D.wight L.
Yelp
So I've got some history with this place going back several decades. This was one of the first campgrounds I ventured into as a young adult. Before this, camping was always with family/parents in tow. Once I turned 18, I started going out on my own/friends. I even celebrated my 21st bday here with my then best friends. Instead of going to Vegas or some big city to drink the night away into obscurity, I chose this instead. Camped...relaxed in nature and since we all reached legal drinking age, drank responsibly here instead.
But there's a kicker. Instead of burying ourselves in a cooler of cheap beer and liquor, we decided to try out wine tasting, something that none of us newbies had ever done. And this place literally sits above the Sonoma Valley, which is similar to Napa's, but just on the other side of the hills. Also much less snooty...well at least in those times.
So we tasted in the day hours, and brought back bottles to have with dinner and the campfire. A new brand of camping was discovered. Back when tastings were mostly free or close to it. Now it is far from that, it is now a business and selling point. I still like to do it, but to have done it in those times, just seems like we hit a golden age of wine country that will no longer ever be experienced.
Just revisited after over a decades worth of not. I had probably brought friends here maybe a half dozen of times in the past. But this was the longest stretch where I had not come. Mostly the same, but definitely some notable changes.
First like I already mentioned, the wine country below is not what it used to be. It is definitely more bougie than it ever was, but still nothing like Napa. I still find the wine host on this side of the hill to be still quite down to earth. Everything is also much more expensive, but that is just a natural progression of life.
Even though the natural features of this park are the same, they built new bathrooms and showers that used to not be there. This totally glamps up the experience but it is a welcoming one for me. I love to camp deep in nature, but I do tend to look for those that have running water and plumbing. I'll still sleep in a tent and cook over fire, but to have those basic amenities makes a huge difference. To be able to take a nice shower (you'll need quarters tho) after a good hike, just makes me feel like a million bucks. #trust
The hiking here is undeniably great. There are some nice peaks/climbs here that will definitely give you a workout. I just did Bald Mt. which climbs over 1700 ft and provided a satisfying sense of accomplishment. The top of this peak (at 2730 ft) is slightly higher than Mt. Tam or Mission Peak in the Bay Area. Except on my recent weekday trek, I ran into zero humans up or down. That will NEVER happen at Mission Peak or Mt Tam. Lol.
I also got to witness the Glass Fire of 2020's path that went through here. You'll see scorched trees but many of them just scarred but still standing. You'll see the new growth from the earth, that just reaffirms how resilient nature is. So outside of the great views that I always just absorb, I also received a nice lesson on nature up close.
Lots of animal life out in the campgrounds. Mostly deer, wild turkeys, quails, raccoons and squirrels with bushiest tails I've ever seen. Most campsites you'll be next to a hillside, but facing an open meadow. Whilst chilling on the picnic bench, I often saw animals walking by, sometimes even from the hillside, so just several feet beyond my campsite. I just quietly observe them in admiration. I try and not disturb their day, anymore than I already am. In my 4 day stay, I really got used to them walking around at breakfast time or at dusk, while the campfire was just starting. Really put a stamp on this trip.
So to come back after all these years, just got me to realize how far me and this place goes. We've both evolved and grown over the years. We've both had our ups and downs. But like how life entails, we both just keep moving on. I'd give this place a thousand stars.
