New Trails Coming to Taylor Mountain
Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve is home to a mosaic of grassland, wetland, riparian, scrub and oak woodland plant communities. The park supports an abundance of wildlife species, and it links the stream corridors, parks and backyards of Santa Rosa to the Sonoma Mountains. It is also a hub for outdoor recreation in Sonoma County.
Providing a picturesque backdrop to Santa Rosa, Taylor Mountain offers ample public recreation on the urban edge. Over half the county's population lives within just 20 minutes of the park. Park visitors take in a sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Plain, while disc golf enthusiasts enjoy the 18-hole course. The park offers a vital reprieve from the urban landscape for families who live on nearby Santa Rosa Avenue.
Currently, the park offers 8 miles of trails, mostly old ranch roads that deliver access to this outstanding playground for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders alike. Construction has been underway that will double the trail mileage at the park. The Park Master Plan calls for 18 miles of primarily multi-use trails.
Sonoma County’s largest trail construction project in over a decade is underway at Taylor Mountain Park & Preserve. The new trails will give hikers, cyclists and equestrians access to an additional 450 acres and eight miles of new multi-use trails, doubling the park’s existing trail network.
Much of the new trail system is complete but needs additional touch-up work to ensure ideal trail performance. Finishing work will include improving drainage and adding gravel to mitigate clay sections of the trail, removing downed trees, and trimming back vegetation.
The Parks Foundation has commmitted $20,000 to cover these improvements. Following this winter’s rains, Regional Parks will assess the performance of the new trails, and the Parks Foundation is likely to fund additional trail refinements in the future.
This project includes trails on the north and eastern sides of Taylor Mountain, several bridges across seasonal wetlands, and three new walk-in/bike-in entrances for neighborhood use. New trails will cover a variety of topography, from steeper grades leading to the top of 1,120-foot Cogan Peak, to more gradual traverses, including an ADA-accessible trail through Colgan Peak Canyon. Upon completion of the new trails, 75% of the 1,100-acre park will be available for public access.
Funding from the Parks Foundation is key to making this expanded trail system possible. The project is funded by a $1.83 million Recreational Trails Program grant through California State Parks, with local matching funds from the Sonoma County Parks Foundation and other sources.
Providing a picturesque backdrop to Santa Rosa, Taylor Mountain offers ample public recreation on the urban edge. Over half the county's population lives within just 20 minutes of the park. Park visitors take in a sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Plain, while disc golf enthusiasts enjoy the 18-hole course. The park offers a vital reprieve from the urban landscape for families who live on nearby Santa Rosa Avenue.
Currently, the park offers 8 miles of trails, mostly old ranch roads that deliver access to this outstanding playground for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders alike. Construction has been underway that will double the trail mileage at the park. The Park Master Plan calls for 18 miles of primarily multi-use trails.
Sonoma County’s largest trail construction project in over a decade is underway at Taylor Mountain Park & Preserve. The new trails will give hikers, cyclists and equestrians access to an additional 450 acres and eight miles of new multi-use trails, doubling the park’s existing trail network.
Much of the new trail system is complete but needs additional touch-up work to ensure ideal trail performance. Finishing work will include improving drainage and adding gravel to mitigate clay sections of the trail, removing downed trees, and trimming back vegetation.
The Parks Foundation has commmitted $20,000 to cover these improvements. Following this winter’s rains, Regional Parks will assess the performance of the new trails, and the Parks Foundation is likely to fund additional trail refinements in the future.
This project includes trails on the north and eastern sides of Taylor Mountain, several bridges across seasonal wetlands, and three new walk-in/bike-in entrances for neighborhood use. New trails will cover a variety of topography, from steeper grades leading to the top of 1,120-foot Cogan Peak, to more gradual traverses, including an ADA-accessible trail through Colgan Peak Canyon. Upon completion of the new trails, 75% of the 1,100-acre park will be available for public access.
Funding from the Parks Foundation is key to making this expanded trail system possible. The project is funded by a $1.83 million Recreational Trails Program grant through California State Parks, with local matching funds from the Sonoma County Parks Foundation and other sources.
New multi-purpose trails for hikers, cyclists and equestrians are being completed on the north and eastern sides of Taylor Mountain. These new trails will include several bridges across seasonal wetlands and creeks and new walk-in/bike-in entrances for neighborhood use. New trails range from steeper grades to the top of 1,120-foot Colgan Peak to an ADA-accessible trail through Colgan Creek Canyon for those with mobility challenges.
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In addition to new trails, Taylor Mountain will benefit from habitat restoration projects in 2024-25. Regional Parks will undertake restoration at multiple sites in the park, including a highly visible wetland by the Kawana Terrace entrance.
Benefits of habitat restoration include:
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For more information, please contact Parks Foundation Executive Director Melissa Kelley.
