Sonoma Coast State Park
Managed by California Department of Parks and Recreation
425 acres2.5 mi of trail
Bodega Bay Coastal Prairie TrailSouth Salmon Creek TrailLower Dunes TrailUpper Dunes Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Salmon Creek
More than half of Salmon Creek’s land is conserved: 65%
65% of Salmon Creek’s land is conserved, about 466 acres. The biggest trail networks: Sonoma Coast State Park (2.5 mi), Chanslor Ranch Park (2.4 mi). 615 acres are parks and preserves, 15,374 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
65%
466 acres · of 1.1 sq mi of land
Trails
5.0 mi
4.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
615 ac
15,374 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Sonoma Coast State Park, with 2.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Chanslor Ranch Park
Managed by Sonoma County Regional Parls
168 acres2.4 mi of trail
Vista Loop TrailPond TrailOsprey Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Who protects it
466 conserved acres
65% of Salmon Creek’s land. Who manages Salmon Creek’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks432 ac
County34 ac
State Park · 432 acConservation Easement · 21 acOther Easement · 13 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 34 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoma Coast State Park State Park | State parks | 432 | Open |
Things to do
3 places to go in Salmon Creek
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Salmon Creek
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Picnic areas in Salmon Creek
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Salmon Creek
Bodega Dunes CampgroundIn Sonoma Coast State Park · Sonoma Coast State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
7 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.6 miHorses · 0.8 miUnpaved · 3.6 mi
Vista Loop Trail0.9 mi
Pond Trail0.7 mi
Bodega Bay Coastal Prairie Trail0.6 mi
Osprey Trail0.6 mi
South Salmon Creek Trail0.3 mi
Lower Dunes Trail0.1 mi
Upper Dunes Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Salmon Creek: May to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 14.6 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 56 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 62 | 65 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 66 | 61 | 57 |
| Rain (in) | 9.4 | 9.2 | 6.4 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 5.0 | 9.9 |
July is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and September the warmest (highs of 67 °F). 9.9 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Salmon Creek →
Next door
Salmon Creek and its neighbors
Salmon Creek has the second most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon Creek | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bodega Bay | 32% | 2.4 | 866 | 78% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Salmon Creek
Where can I hike in Salmon Creek?
The longest trail networks: Sonoma Coast State Park, 2.5 miles; Chanslor Ranch Park, 2.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Salmon Creek’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Sonoma Coast State Park (on leash) and Chanslor Ranch Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Salmon Creek?
7,192 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Salmon Creek or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 615 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Salmon Creek neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →