Helen Putnam Brewsters

Pedal, Poppies, Picnic

Bike or hike at Helen Putnam Regional Park near Petaluma

Woman sitting at a bench overlooking the fields and foothills at Helen Putnam Regional Park near Petaluma.

Helen Putnam Regional Park punches well above her weight. This compact yet bountiful park just outside of Petaluma is named after the first woman elected president of the League of California Cities (1978). And it explodes with wildflowers every spring, in particular the state’s signature California poppy.

Biker by the water at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Sonoma County

Poppies on a trail in Helen Putnam Regional Park Petaluma

Biker on a trail at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Sonoma County Petaluma

But it’s not just the wildflowers. You also get handsome oak savanna and ridges that overlook Petaluma and the Chileno Valley to the west. And its delightful 6-mile trail system makes it easy to explore on two wheels or two feet. For the bicycle enthusiast, start from the main staging area and head east on the Ridge Trail. After about a quarter mile you can take a breather at the Cattail Pond.

Biker at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Sonoma County Petaluma

Biker at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Sonoma County

Biker at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Sonoma County

Then continue on, passing viewpoints and picnic tables along the way. Hang a left on the Filaree Trail near the northern Overlook Point and find some easy and shaded singletrack that leads up to the Panorama Trail. Up here you have the best views. Grab a seat at a bench overlooking Petaluma’s vast storybook beauty. Then roll on down to the parking lot for your next stop.

Beer Garden Bonus! Lively and with live music, Brewsters Beer Garden + Restaurant in downtown Petaluma’s historic district isn’t your ordinary hangout—it’s all about the experience, with a huge outdoor patio, heaters, and open-air dining.

There’s plentiful picnic tables, a fire pit, kids’ playground, bocce court, and a beer, wine, and cocktail menu that pairs perfectly with the outstanding food—locally sourced and sustainably raised.

Meals here are a super tasty blend of southern BBQ and California fresh. The poutine pairs with the Petaloma (a tequila mezcal cocktail), and the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich is best washed down with a Del Norte IPA. It’s also dog-friendly!

Helen Putnam Regional Park is located at 411 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View