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Sonoma Coast State Park, Kortum Trail: Stunning coastal bluffs and a plethora of native wildflowers, like California poppies, yellow and blue lupine, sea pink, Indian paintbrush, western wallflower and verbena, make for a beautiful spring outing. Highway 1 and Goat Rock Road, Jenner, 707-875-3483, parks.ca.gov (Courtesy of Jerry Dodrill)
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Jack London State Historic Park, Glen Ellen: The guided wildflower hikes through the park fill quickly, but it’s easy to go searching on your own thanks to the park’s Blooming Now Wildflower Guide. Updated regularly, the guide is packed with information, including color photos of blooms and where in the park to find them. It’s also easy to print, so you can bring it along on the trails. 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, 707-938-5216, jacklondonpark.com
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Pacific (western) trillium in bloom at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. (Courtesy of Deborah Large)
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Showy Warrior’s Plume at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. (Courtesy of Deborah Large)
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Sonoma County Regional Parks: Wildflowers seems to pop up in every regional park, but a handful of locations – Crane Creek, Foothill, North Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma Valley (pictured) and Taylor Mountain – stand out for their carpets of color. Sonoma County Regional Parks offers a downloadable wildflower guide with flowers organized by color. 707-565-204, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
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Crane Creek Regional Park, Rohnert Park: Come spring, a joyful explosion of color can be seen in this 128-acre park. The Creek, Lupine, and Poppy Trails circle a number of wildflower meadows bursting with poppies, lupine, milkmaids, buttercups and more. 5000 Pressley Road, Rohnert Park, 707-539-8092, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
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Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, Santa Rosa: Lupine, orange bush monkeyflower, poppies, baby blue eyes, shooting stars and more can be found here. North Entrance, 2080 Kawana Terrace, Santa Rosa; South Entrance, 3820 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-8092, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov (Sonoma County Regional Parks)
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Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve, Cazadero: Come May, clusters of bright rhododendron blossoms will be competing for attention with redwoods and Douglas firs. There are three miles of hiking trails, but if you only have time for a quick jaunt, the Rhododendron Loop won't disappoint. Highway 1 near milepost 43, Cazadero. 707-847-3221, parks.ca.gov (Chad Surmick/Sonoma Magazine)
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Pepperwood Preserve, Santa Rosa: Choose between leisurely and rigorous guided wildflower hikes at Santa Rosa’s Pepperwood Preserve. (But hurry up, hikes fill fast.) Bring your own lunch and stay after the hike to enjoy a picnic. 2130 Pepperwood Preserve Road, Santa Rosa, 707- 591-9310, pepperwoodpreserve.org (Tom Greco/For The Press Democrat)
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Lantern flowers bloom in the perimeter of Pepperwood Preserve in 2019. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
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Several free, guided wildflower hikes are scheduled at Jenner Headlands Preserve in April and May in anticipation of the spring bloom. Information can be found on the events calendar. (The Press Democrat)
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Sonoma Botanical Garden: Sonoma County's only botanical garden offers impressive spring flowers, including rhododendrons in orange, red, pink and white hues. And, on the newly opened California Oaks Trail, lavender lupines bloom. In April and May, trees in the garden's Asian Woodland display their florals and visitors can see yellow swaths of Sticky Monkeyflower. 12841 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-996-3166, sonomabg.org (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
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Japanese iris (Iris Ensata) at Sonoma Botanical Garden in Glen Ellen. (Sonoma Botanical Garden)
