Jenner Highlands Preserve

—-CANCELLED DUE TO LOW PARTICIPATION—-

See you on the trail next time!
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Located about 1 1/2 miles north of Jenner, the hillside acreage rises steeply above the village and the rugged Sonoma Coast, offering views of the Russian River estuary, Goat Rock State Beach and the mighty Pacific Ocean.

Once used for timber production and cattle grazing, the land was purchased in 2009 for $36 million by a coalition of land conservation entities, including the Sonoma Land Trust and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. It is the single largest land deal in county history.

Now owned by The Wildlands Conservancy, the headlands property is co-managed by the Sonoma Land Trust and the open space district.

It fronts 21/2 miles of the coastal highway and offers 14 miles of hiking trails, mostly old ranch and fire roads that crisscross a mixture of redwood and Douglas fir forest, coastal prairie, oak woodland and chaparral.

The land is connected by Pole Mountain to the Sonoma Land Trust’s Little Black Mountain Preserve, creating a contiguous expanse of more than 6,300 acres for roaming wildlife, including coyotes, mountain lions, deer and threatened northern spotted owls.

Work crews over the next several weeks will put the finishing touches on what’s to be the only developed portion of the property: a nearly 6-acre area at the edge of Highway 1 that includes a split-level, 30-space parking lot and a day-use area with restrooms, picnic tables and a scenic overlook, connected by a 600-foot pathway that is accessible to disabled people. The Wildlands Conservancy is installing a telescope at the top, thanks to the generosity of a private family foundation, Melzer said.

Pole Mountain beckons for hardier travelers prepared for a 15-mile round-trip that includes a hike up the front face of the headlands, a drop down into Russian Gulch, then a climb of 2,000-plus feet to the top of Pole Mountain, for a total elevation gain of about 3,500 feet, Edwards said.

Sonoma Land Trust spokeswoman Sheri Cardo said she hopes the public is excited about access to Pole Mountain, a 2,204-foot summit that offers an unobstructed view of the surrounding Sonoma County landscape as well as vistas of Mounts Diablo and Tamalpais, and the Farallon Islands in clear weather.”
-The Press Democrat

It’s ready and open to the public free of charge, from 8 a.m. daily to sunset! Yay!

Let’s sleep late, hike and go see a sunset. Sunset should be around 7:40 ish. Guitars and instruments welcomes and obliged. Snacks aren’t an issue either. :)

Thanks for adding your comments below to begin a carpool list serv replete with suggestions on where to convene.