Sonoma County's newest regional park, the 1,100-acre open space on Taylor Mountain overlooking Santa Rosa, is set to open to the general public Saturday. The large preserve currently features four miles of trails for hikers and a three-mile network for equestrians and cyclists. Plans call for 17 miles of trails to be built.
The main entrance off Kawana Terrace will be open from 8 a.m. to sunset. Vehicle users without a Regional Parks membership will be charged a $7 day-use fee. Construction of a larger parking lot and trailhead off Petaluma Hill Road is set to begin this summer.
The county's Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District purchased most of the park acreage between 1995 and 2005 for $21 million. About 820 acres of the preserve has been open to the public since 2010 under a permit program operated by LandPaths, a Santa Rosa-based conservation group.
An official ribbon-cutting will be held Friday afternoon. No special events are planned Saturday. Rangers will be on hand to direct and assist new visitors. Dogs are allowed on leash.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: