page_title: Sonoma Mountain
section_title: North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park
hierarchical_section_title: Sonoma Mountain / North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park
caption_attribution_description: English: Bennett Valley, North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park, Sonoma County
context_page_description: Sonoma Mountain is a prominent landform within the Sonoma Mountains of southern Sonoma County, California. At elevation of 2,463 ft, Sonoma Mountain offers expansive views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sonoma Valley to the east. In fact, the viticultural area extends in isolated patches up the eastern slopes of Sonoma Mountain to almost 1,700 feet in elevation.
  The eastern and northern slopes are protected from afternoon heat and hence are more densely forested in oak woodlands, abetted by the well-drained, nutrient-rich soils. The western and southern slopes, on the other hand, are drier and warmer, leading to fewer dense woodlands and more chaparral, grassland and oak savannah.
context_section_description: The North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve encompasses 820 acres (330 ha) of Sonoma Mountain abutting Jack London State Historic Park. The land was purchased for public use between 2003 and 2015 by the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District in cooperation with the Coastal Conservancy and Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. The park opened in February 2015 with 20 miles (32 km) of dirt trails for hikers, runners, and equestrians. The trail system connects with the Hayfields Trail on the Jack London park to form an 8-mile (13 km) segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Ridge trail views at 2,000-foot (610 m) elevation include a 180-degree panorama of the Sonoma Valley and the Santa Rosa plain. Some view points have picnic tables. Some trails are closed to mountain bikes, and dogs are not allowed on the park. Park access is through the former Jacobs Ranch at 5297 Sonoma Mountain Road approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) from Bennett Valley Road. The park is open from 07:00 to sunset. Regional Parks membership avoids 7-dollar parking fees. There is a bathroom at the parking lot, but no drinking water is available. There is a wheelchair-accessible trail from the parking lot to picnic tables in a shaded grove on Matanzas Creek.
caption: A view of Bennett Valley from North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park
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