Bears, Bald Mountain, and Big Views at Sugarloaf State Park - John Roney Comes Down the Mountain

Bears, Bald Mountain, and Big Views at Sugarloaf State Park - John Roney Comes Down the Mountain

May 6, 2026 · 58 min · Season 1 · Episode 160

About this episode

John Roney discusses the beauty and features of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Head up Adobe Canyon Road and Sonoma starts to change. The valley floor drops away, the air cools off, and Sugarloaf Ridge State Park opens into one of the wildest, most beautiful parts of Sonoma Valley. John Roney joins Tim to talk about what makes the park so special: nearly 5,000 acres of protected land, about 30 miles of trails, campsites, glamping tents, redwoods, waterfalls, wildlife, and the kind of views that make you forget you’re still only about half an hour from the Sonoma Plaza. Along the way, John gets into the park’s partnership with the Sonoma Ecology Center, the volunteer energy that helps keep so much of it going, and the many ways people can experience Sugarloaf — whether that means a steep climb up Bald Mountain, a gentler walk through the redwoods, a first camping trip, a forest bathing session, or a night at the observatory under some very dark skies. There’s also plenty of talk about the wildlife up there, including black bears, mountain lions, badgers, minks, rattlesnakes, and the very real science of tracking animals through trail cams and scat surveys. Add in the Planet Walk, park living rooms, full moon hikes, the Sugar Shuttle, and the Fourth of July…

People in this episode

Host: Tim

Guest: John Roney

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Sonoma Ecology Center

Places: Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Plaza, Adobe Canyon Road, Bald Mountain

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Sonoma Spiel podcast page.