health and well-being.
Have you heard about ‘Shinrin-yoku’ or ‘forest bathing’? Here is an opportunity to take a walk and experience the practice for yourself. Learn techniques to maximize the health benefits and stress reducing qualities of this walking practice. Shinrin-yoku originated in Japan and is gaining popularity in the United States for its documented health benefits.
This practice takes a walk in the woods to another level. A centering and calming restorative practice, it promotes balance and restored vitality through a quality of presence and heightened sensory awareness. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park hosts a Forest Therapy Series as part of its Park Rx Program the 4th Sunday of the month led by certified Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) practitioners.
We invite you to join us on this therapeutic experience of sights, sounds, scents, touch, and memory. The outing begins at the White Barn and meanders less than one mile from the start point in a reverie of introspection and connection to the natural world.
Tickets are $20 or free with an January 2024 or newer Park Rx from a Sonoma County Medical Provider. Click here for Park Rx information. To sign up with a Park Rx, please email alma@sonomaecologycenter.org. Please have your Park Rx available at the time of sign-up, as the number of Park Rx tickets is limited and you will be asked to turn in a copy at the time of registration.
Wear layers, comfortable footwear, bring water, sun protection, and if desired, a snack or a picnic to enjoy after the event. Parking fees apply. Heavy rains cancel.
Ease of access: Creekside Nature 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 dirt trail that connects with Hillside and then backtracks. The entire route is approximately 3/4 of a mile with approximately 100ft of elevation gain.
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.
UPDATE: 2/2 1:00PM. Our March Full Moon Hike is sold out, but sales for the April hike begin on March 25 at 1:00am.
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 viewpoint on Vista Trail or to the top of Bald Mountain, where we will see the moon rise over the Mayacamas and the sun set over Sonoma Valley.
The Bald Mountain route is a strenuous 6.5 miles with 1500+ of vertical and some steep sections (not recommended for children under 12). It leaves the White Barn parking lot at 5:00pm.
The Vista Trail route is a moderate-to-strenuous, 4-mile hike with 700ft of elevation and begins at 6:00pm. Not recommended for children under 7.
Tickets are $10 general, and $5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds), Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf volunteers, and free for children 7-12 years old. All minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. You must have a ticket to attend. Be at the meeting location 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:
For Vista route: 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 Meadow trailhead. Meadow Trail is an unpaved fire road that is mostly flat although not ADA-compliant. In the dry season, it is passable by stroller or wheelchair with off-road capability tires up to the bridge, about a mile in. Grey Pine Trail is a fire road with a year-round creek crossing passable by board. Vista Trail is a single-track dirt trail with at least 700ft of elevation. It has at least two small seasonal water crossings, at least two sections with steps, and multiple steep, slippery sections. Bald Mtn Trail is a paved fire road that connects Vista Trail to Lower Bald Mtn Trail. Lower Bald Mtn Trail is a single-track dirt and gravel trail with multiple narrow switchbacks and inclines with an elevation gain of approximately 500ft. It has two trailheads; one at the main parking lot, and one that leads back to the Observatory.
For Bald Mtn route: 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.
Join Sugarloaf docents Inga Aksamit and Andy Westbom for a three-hour course covering basics and examining gear. There will be examples of all the gear needed. No actual hiking is involved in this instructional session. The goal is to introduce participants to modern, lightweight backpacking strategies. We’ll touch on topics such as: equipment, trip planning, navigation, food, water treatment, common problems in the backcountry and how to avoid them. You don’t need a heavy pack to enjoy a wilderness experience.
If you’ve never backpacked, or it’s been decades, this is for you! There will be tips for all—from backpacking with children to considerations for seniors. Both Inga and Andy are experienced guides in the Sierra and beyond.
Tickets are $15-$20 sliding scale for general audiences, $7.5 for students, youth (12-17 year olds), Sugarloaf members and Sugarloaf volunteers. Meet at the Observatory classroom. Bring a pen and notebook, water, and your questions. Parking fees apply.
Ease of access: the Robert Ferguson Observatory is located within Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. There is one van-designated parking spot and although not ADA or van-designated, there is more parking adjacent to the Observatory/group camp and at the White Barn lot. The observatory has a wooden ramp from the designated parking space to the main level deck. Inside the classroom, seating is fluid and mobile. There is an accessible stall in the bathroom inside the building and an accessible porta-potty at the group camp (directly outside the observatory).
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For more events at Sugarloaf, visit our calendar.
Support Sugarloaf
Your donations help keep Sugarloaf open for all!
Read the Sonoma Ecology Center 2023 Impact Report!
Our parent organization, Sonoma Ecology Center, making great impacts in the areas of COMMUNITY, LAND, CLIMATE, WATER, and BIODIVERSITY in Sonoma Valley.
Camping at Sugarloaf
You can enjoy camping year-round at Sugarloaf with 47 family-friendly, alcohol-free camping spaces nestled in a large meadow and bordered by a year-round stream and a hillside forest.
Stargazing at Robert Ferguson Observatory
Completely dedicated to public viewing and education, the Robert Ferguson Observatory is the LARGEST in the western United States and it’s right here at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
Community-Operated Park
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is operated by Sonoma Ecology Center and Team Sugarloaf. Learn more by visiting the Team Sugarloaf Page