HEALDSBURG — Despite downpours and cloudy skies, President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Sonoma County community leaders gathered this weekend to officially open Fitch Mountain Park & Open Space Preserve, which protects the top of the mountain and opens up the beloved property for public use in perpetuity.

Standing at 991 feet tall, Fitch Mountain offers breathtaking views of surrounding valleys and the City of Healdsburg. It’s a beloved destination for families, nature lovers, dog owners and visitors to the famous wine region.

“This weekend's celebration was about a town. It’s people. And their beloved Mountain. Fitch is the scenic backdrop of our daily lives in Healdsburg. It welcomes the community home each night from a hard days’ work and it marks where the mighty Russian River turns towards the Pacific,” Pro Tem McGuire said. “This community has worked so incredibly hard to protect and preserve the Mountain for over 30 years, the majority of my lifetime. Once an impossible dream, today we are celebrating a beautiful place and an amazing story.”

Historically, the Pomo and Wappo people called Fitch Mountain and the surrounding valley home. The region has always been rich with wildlife, fertile soils and plentiful water. In more recent times, Fitch Mountain has become an escape for people to soak in beauty and nature. 

More than 30 years ago, local residents began organizing to keep Fitch Mountain, the crown jewel of Healdsburg, from becoming subdivided and ending public use of nature trails and community spaces. A once-in-a-generation project, the success of the Open Space Park & Preserve means that the 173 acres at the top of Fitch Mountain will now ensure public access and habitat protection.

A partnership between countless dedicated neighbors, the State of California, the City of Healdsburg, the State Coastal Conservancy, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, LandPaths and the Sonoma County Ag and Open Space District made the project a reality.

Project improvements include upgraded hiking and walking trails, signage, creek restoration and wildfire mitigation projects, bridge installations to safely cross seasonal streams, new picnic grounds and public art, and major improvements to Villa Dog Park, including ADA access. 

“Everyone in Healdsburg is so grateful to Senator McGuire for his tireless pursuit of this project. Without the State’s support, we could have never secured the funding to acquire and protect this special piece of earth opened up to residents,” said Healdsburg Mayor David Hagele. “Fitch Mountain has such a rich history, and now, such a bright and beautiful future with the grand opening of California’s newest Park & Open Space Preserve.”

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Mike McGuire is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. He represents the North Coast of California, which stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, including Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties. Website of Senate Leader McGuire: https://sd02.senate.ca.gov/