Shollenberger Park

Lovely flat walking trail that can be, I believe, a little over two miles depending on which paths you take. The biggest loop is, I would say, maybe 2/5 pavement and 3/5 gravel. Feel free to explore, because you can see the entrance from almost anywhere in the park! You'll always find your way back, and the thoughtful placement of many benches means you can stop for a breather any time, and take in the view. Lots of wonderful birdies living their best lives. They're not terrified of humans, but they keep their distance, as should you. Lots of people walking their dogs (most are well-behaved and leashed in my experience), plus a decent amount of runners and some cyclists. The trail is wide, so as long as you are staying on the right side as traffic would dictate, you likely won't need to make room. Finally, there is a restroom and human/dog water fountain at the entrance. The parking lot is a bit small, but I've always been able to find a spot (helps that my car is 4WD and can park in dirt a and lumpy areas. My only complaint about this trail is that the rocks in the gravel are BIG and often poke at the soles of my feet through my shoes, but honestly I probably need to get better shoes anyway. I endure it to traverse this lovely park.

I thought this was a regular City park, I was looking for a place to sit out in the grass and relax. But I also needed to walk and get some steps in so just turned out to be the perfect location for that. This was my first time because I don't live in the city but I love Petaluma. This area had lots of birds and plenty of seating when you want it to rest. Also it was enough walking space to definitely get all the walking in safely that you wanted to. I would consider this a wildlife area. There's also a bathroom at the beginning near the parking lot and plenty of free parking.

Easy walk around nature. Nice selection of benches spread through the trail. Seemed to be about 2 miles. My dog Rosie a chihuahuaha loved the adventure. Bathrooms conveniently located right at the front entrance and parking lot. Parking is free. It's tucked away in a business complex area off Cader Lane.

We love walking at Shollenberger Park. Most parks have hills that I can't manage. We were there too late to see many birds, but we did see a Crane fly right over our heads as we were leaving. They have seating for kids to learn about the environment.

This is a great park and trail in Petaluma near the wetlands. It is mostly well managed, with pertinent information about each section of the trail along the way. The sections are called stations, and you can scan the barcodes at those stations to know more about it. It was fascinating to read about all of it. We came here on a sunny Saturday afternoon, and the trail was moderately busy. Some sections are quite muddy, and it can be a little difficult to navigate them, however it’s nothing that one can’t handle. We saw a lot of birds along the trail, and ducks swimming in the river. It took us 2 hours to complete the trail and the cutoff trail that runs over the iron bridge. The cutoff trail leads through Alman Marsh to the Petaluma Marina.The park hours are from sunrise to sunset. While on the trail, we could see the mountains which made for a great viewing. We also saw a few picnic tables near the start of the trail, however they didn’t seem very inviting to sit on. We also saw signs for docent-led tours at Shollenberger and Ellis creek ponds. I’d recommend bringing water and exploring this trail. A light jacket would also be good. A great way to spend your weekend and get some exercise!