June 2022 NEWSLETTER
Welcome back to Hood Mountain

More of Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve is now open for hiking, biking, horseback riding and camping following months of cleanup and repairs after the 2020 Glass fire burned across most of the park and scorched some of the same parkland that burned in the 2017 Nuns fire.

The park's Los Alamos Road entrance, above, reopened in late May, with access to the summit restored via Hood Mountain Trail. Also open now are Panorama Ranch and Orchard Meadow trails, equestrian parking along lower Pythian Road, and the two Merganser Pond backpacking sites. (See the park map for the status of all trails.)

During the 18 months of closure, crews cleared many hundreds of damaged and potentially hazardous trees and repaired trails and other infrastructure to get the park safe for visitors. Read more about the reopening and how fire has changed Hood's landscape and allowed native plants to return.
Support Hood Mountain's future

The Sonoma County Parks Foundation is offering a $10,000 challenge grant to help fund projects at Hood Mountain, thanks to the generosity of Santa Rosa artist Richard McDaniel. Donations will support restored and new trails, acquisitions, and fire resiliency as part of the Bill & Dave Legacy Fund. Donors who give $250 or more will receive a set of notecards featuring McDaniel’s pastel image of Hood, above.
Tips for visiting the Spring Lake Water Park
The Spring Lake Water Park is where kids want to be when they're feeling bouncy this summer. Part playground and part obstacle course, the floating water park is open daily for kids at least 6 years old and 42 inches tall who know how to swim ... and for adults too! Get all the details to make the most of your visit and reserve your tickets online.
Enjoy a swim, rent a kayak or SUP
The Spring Lake swimming lagoon is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. every day all summer. Swimming or just playing on the beach is always free with no reservations needed. The water is filtered and chlorinated to exceed water quality standards, and lifeguards are on duty daily.
Kayak and stand up paddleboard rentals at Spring Lake are another fun way to get on the water. The first rental is at 10:30 a.m., and the last is at 4:45 p.m. daily through Labor Day. You can reserve a boat or a board online, or walk-up rentals are an option, too, when boats are available.
Leave your car, ride Regional Parks' River Shuttle

Avoid the parking crunch at two of the most popular Russian River beaches by riding Regional Parks' River Shuttle on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. For $5, park at Tom Schopflin Fields in Santa Rosa and ride roundtrip to Steelhead or Sunset beaches in Forestville or hop the shuttle one-way between the beaches - perfect if you've parked at Steelhead and floated to Sunset.
Free life vests at the river
Look for Regional Parks' free “loaner” life vests at Del Rio Woods, Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, Steelhead Beach, Forestville River Access and Sunset Beach all summer. Just grab a vest from the stand on the beach and return it when you leave. 

Due to the low river flow, we are not installing the summer dam at Healdsburg, but the beach remains open for wading, shallow swimming, paddling and picnicking, and lifeguards are on duty.
It'ssss that time of year

Summer weather means sightings of our native pit viper, the northern Pacific rattlesnake. No worries, though. It's easy to share the outdoors with this important species - Crotalus oreganus - when you know what to expect and how to stay safe if you do encounter a rattler in a park.
Cultivate community

Join LGBTQ2SIA+ people and allies in exploring the parks while building relationships of support and encouragement with a focus on physical, emotional and mental wellness. Through monthly explorations of the natural world, we'll reflect, express and connect. Join us.
Settle down at sundown

Busy day? Feeling tense? Come immerse yourself in nature and go home feeling rejuvenated and grounded. Join us for twilight outings focusing on outdoor wellness and relaxation exercises like mindfulness walks, journaling, stretching and deep breathing. Sign up.
The next Junior Rangers

Calling all nature-loving kids! Sign up for this interactive series where kids can grow their outdoor skills and help steward the land. Youth ages 7-13 will explore the parks with a ranger, completing monthly courses like fire safety, hiking essentials and water safety to become certified Junior Rangers. Get started this summer!
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Sonoma County Regional Parks
(707) 565-2041