Confluence of Calder Creek and the Laguna de Santa Rosa

The walk begins at the Sebastopol Plaza (Petaluma Ave. and McKinley St.) at 9am. Wear comfortable shoes, a hat, and bring water, sunscreen and a snack. Heavy rain cancels. After the walk some of the group may wish to have lunch at a Sebastopol restaurant.  Leaders for this walk are Geoffrey Skinner and biologist Joan Schwan.

This walk is part of a series of walks around the City of Sebastopol — and one of many walks throughout Sonoma County now listed on the iWalk Sonoma website. iWalk Sonoma is a project of Healthy Sonoma 2020.

For more information, please contact Geoffrey Skinner

Check out a few photos of Zimpher Creek on Flickr.

The crew during our March 2010 cleanup

Calder Creek needs your help! This spring-fed creek, which runs through Ives Park in Sebastopol, along the Joe Rodota Trail and into the Laguna de Santa Rosa, is in need of some TLC. Join the Sebastopol Creek Stewards from 9 to noon on Saturday, March 5 for a morning of trash cleanup and exotic invasive removal around the creek in the Railroad Forest.

The haul, March 2010

More photos from our 2010 cleanup

The County is particularly interested because it would jump-start a long-dormant plan to convert the abandoned Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railroad route from Bloomfield Road in Sebastopol to Petaluma into an 11-mile long recreational trail. When the rail corridor was abandoned in the 1980s, the rights of way reverted to the original (or subsequent) owners of properties along the way. Many sections would have to be purchased or alternatives found, but one of the main barriers has been the lack of connection at the Sebastopol end. Deedler’s route runs from Bloomfield Road north to the Rodota Trail along the edge of the city; he has spoken with all the property owners along the way and found them nearly all to be receptive to considering rights-of-way for a trail. This trail would make a direct connection with the proposed Sebastopol-Petaluma trail and, with the Rodota and SMART Train corridor trail, would create a grand loop for commuting and recreational outings.

Deedler and his group, Sebastopol Trail Makers, would like to see an additional route — largely off-street — paralleling Bodega Ave. to connect the Rodota Trail to the schools on Watertrough Road, to the west of the City. The two trails could be connected by route curving around to the south of town to create a local loop approximately 7 miles long. If the Deedler’s plans come to fruition, they will significantly bolster Sebastopol’s reputation for bike-friendliness.

The next step is a feasibility study. Regional Parks wants to cover the entire length from Petaluma to Sebastopol, though most of the focus would likely be on the stretch between Bloomfield and the Rodota Trail due to the large number of private parcels involved; south of Bloomfield on the old Petaluma & Santa Rosa RR right-of-way should be less problematic. Regional Parks had an option to apply for funding for the feasibility study this year, but since a major project in Sonoma Valley was already underway, they decided to wait until the next funding cycle. Although the Sebastopol Trail Maker are eager to get underway, the delay will likely make for a stronger case next year.