California's Wildflower-Laden State Park In Sonoma County Is A Haven Of Trails, Streams, And Meadows

While often overshadowed by its close neighbor Napa County, Sonoma has some of the most diverse and show-stealing landscapes in California. Take, for example, the wildly underrated forest paradise hidden in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve or the breathtaking Russian River Valley, full of bold wines and scenic riverside spots. For those who love hiking and biking among flowering meadows, there's one more stop to add to the list: Trione-Annadel State Park. In the hypnotic-sounding Valley of the Moon, tucked along the eastern hem of Santa Rosa, this park bursts into color in spring, but it's easily worth a stop anytime from January through September.

At least 40 miles of trails navigate the park's 5,200 acres of rolling meadows, gurgling streams, and oak woodland, inviting visitors to perambulate across grounds left to rewild themselves for more than 50 years. Shadows of Trione-Annadel's past as a cobblestone quarry site haunt the land in the form of obsidian and basalt outcrops. There's a lake fit for fishing and a marsh full of birdlife. But of course, one of the park's best features is its vibrant pink, orange, and yellow blooms.

The Golden State is littered with amazing places to see wildflowers in spring. But when the most popular ones get crowded, Trione-Annadel makes for a great alternative. Peak colors show in April and May, when you'll spot mule ears blooming bright as the sun, golden fairy lanterns, and vivid purple chaparral peas. But even late-season blooms, like freckled redwood lily and puckered orange monkeyflowers, can be spotted into summer months. Consider bringing a field guide or installing a plant identification app on your phone to help distinguish the different types.

You'll have the easiest time enjoying flowers on a hike, going at an easy pace. Since many of the trails connect and are typically quite short, you can combine a variety of them in any way you choose. The Warren Richardson Trail passes redwood forests and meadows on its way to Lake Ilsanjo, a highlight of the park. The Louis Trail's grassy meadows nearby contain a mix of yellow and purple flowers. The South Burma Trail grows thick with aromatic Sonoma sage and bell-shaped scarlet fritillary, especially in May. Watch how the redwood lilies deepen from spotted white to burgundy as they age along the Schultz Trail.

If hiking isn't your thing, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy Trione-Annadel in any season. The Rough-Go and Cobblestone trails are predictably perfect for mountain biking, covered in quarry stone obstacles and well-shaded by forests. Lake Ilsanjo is home to bluegill and black bass that can weigh up to 9 pounds. Over 130 species of birds call the Ledson Marsh home, including western scrub jays, pileated woodpeckers, and wood ducks. There are also plenty of equestrian trails for local riders and picnic tables.

Trione-Annadel is in Santa Rosa, 60 miles north of San Francisco on Highway 101. The entrance is a 5.5-mile drive east of downtown Santa Rosa, and day use of the park costs $7 per vehicle. However, if pairing your visit with local wine tasting, you may be safer traveling on the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, a network between San Francisco and Santa Rosa that hits the best of Sonoma's wine country. Once you reach Santa Rosa, catch the Sonoma County Transit Route 30 bus to the Los Alamos stop — from there, it's less than a 20-minute walk to the park entrance.

Santa Rosa, as Sonoma's largest city, offers a wide variety of accommodation options, but Kenwood and Glen Ellen to the southeast also have rustic wine-country stays within 20 minutes of the park. There's also camping at Spring Lake Regional Park, adjacent to Trione-Annadel, starting from $39 per night during peak season (May through November) for tent and RV camping or $82 per night for one of its cabins.