Hood Mountain Lawson Expansion - Background

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District purchased the Lawson property in 2005 and transferred title to Regional Parks in June 2014. The property features oak woodlands, grasslands, mixed evergreen forest, and riparian chaparral/Sargent cypress woodland. A prominent ridgeline offers views of the Sonoma Valley and beyond. The property includes several special-status plants and significant cultural resources.

The property’s rugged backcountry provides an opportunity for new multi-use trails and greater connectivity to existing trails within the park. Other recreational opportunities might include picnicking, nature observation, and hike-in stays by permit-only. The property provides abundant opportunities to learn about natural and culture history.

The District holds a conservation easement and a recreation covenant on the property, protecting in perpetuity the scenic and natural values and requiring the land be open for low-intensity recreation and education uses. 

Please see these final Master Plan documents for complete information.

• Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration   (PDF: 11.5 MB)
• Master Plan  (PDF: 40 MB) 
• Notice of Determination  (PDF: 312 kB) 

In 2022, Regional Parks acquired the 120 acre “Cougar Landing” property which is flanked on three sides by the park. The strategic expansion preserves scenic views and wildlife habitat, offers new recreation opportunities, and supports future wildfire defense. The acreage adds to a regional wildlife corridor that stretches across the mountains of Lake and Napa counties to the Marin coast. The former owner agreed to the sale after the Glass Fire swept over the Mayacamas Mountains in 2020.

The properties 1,883 feet summit provides unobstructed views of the Santa Rosa Plain, Sonoma Valley and beyond, and is highly visible from the Highway 12 corridor through Sonoma Valley. Encompassed within its boundaries are pristine swaths of Douglas fir, California bay, mixed oak forest, native grasslands, and the upper reaches of the Santa Rosa Creek watershed.

Lawson Property

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District funded the Master Plan process and environmental documents, cultural resource protection, and the construction of the Lawson Trail that connects the expansion area to the park’s Lower Johnson Ridge Trail.

Cougar Landing

The acquisition was made possible by the Parks for All Measure M sales tax and park mitigation fees.

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation awarded a grant covering nearly half the purchase through the nonprofit Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation. A grant from the Parks Foundation's Bill & Dave Legacy Fund also facilitated the completion of the purchase.