Water, Water Everywhere… Let’s Play!

 

Monte Rio Public Beach

Beach Access

Monte Rio Public Beach. Downtown at the Monte Rio Bridge. Boat access, volley ball & horseshoe courts. Rent canoes, kayaks, tubes, umbrellas and chairs. Concessions include standard American fare. Real bathrooms. Dogs permitted off-leash on down river side of the bridge. Boat launch and fishing access. Plenty of free parking. Bohemian Hwy & Hwy 116, turn right just before heading south over the Monte Rio Bridge.

Johnson’s Beach. Kayak, inner tube, canoe, chair and umbrella rental, and hot showers and refreshments for young and old. 16241 1st St, Guerneville, CA 95446 (707) 869-2022 

Villa Grande Beach. Shhh! It’s a secret. A really great secret.

Goat Rock. Goat Rock, near the mouth of the Russian River, is known for its scenic shoreline and easily accessible sandy beach. Picnic tables and restroom facilities are also available. Goat Rock beach is home to a colony of harbor seals which are fun to watch, especially during pupping season March through August. (707) 875-3483

Kayak and Canoe Rental/River Outfitters        

Lazy parts of the river are great for canoeing and kayaking, but be careful near the mouth at Jenner.

There is a public boat launch ramp on the north side of the river, just west of the Mont Rio bridge.

When boating to the mouth of the river to the west of Duncans Mills, take care to stay well above the mouth of the river; strong currents can take a kayak out to sea unless you are an experienced sea kayaker/boater.

Tubing. Tubes can be purchased or rented at several locations, including Napa Auto Parts and Country Tire, both in Guerneville.

Russian River Outfitters. Complete line of rental boats and equipment. Several launch and pick-up points along the Lower Russian River. 25375 Steel Head Blvd, Duncans Mills, CA 94530. Fri – Mon 8:30-5:30. 1-877-RRKAYAK

Water Treks. Guided Tours and River Kayak Instruction. PO Box 39, Jenner, CA 95450. (888 865-2249.  

Burke’s Canoe Trips. Ten mile self guided trip through scenic vineyards and woodlands. Shuttle service included. Intersection of Mirabel Road at 8600 River Road, Forestville, CA 95436 (707) 887-1222

King’s Sports. Kayak rentals and river trips. Camping gear, sporting goods, salt and freshwater tackle. 16258 Main Street, Guerneville, CA 95446 (707) 869-2156. 

River’s Edge. Kayak and Canoe Trips. 3 self guided offering more remote and have more current and wildlife than any other company on the river. Paddle through the vineyards, swim, picnic, and sunbath on the beaches. 13840 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg CA (800) 345-0869

Fishing

 

Monte Rio Public Boat Launch

Spring brings the shad and catfish. During the summer months, large mouth, small mouth, and striped bass, along with blue gills, come along. The Chinook head up river in the fall, followed by the Steelhead Trout. While Chinook must be released immediately if caught accidentally, Steelhead fishing is an exciting winter sport here. As long as the river is low enough for standing in waders, the river will be dotted with the hopeful. The Russian River is a “barbless- hook” river all year. Check California Dept. of Fish and Game regulations for specific bag limits and rules.

Suggested spots: Wohler Bridge on the Russian River at 9765 Wohler Road, Forestville (many secluded river access points to fish from, a boat launch ramp, picnic tables and a restroom. (707) 565-2041), Monte Rio Beach, Monte Rio, Steelhead Beach, Forestville or head towards Duncans Mills, where the river is wider. Pick up a free fishing map King’s Sport & Tackle in downtown Guerneville. (They also have info about guided fishing trips and equipment rental.)

Great info for anglers here. 

Johnny Appleseed

  

Gravensteins!!

When was the last time you went to an apple farm?

 

Walker’s Apples, 10955 Upp Rd. Graton, CA 95444. (707) 823-4310. Up to 25 types of apples in stock –  and you get to taste before you buy! Go early in the harvest season for gravensteins, go late for pink ladies and pippins. Call ahead!

Some random Apple Facts for you to contemplate: 

Apples are a member of the rose family.

Americans eat 19.6 pounds or about 65 fresh apples every year.

25% of every apple is air, and that’s why they float.

Great Parks

This part of  the world is blessed with some amazing parks and wildlife reserves. Go out and enjoy!

View of Goat Rock, Sonoma Coast St. Park

Sonoma Coast State Park. Series of beaches separated by rock bluffs and headlands, extends 17 miles from Bodega Head to Vista Trail located 4 miles north of Jenner. Includes Blind Beach, Schoolhouse Beach, Arched Rock, Goat Rock, Penny Island and Bodega Head. Sonoma Coast Trail: From Blind Beach to Shell Beach is 4 miles round trip;
to Wright’s Beach is 6.5 miles round trip. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=451

Armstrong Woods offers great hiking options.

 

 

 

 

 

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve. Armstrong Redwoods is a 700-acre tall tree preserve, a cool and dark forest. Armstrong’s magnificent primeval redwood forest is a great place to cool off in the summer. Many hiking options of different lengths/elevations. In spring, wildflowers are prolific, temperatures are mild and the fog is less frequent. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=450

Austin Creek State Recreation Area. Austin Creek, adjacent to Armstrong Woods, offers open sun-drenched, grassy hillsides dotted with oaks. Austin Creek’s twenty miles of trail for the most part follow creeks—East Austin, as well as Gilliam, Schoolhouse and Fife—through an environment of alder, big leaf maple and Oregon ash. Gilliam Creek, Austin Creek Trails: 4 mile loop with 800-foot elevation gain or 8 mile loop with 1,000-foot gain; longer options possible. Austin Creek’s exposed slopes are a bit too hot in summer; hiking here is far more pleasant in spring and fall. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=25169

Fort Ross. This last remnant of czarist Russia’s foothold in California is today a walker’s delight. Fort Ross Trail: To Fort Ross Cove is 0.5 mile round trip; to Reef Point Campground is 4 miles round trip; can extend walk north along park bluffs and south along coast. 12 miles north of Jenner on Hwy 1. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=25193

Tidepools and amazing formations at Salt Point.

Salt Point State Park. Tidepools! 20 miles of hiking trails, 6 miles of rugged coastline. Sheer, sandstone cliffs, and sandy coves highlight Salt Point State Park’s seven miles of coastline. Tidepools, sea stacks, and sea caves complete the equation. The park includes one of the first underwater parks in California, Gerstle Cove Marine Reserve, where marine life is completely protected. Stump Beach is another picnic area that offers one of the few sandy beaches north of Jenner. Salt Point Trail: From Salt Point, Stump Beach Cove is 2.5 miles round trip; to Fish Mill
Cove is 6 miles round trip; to Horseshoe Cover is 10 miles round trip. Park is 18 miles north of Jenner on Hwy 1. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=453.

Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve. Five miles of hiking trails through the quiet forest with a short loop trail that leads through clusters of rhododendrons. Just north of Salt Point. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=448

Willow Creek Watershed. The Willow Creek Watershed is literally at the end of the road – don’t cross over the bridge. A permit is required to access this “upper” portion, but the rest of this special reserve is accessible off of Hwy 1 south of Jenner.  If you are visiting the first Saturday of the month, you can get an orientation and a permit via Landpaths.

Other Resources

Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods is a non-profit organization that partners with the Russian River Sector of California State Parks to provide excellent educational programs for adults. The sector includes Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (outside Guerneville), Austin Creek State Recreation Area, Sonoma Coast State Park (from Bodega Bay to Jenner) and includes the Willow Creek watershed. The State Parks Volunteers in Parks program depends on Stewards to provide funding for educational and interpretive activities, for resource management projects, and to assist in the development of interpretive facilities.http://www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org/

Willow Creek trails are located about 1.5 miles to the west on Freezeout Road right after Moscow Rd turns north.http://www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org/pdf/wc_trailmap.pdf

Whale Watching

Bodega Head, the rocky headland that forms the entrance into Bodega Harbor, offer excellent vantage points for observing migrating gray whales. The harbor side is a popular crabbing area along the jetty, and the many hiking trails on the ocean side allow access to small, sandy coves and spectacular bluff top views.  (707) 875-3483