Category Archives: Events

Overlook upper trail closed March 5-May 21!

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Filed under Events, Trail Maintenance

Trail closedHello SOT devotees! Heads up: the upper trail on Sonoma Overlook Trail, from the Toyon Trail connection and higher, is closed from March 5th through May 21st as a specialized crew undertakes some dearly needed trail bed maintenance. Some of the remaining rocky sections will be smoothed and additional sections of steps installed, so you can look forward to a much nicer cruise up the trail.

We invite you to continue to use the lower trail system, including Toyon and Rattlesnake trails, as well as Montini Open Space Preserve and other local trail systems. As a reminder, the Valley of the Moon trail on Montini loops up and back down to the main trail and includes luscious, sweeping views down to the Bay and along the Valley.

If you would like to contribute to our trail rehab fund, we’d be thrilled. Thank you!

Day of the Dead Historic Cemetery Walking Tour Frighteningly Successful

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Filed under Events, Hiking, History, Mountain Cemetery

Greeted by an array of fall treats, fifty curious Sonomans were then led by Fred Allebach through the Mountain Cemetery yesterday, the amateur historian sharing stories and lively lore “dug up” throughout the years.  As in years past, the fundraiser was sold out, 100% of the funds raised going directly towards improvements on the Overlook Trail. Join us next year!

Fred Allebach explaining locations of graves
Overlook Stewards: Priscilla Miles, Jess, Fred Allebach, Hope Nissan, Nancy Kirwin
SOT Chair and Hope Nissan, SOT Outreach Committee

Dia de los Muertos • Day of the Dead Cemetery Tour

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Filed under Events, Fall, Fundraising, History, Mountain Cemetery, Stewardship

Tour Sonoma History through Mountain Cemetery

Saturday November 4th, 2023
10 am OR 12:30pm
$40 Suggested Donation
REGISTER

The Sonoma Overlook Trail Stewards invite you to take a lively, informative walk through our historic cemetery with our own amateur historian Fred Allebach.

Meet ranchers and ranch hands, real estate tycoons, farmers and farriers, carpenters and stone masons, quarry-men, grocers, butchers, bakers, maybe a candlestick maker, and many more! This fundraising event is limited to 25 participants per hike. We sell out every year, so register early to be sure you get a spot!

We’ll have a hike at 10am and another at 12:30. Your $40 donation includes the walking tour, cookies and cider. All proceeds go toward improvements on the Overlook Trail. The Trail is solely supported by private donations.

Celebrate 20 years of Sonoma Overlook Trail • Save the Date: April 16, 2023

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Filed under Events, History

Please join us for our 20th Anniversary Celebration
Sunday, April 16, 2023 • 11 am to 1 pm.


Meet us at the main trailhead to celebrate and…

  • Learn how what once was a city dump was transformed into the beautiful Overlook Trail that now receives over 55,000 visitors a year from all over the world!
  • Hear from trail stewards as well as city and state dignitaries including Senator Bill Dodd, Supervisor Susan Gorin, Sonoma Mayor Sandra Lowe and other honored guests.
  • Enjoy refreshments and meet new hiking friends.
  • Peruse our new book, “The View from Above”, compiled from 20 years of excerpts from our Hiker’s Notebooks.
  • Come along with us on a wildflower hike. The flora and fauna should be spectacular in April!

Porter Abodeely and Sunrise Rotary Work Day Successful

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Filed under Acts of Service, Events, Stewardship, Trail Maintenance

Presentation School student Porter Abodeely, with the assistance of his father JJ, arranged and performed a trail workday with the help of Sunrise Rotary this past Saturday. Sonoma Overlook Trail steward Fred Allebach coordinated with Porter and JJ to guide the workers to the best jobs for the students and for the trail.

There were two crews, one focused on the kiosk area and the other on the upper trail. The kiosk crew performed these tasks: cleaned the trail entry, swept the kiosk area, moved rock thanking the Kiwanis Club for their trail donation back into place, removed trash, swept and weeded the entry staircase steps, cleaned the entry path drain, cleaned the drain above the staircase, swept the stone walls, lightly sanded picnic table top, and cleaned leaves out of table cracks.

The upper moved extra rocks from the new steps to a pile at the Toyon Trail junction, filled eroded areas in the new treads, raked gravel back out to the center of the trail and swept the steps.
The pictures are kindly provided by JJ and are published here with his permission. We extend our appreciation to Porter and JJ Abodeely, Sunrise Rotary, and Fred Allebach for making this happen!