Taylor Made Summit

Regional parks tend to be mostly frequented by locals living near the park. Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve near Santa Rosa is worth a visit for anyone in the Bay Area. The prominent Sonoma County landmark has over 1,000 acres and a hiking trail that leads to its 1,400-foot summit. Start at the newly opened Petaluma Hill Road Entrance for this 5-mile (round-trip) hike to the summit of Taylor Mountain. You'll walk through oak woodlands (whose naked branches look awesome this time of year) and cross several creeks before winding up through grasslands. About a mile into the hike you'll come across a mini Stonehenge: dozens of small monuments (cairns) created by stacking rocks. Cows graze nearby as you hoof it up a short steep section that's a thigh burner (there's an alternate route here that's more gradual). The summit offers a grand view of the Santa Rosa Plain, Bennett Valley, Hood Mountain, and the majesty of the North Bay, Mount Saint Helena.