Wherever you are at Sonoma Academy, you will see Taylor Mountain. Every year at Convocation, we hear the story of Samuel P. Taylor, deceased hot springs owner, who makes an appearance. But how many have actually been in the park or know about it?
This past weekend, fellow student Arman Mohammadi (‘28) and I climbed the mountain. This day was the second time I had done so. Last year, on the first day of the Earthology Intersession, we climbed the mountain. If you want to get to the top of the mountain, it’s a steep hike but not impossible.
If you go up the Sky Lupine or Western Route trails, there is very little tree cover, so I would recommend bringing sunscreen. If you have any physical concerns about climbing to the top, I would not recommend trying it, as it can be quite physically demanding.
For more casual hikers, there are tons of trails such as Linwood, Cooper Ridge, and several of the trails around the Kawana Terrace entrance. However, to get to the first two, there could be some uphill. Taylor Mountain has something for everyone.
However, for mountain biking, it seems to be a different story. Charlie McElvany (‘29) said, “It’s very steep on the way up, and the terrain on the way down is very rough.” If you’re a mountain biker, I wouldn’t recommend Taylor Mountain’s slopes.
As for views, it doesn’t get much better than this in Sonoma County. All throughout the climb, you get incredible views of the nearby mountains. At the top, you can see from northern Petaluma to southern Windsor, and all the way out to the wall of fog at the coast.
If you’re looking for a place to eat, there are a lot of picnic tables at the Petaluma Hill entrance, and throughout the park, you can find benches to eat at. There is even one at the top of the mountain for a scenic eating experience. At the top of the mountain, there is a picnic spot which would be a great place to eat.
If you’re hearing all this and want to spend the night at Taylor Mountain, I’ve got bad news for you: there’s nothing. Despite everything that can be found in Taylor Mountain, there seems to be no camping locations.
If you’re more into sports, there is a disc golf course at the park. All in all, whether you want to have a relaxing lunch, a short walk, or a challenging hike, there is a little something for everyone at Taylor Mountain.
