1. Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
City: Near Guerneville, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (707) 869-2015
Address: 17000 Armstrong Woods Road
Description: In the 1870s lumberman Col. James Armstrong saw the errors of his clear-cutting ways and preserved a large chunk of old-growth redwood forest for posterity. Today it forms the core of 805-acre Armstrong Redwoods Reserve. Don’t forget to say hello to two of the most impressive specimens in the park: the 1,400-year-old Colonel Armstrong Tree and the tallest tree in the area, the 310-foot Parson Jones Tree (named for the colonel’s son-in-law). Next to the Jones Tree is a gigantic log cross section, whose growth rings chart the course of history back to the first millennium—unfortunately, the tree was cut by vandals in the 1970s. To get to Armstrong from Guerneville, turn north off River Road onto Armstrong Woods Road and proceed 2.2 miles. The reserve is open daily 8:00 a.m. to one hour after sunset.
2. Austin Creek State Recreation Area
City: Near Guerneville, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (707) 869-2015
Address: 17000 Armstrong Woods Road
Description: Directly adjacent to Armstrong Redwoods Reserve is 5,683-acre Austin Creek State Recreation Area. Austin Creek has 22 miles of trails that hikers must share with horses, which often come in large groups. (Mountain bikes are allowed only on paved roads and on a 5-mile dirt road called the East Austin Creek Trail.) Keep an eye open for deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, and possibly even world-famous ceramic artists. One of the latter, Marguerite Wildenhain, lived here, and her home and workshop—Pond Farm—are within the park, though off-limits since Wildenhain’s death. There is a drive-in campground and four backcountry campsites within the recreation area. To get to Austin Creek, follow the directions for Armstrong Woods and, after reaching the entrance, continue another 3.6 miles to Bullfrog Pond Campground.