Make Time for Tolay

Hidden in the hills south of Petaluma, Tolay Lake Regional Park is 3,400 acres of wide-open space, with a network of hiking and biking trails, along with plenty of grazing cattle. In spring, wildflowers are lovely here. There's also picnic tables and farm animals like goats and chickens.

Thank the co-management efforts of Sonoma County and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria for preserving and protecting this land. The park is part of an important wildlife corridor.

There’s a 7-mile (round-trip) hike (West Ridge Trail) that’s worth the effort, but for those seeking a shorter hike to a vista, there’s also a good 5-mile (round-trip) hike or mountain bike ride connecting the Causeway Trail to East Ridge Trail. Keep an eye out for hawks and other birdlife.

The trail is mostly exposed, with a few cattle gates to pass through, and just a small section through oaks. It ascends to Three Bridges Vista Point, marked by not much more than a knoll, and nowhere else to go. You’re here for the view! Bring a blanket, or sit on your jacket and take in a beautiful panorama of the North Bay, Petaluma River, Mount Tam, and San Pablo Bay.

WILDFLOWER WALKS BONUS: Early wildflowers may already be popping at Tolay, but save the date and register for Tolay's free and guided Wildflower Walk (April 9, 2022) when the flowers should be abundant!

BONUS BEER: It’s been called the best little roadside beer bar around. Ernie’s Tin Bar (5100 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma) is just a few minutes north of Tolay, and worth a stop for their excellent selection of craft beers at a reasonable price, and an unpretentious atmosphere. The rules of the bar: no cellphones. Get caught trying to sneak in a text, and you’re buying a round! Take a seat on their lively outdoor patio and listen to live music while shelling peanuts and drinking beers from the region. There’s food too.

Tolay Lake Regional Park is open 7 a.m. to sunset, 5869 Cannon Ln., Petaluma. The park is located off Lakeville Hwy., about 8 miles southeast of Petaluma. There is a $7 parking fee (waived for Sonoma County Regional Parks members). IMPORTANT: There is no water at Tolay, so be sure to bring plenty of your own water. Dog-friendly (dogs must be on a leash because of the cattle here).