Many of Sonoma County's hiking trails end conveniently close to winery tasting rooms. Here are a few favorites.
Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail & Hanna Winery, Santa Rosa: The 1.8 mile trail at Laguna de Santa Rosa offers more of a stroll than a strenuous hike — a great warm-up for your wine tasting. There are two entrances to the trail, one by 6303 Highway 12 and another by 5420 Occidental Road. If you park at the Occidental Road entrance, you’re about a minute’s drive from Hanna Winery’s Russian River Valley Tasting Room. Yes, it’s that close. 5353 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-431-4310, x140, hannawinery.com. (Courtesy of Hanna Winery)
Mt. St. Helena, photographed from the Laguna de Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Hanna Winery's VIP Seated Tasting ($35) takes place in the winery's picnic area and includes five wines. There’s also a wine and local cheese pairing for $40. Reservations are highly recommended. (Courtesy of Hanna Winery)
Jack London State Historic Park & Benziger Family Winery, Glen Ellen: Historic trails lead the way to the Wolf House and Beauty Ranch in Jack London State Park (2400 London Ranch Road). For a more strenuous hike, there are nearly 30 miles of backcountry trails to choose from. The park is located less than a mile from Benziger Family Winery. 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, 707-935-3000, benziger.com. (Courtesy of Jack London State Historic Park)
Sonoma Mountain, the ancestral home of the Coast Miwok and Pomo Indians, at Jack London State Historic Park Park. (Courtesy of Jack London State Historic Park)
Benziger Family Winery was the first vineyard in Sonoma (and one of the first in North America) to receive biodynamic certification in 2000. Walk-ins are welcome in the winery's tasting room but tasting experiences, like the Estate Seated Tasting ($40) and the Tribute Estate Tour & Tasting ($75), must be booked in advance. The Tribute Estate Tour & Tasting includes a visit to the underground wine cave. (Courtesy of Benziger Family Winery)
The main insectary at Benziger Family Winery is just one of many parts that contribute to the winery's sustainable approach to farming. It boasts hundreds of plants and flowers that attract beneficial insects and animals. (Courtesy of Benziger Family Winery)
Sonoma Valley Regional Park & Imagery Estate Winery, Glen Ellen: The Valley of the Moon trail in Sonoma Valley Regional Park (13630 Highway 12) offers an easy stroll before your wine tasting. Paved and ADA accessible, the 1.2-mile trail stretches through the center of the park from Highway 12 to Arnold Drive. The park is just a couple of minutes drive from Imagery Estate Winery, where walk-ins are welcome in the tasting room for groups of eight or less. 14335 Highway 12, Glen Ellen, 877-550-4278, imagerywinery.com. (Courtesy of Imagery Estate Winery)
Make reservations for Picnic on the Lawn ($135 for two) or the Estate Seated Tasting ($40) at Imagery Estate Winery in Glen Ellen. (Courtesy of Imagery Estate Winery)
Take one of the unpaved trails that climb up the hillsides at Sonoma Valley Regional Park. The views are worth the effort. In this photo, spring sky lupines in bloom. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
Soda Springs Reserve & Annapolis Winery, Annapolis: This remote 48-acre reserve (24550 Kelly Road) boasts a number of short, easy strolling trails through giant redwoods. It's located less than a 10-minute drive from family-owned and operated Annapolis Winery, where you can sip wine and take in the views at an elevation of about 1,000 feet. Tastings of three to five wines are just $5 and there's often live music on Saturdays. 26055 Soda Springs Road, 707-886-5460, annapoliswinery.com. (Courtesy of Sonoma County Regional Parks)
Soda Springs Reserve dates back to the 1880s when it was home to the Soda Springs Campground. It became a Sonoma County regional park in 1994 after a grassroots movement stopped the park from being logged. (Courtesy of Sonoma County Regional Parks)
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve & Korbel Champagne Cellars, Guerneville: Home to more than 800 acres of coast redwoods, there are a variety of trails for all ages and fitness levels at Armstrong Woods (17000 Armstrong Woods Road. Damaged by the Walbridge fire in 2020, fans are patiently waiting for the park to reopen, hopefully sometime this month. On your way to the woods, stop by Korbel Champagne Cellars for a glass of bubbly. 3250 River Rd, Guerneville, 707- 824-7000, korbel.com. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
Korbel Champagne Cellars is the oldest continually operating sparkling wine house in North America, established in 1882. That history gives the winery the right to use the term “Champagne” on its labels, even though the wines are not from Champagne, France. The winery offers a complimentary tasting of three wines on its outside deck. A flight of four wines is $10; a flight of five bubbles is $15. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the winery. (Courtesy of Korbel Champagne Cellars)
(Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
Guided hike at Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg: This one-mile tour includes tastings of four wines, a box lunch prepared by Big John’s Market in Healdsburg and Alexander Valley views. Social distancing is practiced by all participants when hiking (photo taken before pandemic). Reservations are required with a 48-hour notice; a minimum of two people is typically required for vineyard hikes. $60 per person. 8644 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-433-7209, avvwine.com. (Courtesy of Alexander Valley Vineyards)
Alexander Valley Vineyards also offers complimentary tours of its wine caves daily at noon and 2:30 p.m. (Courtesy of Alexander Valley Vineyards)
Guided hike at Amista Vineyards, Healdsburg: This 90-minute guided tour includes a tasting of sparkling and still wines and an introduction to the winery’s Habitat Enhancement Project, designed to restore the natural fish habitat in Dry Creek. 3320 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-9200, amistavineyards.com. (Courtesy of Amista Vineyards)
At the end of the tour of Amista Vineyards, hikers enjoy a bottle of estate wine (still or sparkling) on the new solar-powered patio overlooking the vineyards. $50 per person; plan on 90 minutes. (Courtesy of Amista Vineyards)
Guided hike at Warnecke Ranch & Vineyard, home to Sutro Wine Co., Healdsburg: Sutro’s founder and owner, Alice Warnecke Sutro, takes guests on a 45-minute vineyard hike before hosting a wine tasting in a shady oak grove. Reservations required; tours are limited to six people. $45 per person; plan on 90 minutes for the hike and tasting. 13301 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg, 707-509-9695, warneckeranch.com, sutrowine.com (Courtesy of Sutro Wine Co.)
Hikes at Warnecke Ranch & Vineyard are offered at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. (During the hot summer months, the hike is only available at 10 a.m.) (Courtesy of Sutro Wine Co.)
Guided hike at Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Healdsburg: Hikers cover an impressive amount of the estate on this moderately strenuous four-mile trek. Along with vineyards and olive groves, guests visit the winery’s recently planted pollinator sanctuaries designed to provide habitat for native bees, Western monarch butterflies and butterflies. 1474 Alexander Valley Road Healdsburg, 707-431-5250, jordanwinery.com. (Courtesy of Jordan Vineyard & Winery)
Hikes at Jordan Vineyard & Winery finish on the winery terrace with a charcuterie picnic and wine pairing featuring Journeyman Meat Co. and vegetables from the winery’s garden. $135 per person. Hikes are offered by reservation only, on select dates in November. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
The view from Vista Point at Jordan Vineyard & Winery, the highest hilltop on the Healdsburg estate. (Courtesy of Jordan Vineyard & Winery)
Guided hike package with Bella Vineyards & Hotel Healdsburg: After a private, customized 60- to 90-minute hike, guests of Hotel Healdsburg enjoy a flight of five wines alongside a picnic lunch from the hotel’s restaurant, Dry Creek Kitchen. $280 for two. Reservations are required, preferably 72 hours in advance. 9711 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-473-9171, bellawinery.com. (Courtesy Bella Vineyards + Wine Caves)
Sonoma County is home to some of the best hiking trails in Northern California and many of those trails end conveniently close to winery tasting rooms. If you’d like to pair a hike with some wine tasting, we’ve listed a few favorite destinations, including guided winery hikes.
