Join Sonoma Mountain Preservation for fun and discovery on The Mountain.
Hike Historic Tolay Lake Regional Park
Saturday, September 21st, 2024
9:30 am to 12:30 p.m.
Description: We’ll be exploring Tolay Lake Regional Park near the southern foot of Sonoma Mountain. Hiking to Three Bridges Vista Point via the Causeway and East Ridge Trail, we’ll have lovely views toward the Petaluma River. We will return via Pond and Lakeville Road trails. We will cross cattle gates and likely pass grazing livestock, with a total distance of 4.6 miles. The hike includes a moderately difficult path and incline.
Before 1870, Tolay Lake served as a sacred spot for healing ceremonies for over 4,000 years for Northern California tribes. Diseases and bad spirits were transferred from people to charmstones, oblong or rounded stones about 2 to 3 inches long. The charmstones, then ritually put into the lake, secured the noxious spirits from returning.
Tolay Lake Regional Park, one of the largest Sonoma County Parks, features two prominent ridgelines and a wide valley containing the seasonal, spring-fed Tolay Lake, which, before its draining, covered more than 200 acres. At one time, it was the largest freshwater lake in Sonoma County. Rancher William Bihler dynamited an earthen berm to increase his farmland, largely draining the lake in 1870.
No refreshments or water is provided, so bring your own. Wear good boots, a hat, and hiking poles if you use them. If you bring anything in, please take it out, and dispose of it properly. No pets please.
We will convene at 9:30 am at the Park Center parking lot (5869 Cannon Ln, Petaluma, CA), which is accessed at the end of Cannon Lane. Cannon Lane connects to Lakeville Highway north of State Route 37. We encourage people to carpool as parking is limited due to construction.
Led by SMP Board members Mark Hannon and Nancy Kirwan.
References:
History of Tolay https://web.archive.org/web/20080725093754/http://www.friendsoftolay.org/history.html
Charms of Tolay Regional Park, Greg Sarris
https://baynature.org/article/charms-tolay-lake-regional-park/
Sonoma County’s largest freshwater lake, sacred site was drained by a farmer with dynamite, Susan Minichiello, The Press Democrat, April 15, 2021
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/sonoma-countys-largest-freshwater-lake-sacred-site-was-drained-by-a-farm/
