Meet Sonoma County’s Newest Regional Park During Special Sneak-Peak Hike

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — For two days, Sonoma County's newest regional park will open for a special hike.

The nature meet and greet with the park is an opportunity to explore the future Mark West Creek Regional Park and Preserve before it opens permanently.

Sonoma County Regional Parks will host preview days Oct. 24, and Nov. 21.

Hikers will have the trails to themselves between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a self-guided treck of up to 8 miles.

The route passes through meadows and redwood forests, follows year-round creeks and reaches ridgelines overlooking the northern Santa Rosa Plain, according to Sonoma County Regional Parks.

The agency's staff and volunteers will be available to answer questions about the property and provide updates on plans for the park.

Advance registration is required for the no-cost event. Details are available on the county’s Mark West Creek activities calendar.

The planned regional park and open space preserve includes portions of Mark West, Porter and Mill creeks about 20 minutes from downtown Santa Rosa. Its landscape includes open meadows, oak woodlands and evergreen forests.

Once completed, the park is expected to protect scenic and natural resources while offering recreation and educational opportunities.

Regional Parks took ownership of nearly 1,200 contiguous acres in November 2018.

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District acquired the land through a series of transactions beginning in 2007, working with willing sellers and using funding from a voter-approved quarter-cent sales tax.

Although a regional park at the site was first identified in county plans in 1967, assembling the necessary land took decades.

Regional Parks has offered preview days and staff-led activities at the property while developing a master plan for its permanent use.

Environmental Science Associates has been contracted to assist with the planning process, including resource studies, public outreach, design alternatives, resource-management planning and preparation of an environmental document addressing potential impacts.

The county is also asking for suggestions for possible park facilities, visitor use and the community’s vision for the property. More information and a public survey are available at markwestcreekparkandpreserve.org.