Helen Putnam Regional Park is a regional park

Regional park

Regional park is a term used for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.-Definition:...

 southwest of Petaluma, California

Petaluma, California

Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. In the 2010 Census the population was 57,941.Located in Petaluma is the Rancho Petaluma Adobe, a National Historic Landmark. It was built beginning in 1836 by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, then Commandant of the San...

, U.S.A.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 which is maintained by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department. It covers an area of 216 acre (87 ha) at 38.2166°N 122.6614°W. The park entrance is at 411 Chileno Valley Road.

The park's official dedication took place in 1985.

Facilities and features

The park features numerous trails suitable for hiking

Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

, bicycling, and horseback riding

Equestrianism

Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...

. The trails include a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail

Bay Area Ridge Trail

The Bay Area Ridge Trail is a planned 550+-mile multi-use trail along the hill and mountain ridgelines ringing the San Francisco Bay Area, in Northern California. When complete, the trail will connect over 75 parks and open spaces. The trail is being designed to provide access for hikers,...

.

The parking lot has 37 spaces, including spaces for handicapped and equestrian users. There is a gazebo, a picnic area, and a children's playground near the parking area, and a pond stocked with bluegill.

Name

The park is named after Helen Putnam, a former mayor of Petaluma and Sonoma County

Sonoma County, California

Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....

 supervisor. It should not be confused with the Helen Putnam Park in nearby Cotati, California

Cotati, California

Cotati is an incorporated city in Sonoma County, California, U.S.A., located about north of San Francisco in the 101 corridor between Rohnert Park and Petaluma....

.