Two positive developments for area hikers were reported in the news recently. Neither will mean new trails anytime soon, but within a couple of years, both could open the way for more access to two previously-unexplored parts of the North Coast region.

First, Montini Ranch which is the scenic backdrop to the city of Sonoma. Work on new trails will start there next year although there’s still a thorny issue of public access to the property through an adjacent subdivision. I’ve hiked several parks where the best route is to park in someone’s neighborhood and hop a fence and head inland. Not ideal, but it happens. See the story on the Montini Ranch open-space impasse here.

More promising and more distant is the $2.6 million deal by Lake County to buy Mount Konocti. That could lead to lots of new trails, and local folks hope to link the mountainland to nearby Clear Lake State Park, which is a beautiful hiking destination on its own. See the Mount Konocti purchase story here.

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