What is a habitat? Join California Naturalist and Sugarloaf docent Marie Kay Hansen on a 2-mile walk through the habitat that defines our landscape: the oak woodland.
Oak woodlands shaped California. For thousands of years, acorns were a staple food for the Native peoples of this region. They were gathered, stored, leached and prepared in ways still practiced today, and the oaks were at the center of food, culture and community. The rolling hills of oak and grass that we think of as "Sonoma" are the oak woodland, and in part the result of generations of Native stewardship.
Oaks are also a keystone species. Hundreds of kinds of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians depend on them, along with thousands of insects. Acorn woodpeckers store their harvest in oak bark. Deer, jays, squirrels and bears feed on the acorns. Owls and bats shelter in the hollows. Remove the oaks and the whole community falls apart.
These woodlands are tough, too. Sugarloaf's oaks have come through two wildfires in the past ten years, the 2017 Nuns Fire and the 2020 Glass Fire, and most are still standing and recovering today.
The route follows the Hillside and Meadow Trails, past oaks that have watched over this valley for centuries.
This is the final hike in our four-part 'Habitats of Sugarloaf' series. Earlier hikes covered chaparral, grasslands and redwood forests.
Meet at the White Barn parking lot. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for youth (12-17 year olds), students, Sugarloaf members, Sugarloaf or RFO volunteers, and free for children under 12. Tickets day-of on site are $15 and might not be available. All children under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Wear layers, appropriate footwear for muddy and/or slippery trails, bring at least a quart of water, sun protection, and if desired, a snack. Heavy rain cancels. Parking fees apply. If you like bring binoculars
Ease of access: The White Barn parking lot has one van-accessible designated parking spot, one accessible porta-potty, and potable water spigots. There is no cell service within the main area of the park. Creekside Trail has two trailheads. The trailhead from the White Barn starts out as ADA compliant for about 0.1 mile. Our route for this hike veers off to the left across a narrow foot trail with a cable bridge that connects with Hillside Trail. Hillside is a gravel and dirt fire road with two 100-ft hills and a small year-round stream crossing. Hillside connects with Meadow Trail at the Brushy Peaks Trail junction. Meadow Trail is a mostly flat composite trail manageable by stroller and wheelchair with off-road capability tires although it is officially not an ADA-compliant trail. There is a 1/4-mile, flat, paved road from the Meadow trailhead back to the White Barn parking lot.