During our stay in Santa Rosa we hiked the Riverfront Regional Park trail in Healdsburg, CA. It’s a loop trail that is a little over 2 miles, mostly flat and covered in gravel. There is a section at the far end of the trail that dips down over some rocks. If you’re bringing a stroller, you’ll need to pick up the stroller over a few small sections here.
There is a $7 fee unless you are a member, which is paid via a Fee Station as you turn off Eastside Drive onto Riverfront Regional Park Driveway. Down a short road there is a parking lot. As you enter the trail right off the parking lot there is a large Redwood Tree grove with Redwood trees towering over a clear space with picnic tables. There are also bathrooms available, which we did not use.
The trail follows a straight path and then stays along Lake Wilson for a short while before looping around Lake Benoist. Our two older boys (ages 4 ½ and 2 ½) rode their bikes the whole way and we took the baby in a stroller. You definitely feel out in nature. It is peaceful and quiet and though there are other people on the trail, there were long stretches on the trail where we didn’t see anyone else.
The lakes are available for boating and fishing, but not for swimming. We saw two people on oversized inner tubes floating on the lake. The trails are also used by people on horseback and we spotted two hitching posts along the trail to tie up horses.
We had a really nice time walking this trail in the evening after dinner. It was a great way to get out of the house and get some fresh air, which sometimes feels tough after dinner. Dinner often seems to bring about inertia. During summer months we are trying to make more of an effort to get outside after dinner especially when it is light so late. It was beautiful here as the sun was going down, and if we lived nearby, I’m sure we’d be here all the time. I especially loved looking up at the Redwood trees in the grove and trying to spot them in the woods along the trail. We also saw lots of wild blackberries. We were curious if they are safe to eat, but didn’t stumble across anyone to ask.
What to Do at Riverfront Regional Park in Healdsburg, CA:
- Hike/walk the 2 mile loop around Lake Benoist.
- You can bring a stroller, but for some small portions on the far side you’ll need to carry the stroller over a few rocks.
- Bring a picnic to enjoy in the redwood grove.
- Fishing, Boating, and Horseback riding are available.
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