It's this history of commercial use
that makes the lower Russian a navigable river open to the public.
Small towns that sprang along this river, such as Guerneville share
a history of exploration by Russian colonists from
nearby Fort Ross between 1812 and 1841. The river was named for
Russians that hunted seal and sea otter for their valuable pelts.In December
Guerneville holds the Russian River Heritage Christmas, a
Russian-style celebration with food, drinks, carriage rides and
visits by Father Christmas. Golfers can tee off at the nearby
Northwood Golf Course in Monte Rio, a nine-hole public course lined
with redwoods.
Restaurants in and around Guerneville include Applewood
Restaurant, Chez Marie, Willowside Cafe, Pasta Boys Cafe & Deli, Taqueria La Tapatia
and Russian River Pub.
Armstrong Redwoods is an 805-acre coast
redwood forest of Sequoia sempervirens, the tallest living thing on the
planet! These remarkable trees live to be 500 to1,000 years old, grow to a
diameter of 12 to16 feet and stand from 200 to 250 feet tall. Some trees are
over 2000 years old!
With an average of 55 inches of rain per year and lots of fog needed to
shield the trees from summer heat, Armstrong Redwoods' delicate ecosystem
has managed to exist through many climate changes and escaped the demise
similar forests met. Credited with its preservations is one lumberman named
Colonel James Armstrong who mounted efforts to set aside this acreage in the
1870s. He wisely understood the value of saving even a tiny portion of the
earth's living history. After his death, his family fought for his cause and
were instrumental in helping save the Armstrong coast redwoods. Operated by
Sonoma County until 1934, in 1936 the grove was opened as Armstrong Redwoods
State Park and later renamed a reserve which added protective measures in
favor of the trees' survival.
The reserve includes a visitor center, large outdoor amphitheater,
self-guided nature trails, and a variety of picnic facilities. While you can
drive into the park, the best way to experience the dramatic affect of the
towering redwoods, is to park in the lot at the park entrance and walk in
for free. All of the park features are a short easy stroll along level
trails that are disability accessible. A campground at Austin Creek State
Recreation Area is adjacent to the park.
Attractions at the Armstrong Redwoods State Park include the Parson Jones
Tree measuring more than 310 feet in height, the Colonel Armstrong Tree
estimated to be over 1400 years old and the Icicle Tree with unusual burl
formations often found on redwood trees. Nature trails for great hiking,
picnic areas with grills, tables and restrooms and East Ridge Trail and the
Pool Ridge Trail for horseback riding (www.RedwoodHorses.com) provide
outdoor enjoyment for the entire family.
Wine lovers can delight in Russian River Wine Trail,
which produces some of the finest Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wines
in the world. For wine
tour drives, you can take the River Road Tour suggested by the local
winegrowers organization, Russian River Valley Winegrowers.
River Road runs west from Highway 101 just
north of Santa Rosa, and joins up with Highway 116 in Guerneville heading
toward the Pacific Ocean. Half a mile west of the 101-River Road
intersection is the small town of Fulton and the wineries of Kendall Jackson
and Battaglini on Piner Road near Fulton. Piner Road runs between Fulton and
Olivet Road on the western edge of the city of Santa Rosa. Travel down Piner
Road to the intersection of Olivet Road and to both the right and left on
Olivet Road are the wineries of DeLoach, Sunce, Pellegrini and Tara Bella.
So many to choose from!
If you want to stick with the River Road area, head west on River Road from
Fulton about 2 miles (just before you get to Olivet Road) and you will find
Martinelli Winery on your left. Just past Olivet Road, turn north of River
Road onto Slusser Road and follow it to find the wineries of La Crema,
Russian Hill and Sonoma Cutrer near the intersection with Laughlin Road. If
you return to River Road, Joseph Swan Winery is located at Laguna Road on
the left hand side. Six miles west of the intersection of River Road and
Trenton-Healdsburg Road is Korbel Winery and deli. The distance on River
Road from 101 to the Korbel Winery is 12 miles and contains thirteen
wineries for your enjoyment.
Korbel
Garden at Korbel Winery is a century-old garden the public can tour. It
includes hybrid tea, damask and Old World roses in a collection of more than
250 rose varieties surrounded by towering redwoods that shade the original
circa 1882 Korbel Family House. Baby's breath and dark mulch created from
Chardonnay grapes crushed for Korbel champagne provide a backdrop for the
colorful blooms. An assortment of perennials and annuals in beds along the
hillside footpaths and hedges adds to the gardens lush palette. A separate
area of the garden features a collection of coleus. An array of spring
annuals and weeping willow, cherry, birch, cypress and mulberry trees in
half barrels are used throughout the grounds.
Established in 1882, Korbel Champagne Cellars has been producing California
méthode champenoise champagne and brandy for 120 years. Korbel is located on
River Road in Guerneville, California, 14 miles west of Highway 101. For
additional information, contact - 707-824-7000 or visit www.korbel.com.
Rural Highway 116 Tour - Highway 116 runs northwest from Cotati through
Sebastopol, Graton, Forestville, Monte Rio and Guerneville, before following
the Russian River out to the Pacific Ocean. Near downtown Sebastopol, you
will find tasting rooms for Hanna Winery and Taft Street Winery. In downtown
Sebastopol, near Highway 12, is the tasting room for Dutton-Goldfield
winery. In and around Graton are the tasting rooms for Dutton
Estate-Sebastopol Vineyards and Lynmar Winery at Quail Hill Vineyard.
Between Graton and Forestville are the tasting rooms for Iron Horse, Topolos
Winery and Kozlowski Farms and deli. As you travel northwest on Hwy. 116,
just on the other side of Forestville off of Highway 116 on Martinelli Road
is Hartford Family Wines. www.rrvw.org
Acorn Winery/Alegria Vineyards
12040 Old Redwood Highway
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-6440
Arista Winery 5 Fitch Street
Healdsburg CA 95448 707.473.0606
Balletto Vineyards 5700 Occidental Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 568-2455
Bannister Wines 1139 Sunnyside Drive
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-2606
Barefoot Cellars 420 Aviation Boulevard, #106
Santa Rosa CA 95403 707 524-8000 ext 10
Chateau Felice 4791 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 836-9011
Christopher Creek Winery 641 Limerick Lane
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-2001
Copain Wine Cellars 1160 B Hopper Avenue
Santa Rosa CA 95403 707 541-7474
Crinella Winery Highway 116 at Mirabel Road
Forestville CA 95436 707 528-7410
D'Argenzio Winery, Inc. 1301 Cleveland Avenue, Suite A
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 546-2466
Davis Bynum Winery 8075 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-2611
Davis Family Vineyards 52 Front Street
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-3858
De La Montanya Vineyards & Winery 999 Foreman Lane
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-3711
De Loach Vineyard 1791 Olivet Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 526-9111
Dehlinger Winery 6300 Guerneville Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 823-2378
Derbes Wines 10520 Wohler Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 887-8601
DuMOL Wine Company, LLC 1160 B Hopper Avenue
Santa Rosa CA 95403 707 573-0850
DuNah Vineyard & Winery 2436 Blucher Valley Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 829-9666
Dutch Bill Creek Winery 3280 Harrison Grade Road
Occidental CA 95465 707 874-3852
Dutton Estate Winery -Sebastopol Vineyards 8757 Green Valley Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 829-9463
Dutton-Goldfield Winery, LLC P.O. Box 527
Graton CA 95444 707 823-3887
Elliott Family Cellars 2500 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 237-4900
Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard 1440 Wood Road
Fulton CA 95439 707 545-6806
Foppiano Vineyards 12707 Old Redwood Highway
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-7272
Freeman Vineyard & Winery 1300 Montgomery Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 415 831-4756
Gary Farrell Wines, Inc. 10701 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 473-2900
Hanna Winery 5353 Occidental Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 431-4310
Hartford Family Winery 8075 Martinelli Road
Forestville CA 95436 707 887-1756
Harvest Moon Winery 2192 Olivet Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 573-8711
Holdredge Wines 51 Front Street
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-8293
Hook & Ladder 2027 Olivet Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 546-5712
Huntington Wine Cellars 1001 2nd Street, Suite 333
Napa CA 94559 707 578-5005
Inman Family Wines 3930 Piner Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 395-0689
Inspiration Vineyards & Winery 2040 Olivet Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 523-2428
Iron Horse Vineyard 9786 Ross Station Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 887-1507
J Vineyards & Winery 11447 Old Redwood Hwy
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 431-5400
J. Lynne 9119 Graton Road
Graton CA 95444 707 838-2353
John Tyler 4375 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-8969
Joseph Swan Vineyards 2916 Laguna Road
Forestville CA 95436 707 573-3747
Keegan Cellars 4452 Slusser Road
Windsor CA 95472 707 257-6966
Kistler Vineyards 4707 Vine Hill Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 823-5603
Korbel Champagne Cellars 13250 River Road
Guerneville CA 95446 707 824-7715
Kosta Browne Winery 1300 Montgomery Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 823-7430
La Crema Winery 3690 Laughlin Road
Windsor CA 95492 707 566-6600
Lauterbach Cellars 3420 Woolsey Road
Windsor CA 95492 707 578-0537
Limerick Lane Cellars 1023 Limerick Lane
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-9211
Lynmar Winery at Quail Hill Vineyard 3909 Frei Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 829-3374
Marimar Torres Estate 11400 Graton Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 823-4365
Martin Ray Winery 2191 Laguna Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 823-2404
Martinelli Vineyards & Winery 3360 River Road
Windsor CA 95492 707 525-0570
Martini & Prati Winery, Inc. 2191 Laguna Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 823-6072
Merry Edwards Wines 830 Denbeste Court, Suite B
Windsor CA 95492 707 838-9950
Moshin Vineyards, Inc. 10295 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-5499
Orogeny Vineyards 9199 Graton Road
Graton CA 95444 707 254-4200
Papapietro Perry Winery 10810 Hillview
Windsor CA 95492 707 433-0422
Paradise Ridge Winery 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Road
Santa Rosa CA 95403 707 528-9463
Paul Hobbs Winery 3355 Gravenstein Hwy North
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 824-9879 x14
Pellegrini Family Vineyards 4055 West Olivet Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 650-761-2811/707 545-8380
Philip Staley Vineyards & Winery 3101 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 431-1291
Porter Creek Vineyards 8735 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-6321
River Road Cellars 5220 Ross Road
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 887-8130
Robert Rue Vineyard 1406 Wood Road
Fulton CA 95439 707 578-1601
Rodney Strong Vineyards 11455 Old Redwood Hwy.
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-6521
Roessler Cellars 380 First Street West
Sonoma CA 95476 707 933-4440
Russian Hill Estate Winery 4525 Slusser Road
Windsor CA 95492 707 575-9428
Rutz Cellars 3637 Frei Road
Sebastopol CA 95473 707 823-0373
Sapphire Hill Vineyards & Winery 51 Front Street
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 838-3221
Selby Winery 5 Fitch Street
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 431-1288
Siduri Wines 980 Airway Court, Suite C
Santa Rosa CA 95403 707 578-3882
Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards 4401 Slusser Road
Windsor CA 95492 707 528-1181
Sunce Winery 1839 Olivet Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 526-9463
Taft Street Winery Inc. 2030 Barlow Lane
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 823-2049
Tara Bella Winery 3701 Viking Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 544-9049
Walker Station Vineyards 5741 Ross Branch Rd.
Sebastopol CA 95472 707 887-8750
Walter Hansel Winery & Vyds. LLC 5465 Hall Road
Santa Rosa CA 95401 707 525-3614
Williams Selyem Winery 6575 Westside Road
Healdsburg CA 95448 707 433-6446
More ...> > >
Guerneville History
