Country Sights and Sniffs

Want a country walk but don’t want to drive too far? If you live in Santa Rosa, check out this lovely walk along Santa Rosa creek. It’s two miles of flat, wide path paralleling the creek, which lies below the path. In winter, the creek rushes by but in the warmer months it is just a quiet hush.

Dogs love the creek walk. Like all of Sonoma County, leashes are required, although you should be prepared to encounter some dogs off leash long enough to take a quick swim. I’ve found that the users of this path are very courteous and put their dogs back on leash when others approach.

You’ll share this path with a few runners or bicyclists but mostly it’s people with their dogs. Go early enough in the morning and you’re likely to find some hot-air balloons sailing overhead.

I like to head east from Willowside Road and turn around at Fulton, making a round trip of just over 4 miles. Some of the surroundings include horses at pasture, vineyards, and nesting birds. Egrets are common; a blue heron frequently hunts or rests around the creek brush.

Options include walking further toward downtown or exploring some of the other creek paths to the north and west.

This Dog Scene was submitted by Sandy Lurins, editor of FETCH