Mount up and enjoy beautiful Austin Creek State Park on horseback. You and your guests will ride gentle horses through the giant, old growth forest of the Armstrong Redwoods. Or take part in a private equestrian lesson and learn basic riding skills and have a great time doing it. Whether you are looking to begin a new hobby or you are simply looking to try it, these experiences offer the perfect opportunity to saddle up and get started.

Armstrong Redwoods Trail Ride                             Armstrong Redwoods Trail Ride For Two

Armstrong Redwoods Private Trail Ride                  Bonita Horseback Riding Lesson

Bonita Horseback Riding Lesson For Two

As you stroll through this beautiful old-growth redwood forest, you'll see some of the tallest and oldest trees remaining in this part of California. The Parson Jones Tree is about 310 feet high; the Colonel Armstrong Tree is more than 1,400 years old.

During the 1880's, this area was set aside as a "natural park and botanical garden" by Colonel James Armstrong, an early-day lumber man who recognized the beauty and natural value of the forests he harvested. Today, the ancient redwood forest within the park is the largest remaining old-growth redwood forest in Sonoma County. It is a living reminder of the magnificent primeval redwood forest that covered much of this area before logging operations began during the 19th century.

Along with the coast redwoods in this grove there are also a number of other trees including tan oak, California laurel, and big-leaf maple. In springtime, the forest floor is carpeted with clover-like redwood sorrel, trillium, fairy bells, and redwood orchids. In winter, mushrooms, mosses, lichens, and liverworts exhibit their fantastic shapes and colors.

The coast redwood (sequoia sempervirens) is the world's tallest living thing. (The very tallest redwood is 366 feet high.) They are also one of the world's oldest living things. (Some of them survive for as much as 2,000 years). They grow naturally only in a long, narrow belt along the coast from southern Oregon to central California where moderate climate combines with heavy winter rains and frequent summer fog.