Sugarloaf Ridge Hiking

Family Hikes with Guides

• Creekside Nature Trail: 1 mile. Easy, shaded. Trail guide in Visitor Center or at the trailhead. Park in the main lot, cross the road to the trail. Make a loop by going through the campground. 30 minutes. Nature Trail Brochure
• Meadow-Hillside Loop: 2 Miles. Moderate. Start at the Robert Ferguson Observatory and follow Meadow Trail and Planet Walk out, then come back on Hillside Trail. A couple of 100-foot hills with great views, a stream crossing, and a forested hillside. Hillside Trail is shaded, Meadow has 90% sun exposure. 1 hour.  Wildflower Scavenger Hunt Brochure
• Canyon-Pony Gate Loop: 2 Miles. Moderate. About a 400-foot elevation change. Mostly shady forest with large redwoods in a canyon and a seasonal 25-foot waterfall. At the end of the Canyon Trail look up the road to find Pony Gate Trail. 1 hour. Getting to the Waterfall (PDF)
• Quest Hike: Family friendly 1.4 to 2 miles. Easy to moderate. On the Quest, you follow rhyming clues to find the path and learn about the creatures and features of the park. Start and find guides at the main day-use parking lot. Starts on the Lower Bald Mountain trail. 1 to 1.5 hours. View/print a Quest Hike Brochure.
• Fire Recovery Walk:  1 mile, Moderate 350 ft elevation gain.  Can be part of the Vista Loop.   Learn about the plant life recovering from the 2017 wildfires.   Start and find guides at the trail head to the left of the observatory.   1 hour.  Fire Recovery Walk Guide
• Planet Walk Loop: See the Planets in relative distances.  Start at the Sun near the Robert Ferguson Observatory. Guides available in Visitor Center or Observatory.  Take Meadow Trail.    PlanetWalkGuide    
• Easy (Sun through Saturn): 2.2 miles, 200 ft elevation change. 1 hour. After Saturn stay on Meadow to Hillside Trail.  Continue on Hillside back to White Barn.       Strenuous (Sun-Pluto): 5.3 miles, 1100 foot elevation change. 2.5 hours. Take Meadow Trail. Turn left on Brushy Peaks. Reverse to return at Pluto or continue on Brushy                       Peaks, turning left on Gray Pine Trail to make a loop back to Meadow Trail. AFTER THE PICNIC TABLE PAST NEPTUNE, THE TRAIL IS STEEP AND SLIPPERY AND EXPOSED.

Extended Hikes up to Hours

• Vista Trail Loop: 4.1 miles, Moderate – 2 hours.
  Take Stern Trail or Lower Bald Mountain. Turn right on Bald Mountain Trail. Turn right on Vista Trail and traverse the mountain. Turn right on Gray Pine trail (seasonal creek crossing); continue on Meadow Trail to return to the main parking lot. Total elevation gain of 600 feet with 70-90% sun exposure.
• Bald Mountain: 5.6 miles, Moderate-Strenuous. 3 hours.
  Take Stern Trail or Lower Bald Mountain. Turn right on Bald Mountain. At the top you will have magnificent views in all directions. Return by reversing direction. Total elevation gain of 1,529 feet; 70-90% sun exposure.
• Bald Mountain Trail to Red Mountain/Headwaters (Short Version): 5.3 miles, Moderate – 2.5 hours.
  Take Stern Trail or Lower Bald Mountain Trail. Turn right on Bald Mountain Trail. Turn right on Red Mountain Trail, well before the summit (this is the first Red Mountain Trail sign and is off the Bald Mountain Trail). Turn right on Headwaters Trail. Slight left on Vista Trail. Turn right on Gray Pine Trail (seasonal creek crossing). Turn right on Meadow Trail or stay left another .05 miles and then turn right on Hillside Trail (seasonal creek crossing).
• Brushy Peaks to the Picnic Table at Neptune: 5.2 miles round trip, Moderate – 2.5 hrs.  (BRUSHY PEAKS TRAIL CLOSED PAST NEPTUNE PICNIC TABLE DUE TO GLASS FIRE) 
  Take Creekside trail to Hillside to Brushy Peaks Trail. Stop at the picnic table shortly after Neptune on Planet Walk. Return the same way or via Meadow Trail. Shady with redwoods and other trees. Seasonal creek. Total elevation gain 1,200 ft.
• Planet Walk Loop: 4.5 miles, Easy (Inner planets) to Moderate (Uranus-Pluto) – 2.5 hours for the full loop.  (BRUSHY PEAKS TRAIL CLOSED PAST NEPTUNE PICNIC TABLE DUE TO GLASS FIRE) 
  See the Planets in the relative distance and start at the Sun near the Robert Ferguson Observatory. Take Meadow Trail. Turn left on Brushy Peaks. There is a picnic table after Neptune, follow through to Pluto. Reverse to return or continue on Brushy Peaks, turning left on Gray Pine Trail to make a loop back to Meadow Trail. Total elevation gain 1,100 feet.
• Goodspeed Trail to Park Boundary: 2.1 miles one way (4.2 miles round trip), Moderate. – 2 hours. 
  Take Goodspeed trail from the lower parking lot to the park boundary with Hood Mountain Regional Park. Return the way you came (trail continues to Gunsight Rock and Hood Mountain-see below). Total elevation gain of 900 feet, 50% sun exposure.

Extended Hikes 3+ Hours

• Bald Mountain Loop: 6.6 miles, Moderate-Strenuous – 3.5 hours.
  Take Stern Trail or Lower Bald Mountain Trail. Turn right on Bald Mountain Trail. At the top you will have magnificent views in all directions. After the summit, turn right onto Gray Pine Trail (be careful not to take High Ridge Trail) (seasonal creek crossing). Turn right on Meadow Trail or stay left another .05 miles and then turn right on Hillside Trail (seasonal creek crossing). Total elevation gain of 1,529 feet; 70-90% sun exposure.
• Bald Mountain Summit Loop with Red Mountain and Headwaters Trails (Long Version): 7.4 miles, Moderate-Strenuous – 4 hours.
  Take Stern or Lower Bald Mountain Trail. Turn right on Bald Mountain Trail. After the summit, turn right onto Gray Pine Trail (be careful not to take High Ridge). Turn right on Red Mountain Trail (after you summit), Turn left on Headwaters Trail. Turn left on Vista Trail. Turn right on Gray Pine (seasonal creek crossing). Turn right on Meadow Trail or stay left another .05 miles and then turn right on Hillside Trail (seasonal creek crossing). Total elevation gain of 1,529+ feet; 60-80% sun exposure.
• Bald Mountain to the Red Barn: Old Homestead. 8.8 miles, Strenuous – 5 hours.
  Take Stern Trail or Lower Bald Mountain Trail. Turn right on Bald Mountain Trail. Turn left on High Ridge Trail for 1.4 mi. Turn around at Red Barn. This is the end of State Park property. Do not trespass beyond the boundary. Return using Bald Mountain Trail. Total elevation gain of 2,500 feet (1,529 feet to Bald Mountain and then a drop of 900 feet to the Red Barn) with 70-90% sun exposure.
• Bald Mountain to Brushy Peaks Trail (The Big Loop): 8.2 miles, Strenuous – 5 hours. (BRUSHY PEAKS TRAIL CLOSED PAST NEPTUNE PICNIC TABLE DUE TO GLASS FIRE)
  Take Stern Trail or Lower Bald Mountain Trail and turn right on Bald Mountain Trail. At the top, you will have a magnificent view in all directions. Turn right onto Gray Pine Trail (not High Ridge Trail). Turn left on Brushy Peaks Trail. Turn left on Hillside Trail (seasonal creek crossing) or stay right another 0.5 miles and then turn left on Meadow Trail. Total elevation gain of 1529+ feet; 70-90% sun exposure.
• Goodspeed Trail to Gunsight Rock & Hood Mountain: 7.5 miles round trip, Strenuous – 4 hours.
  Take Goodspeed trail from the lower parking lot. After 2.1 miles, the trail crosses into Hood Mountain Regional Park and becomes Nattkemper Trail. After 1.2 more miles, turn left for 0.2 miles to Gunsight Rock for Sonoma Valley views. Hood Mountain summit is 0.2 miles straight ahead. No views from Hood Mountain Summit. Total elevation gain 1,900 to 2,100 feet.

Camp Butler:  Great views of the Valley and Hood Mt.

• Shortest: Take Hillside Trail from the White Barn Parking Lot – trailhead starts near the ADA parking spot.  After crossing the creek, turn left up the hill till you get to the picnic tables. .3 miles each way. 200-foot elevation gain.
  

  Camp Butler Sunset

• Medium: Take the Nature Trail from the main day-use parking lot.  Once you connect with Hillside – go uphill until you get to the picnic table at Camp Butler.  .75 miles each way.  200 foot elevation gain.
• Long:  Take Meadow Trail from the Observatory.  Stay Right as it becomes Hillside Trail.  After about 1.7 miles, you will come to Camp Butler, just after the water tank.  2.0 mile loop.  230-foot elevation gain.

Accessibility on Sugarloaf Trails

The Nature Trail is a .5 mile (one-way) ADA trail.  It starts from the main day-use parking lot and goes to the white barn parking lot.  ADA parking is located at each end.

The Meadow Trail is a gravel fire road that leads to a stream and is used as a trail by hikers, bikers, and equestrians. It is not ADA certified, but it is generally passable by most wheelchairs. It may be accessible for about 3/4 miles. Occasionally gravel works loose and limits accessibility. The trailhead is approached from the white barn parking lot and the observatory.

Restrooms: Wheelchair-accessible restrooms available at:

1. The Visitor Center (porta-potty)
2. Main Day Use Parking (vault toilet)
3. Observatory/Group Camp (porta-potty)
4. Campground Main Restroom (flush with sink)

Parking: Van Accessible ADA parking available at the Visitor Center, Main Day Use Parking Lot, and the White Barn Parking.