Sonoma County Regional Parks  
Walk On Beach 
Sonoma County Regional Parks Newsletter
August 2014 Edition
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Sonoma County Regional Parks

2300 County Center Dr, 120A

Santa Rosa, California 95403 

 

Main Office:

(707) 565-2041

 
Camping Reservations -
Mon-Fri 10am-3pm: 
(707) 565-2267 
  
FAX:
(707) 579-8247
 

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General Information

Volunteering

 

Tolay Lake Regional Park Day-Use Permit Program

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Welcome to this month's edition of the Sonoma County Regional Parks Newsletter, featuring the latest information about park programs, activities, volunteer opportunities, and more!

Fair Deal for Parks Members

Sonoma County Fair Parks Day 2014
Sonoma County Parks sample membership hangtagSonoma County Regional Parks sample member cardHave you been to the fair? Sunday, Aug. 10th, is Parks Day at the Sonoma County Fair, which means Regional Park members get $3 off up to four admissions when they present a valid membership card or parking tag at the ticket booth.
  

Wine and Dine for the Parks

purple-grape-bunch.jpgBarefoot Wine founders Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan are hosting a parks fundraiser the evening of Sunday, Aug. 17 in Forestville. Enjoy wine and food and hear the latest about parks from Regional Parks Director Caryl Hart and Supervisor Shirlee Zane. Tickets are $150 each, and proceeds go toward park programs. Seating is limited, so get your tickets by Aug. 11 by contacting the Parks Foundation at Melissa.kelley@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-1830.

How Do You Like Your Parks?

Sonoma County Integrated Parks PlanWe're planning for a better parks system and want to hear from you. Please take this quick online survey

and tell us what you think about parks and outdoor recreation in Sonoma County. This is a chance to let us know how you use the parks and what activities and services you enjoy the most. Your answers will help us improve our parks and programs now and in the future.

 

Take a walk on "Walk On Beach"

Walk On BeachWe're happy to announce that "Walk On Beach" lives up to its name once again. Access to this beautiful Sea Ranch beach was restored in July thanks to the work of the homeowners association. The group rerouted an eroded segment of public trail onto the private community's open space. The arrangement opens a bluff-top path to the beach after 10 years of closure, so we're quite grateful for the collaboration. We think Walk On's long, sandy beach is perfect for whiling away an afternoon, but you should probably come see for yourself!
  

Trails Challenge  

Sonoma County Regional Parks Trails Challenge logoOur Trails Challenge finishers are telling us about their experiences, and we love what we're hearing: They're discovering new parks, spending time with family and friends, making hiking a regular thing, and covering a lot of ground.

 

"I had so much fun walking with my mom, brother, and grandma. I'm 12 and love finding new adventures. I couldn't wait for the next walk. So far, this is my highlight of my summer!" Grace from Rohnert Park, 9 miles

 

"I had never heard of some of these parks. I will definitely go to more in the near future." Katie from Santa Rosa, 16 miles

 

"Loved the hikes. It's our goal to hike every weekend." Carol from Santa Rosa, 17 miles

 

The Trails Challenge invites you to hike at least five of the parks featured in our new guidebook anytime before December. Submit an online evaluation, and we'll send you a Trails Challenge water bottle and enter you into drawings for park memberships. Are you up for the Challenge?
  

Don't be the Last One In!

children swimming in lagoonRemember, Labor Day - Monday, Sept. 1 - is the end to our summer swim season. Spring Lake's swimming lagoon will close after the holiday, and Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg won't be staffed by lifeguards. No doubt there are some warm afternoons in store this month, so come enjoy these cooling-off spots while you can. Labor Day also marks a change to kayak and paddleboat rentals at Spring Lake which will be available weekends only through October.  

Dog Days of Summer

Boxer at Spring Lake Water BarkWe know one group of swimmers will be jumping for joy after the Spring Lake lagoon closes for the season. (Hint: They like to do the dog paddle with tennis balls in their mouths.) Yes, dogs are taking over the lagoon in September when we host off-leash swims each weekend. Canines (but not humans) can swim Sept. 6-7, Sept. 13-14, Sept. 20-21, and Sept. 27-28 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (On Sept. 13 the hours are noon to 6 p.m.) Admission is $3 per dog for park members and $5 for non-members. Proceeds go to the Regional Parks Foundation, which supports our programs and services.