Lake Sonoma Overlook- #1 recommended intermediate ride |
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Sonoma, California Bike Tours & Rentals
Head north through the Dry Creek Valley and climb up through a few hills to the Lake Sonoma overlook to get a 360 degree view of the area. On this ride you'll pass by the fish hatchery where thousands of salmon make their winter journey from the Pacific Ocean to the base of the dam. Roll through the valley, pick up a gourmet picnic lunch, get a little workout, take in some amazing vistas and visit a few wineries on the way home- how can you beat that? Recommend at least Lightweight hybrid ($59.00).This ride is now more accessible to all levels of riders as we now rent casual E-BIKES ($99.00). Great route for mixed level corporate team building! Upload this route to your phone or device.
**We suggest you follow this link on your phone to create a free Ride With GPS account and automatically become a member of the Wine Country Bikes RWGPS Club. Installing their free app will then allow you to use turn by turn voice navigation on any Wine Country Bikes routes and download our routes and maps to your phone for offline usage.
The Lake Sonoma Overlook is the same great route as our Dry Creek Valley Out & Back we've just added 10 more miles and a kicker hill to the Lake Sonoma Overlook to catch some awesome views.
We decided to make it an out & back simply because West Dry Creek Rd. has beautiful views in both directions, many places to stop and explore and is one of the most popular bike routes in the country.
This first section of the ride is flat and small rolling hills (equivalent to about 2 flights of stairs) with just a little traffic the first mile getting from our Wine Country Bikes Touring Center out of town. West Dry Creek Road is a small, newly paved country road with no shoulder; however, the speed limit is low and it’s popular for cycling, running and walking- you’ll often see many more bikes than cars!
At approximately 6 miles take a right and cross Lambert Bridge to pick up lunch, if needed, at the Dry Creek General Store- an old Stage Coach stop frequented by infamous stage robber and poet Black Bart. Now it's a gourmet deli with lots of local foods. You may also wish to visit this lunch spot on your return trip.
You’ll continue up on West Dry Creek Rd to Yoakim Bridge Road where you will cut across the valley and keep heading northwest up to the Lake Sonoma Recreation Area.
Lake Sonoma was one of the last “great” California water projects and was created by the damming of the Dry Creek and Warm Springs Creeks. At the base of the climb there is now a Fish Hatchery and Museum. If you’re here during the winter months make sure to stop and watch the Steelhead and Salmon fight their way up the ladder on the final leg of their long journey from the ocean! You may also see a bald eagle that nests in the area- they’ve often been seen sitting low in the tree just past the bridge by the dam.
The climb itself starts out at a moderate and steady grade (3-7%) for the 1 ½ miles until you make a left turn on Stewarts point road where it kicks up (7-12%) for the last ½ mile. At the top take a stroll out onto the overlook platform for great views: east back across the valley to the Mayacamas Mountains or west across the rugged Coastal Range.
This is your turn around point.
We suggest you do most of your riding first, especially in the summer, so you can enjoy the cooler morning temperatures before it gets too hot. But on your way back home there are a lot of great places to stop and take a break. Some of our favorites are:
Bella Winery Just a mile or so north on West Dry Creek Road-taste in the cave
Quivira Vineyards Walk around their demostration garden and pet the chickens- they are really friendly.
Davero Farm & Winery- About 1 mile from town they have wine & olive oil tasting but BY APPOINTMENT ONLY- daily tasting experiences to choose from.
Longboard Winery Just a block or two from out touring center- the cool surfer’s winery.
***At the completion of your day in the valley we offer shower facilities if you wish to dine at one of our small farm to table restaurants located on the square. Check out Campo Fina, Valette or Willi's Wine Bar for a memorable meal or grab a local brew & burger at Healdsburg Bar & Grill.
Please contact Wine Country Bikes- for more information or bike rentals & tours from the Town of Healdsburg in northern Sonoma County California.
Lake Sonoma Hatchery-my favorite place to see the fish and bald eagle or lay in the grass at the rec center.
Dry Creek General Store-gourmet deli & store.
Black Bart- the outlaw & poet
Dry Creek Peach and Produce- just yummy
Bella Winery- tasting in the cave-great Zinfindel
Quivira Winery- organic and biodynamic winery & demonstration garden
Davero Farms & Winery- wine and olive oil tasting
Longboard Winery- surfer dudes that make great wine
Riding under the influence of alchohol is illegal and unsafe!
All the same laws apply to bicyclists as do cars therefore we recommend using the spit bucket provided in every tasting room and purchase a few bottles to enjoy later.
Visit Wine Country Bikes to choose your equipment.
Our Specialized Sirrus Lightweight Hybrid or Aluminum Road bikes are appropriate for this ride but you may also want to consider one of our carbon fiber bikes or tandems.
During the summer months it's good to be riding by 9:30 or 10:00 in order to enjoy the cooler morning temperatures. On your return leg you can make a few stops along West Dry Creek Rd with having completed the majority of your ride.
For groups over 6 you must make an appointment at the wineries you plan to visit. You may decide to take a private group guided tour with us and we'll set up the logistics, pick-up purchases and provide lunch.
Always ride single file, stay on the road and obey all traffic laws!
***Rescue a puppy from your local shelter!