Lake Sonoma Resort Area

This review is specifically for kayaking or canoeing on the lake. Don’t do it. They rent all sorts of boats. The boat rental is professional, efficient, and friendly. I rented a tandem kayak with my boyfriend and it was a pretty unpleasant experience. The lake is really meant for speed boaters and jet skiers and other people who like roar around the lake in motorized watercraft while getting really drunk. So the boats are really loud and a good number of people are drunk and they like to go really fast and leave huge wakes. i was terrified all the time that someone was going to hit our kayak or a wake would tip us over. I would never kayak here again.

This review is for the Liberty Glen Campground…
Booked Group Camp E for a double birthday party so a bunch of our friends could get together for a long weekend. We arrived on a Friday, and stayed through to Sunday.
Group Camp E is the southernmost campground at Liberty Glen. It is obviously also the only «horse friendly» group camp (as there are horse troughs, stalls, etc.). However, it was great for our group of about 26 people. We had a mix of tent campers and trailer/​van campers, and there is TONS of parking.
It has a large built-​in overhang with 6 picnic tables underneath. Also a fire pit and a grill. (Zero cell service, so be sure all your friends know where to go!) There is a port-​a-​potty style shed in the middle of the circle (bring your own TP and Purell!), or the flush toilets and showers are just a 200 feet walk down the road.
Just past the overhang/​tables is an area for tenting… you can find a little nook in all sorts of little spots… just watch out, a couple of the flat spots are full of fire ants!
We had a great time here. Sheriffs/​Rangers/​Camp Monitor did cruise by occasionally, and a few times we had a couple people stop because they were lost and asked us where to go. Besides that, it was so nice and quiet.
Note– you are not lakeside here. You can walk down the fire road adjacent to the campsite to the lake, but be forewarned, it’s a hell of a hike back up. If you have kids, best to just load up in the car and head over to the resort area to hang in the lake.
Main drawback: YELLOW JACKETS. These suckers were intense. In no way exaggerating, we brought (based on someone else’s review) a few yellow jacket traps, and then made several of our own, and it did not deter nor stop them at all. The second any food came out, you were swarmed with tons of those annoying little suckers. I think most of our traps were full in less than 24 hours. No one got stung, but they were extremely annoying.
The campground has a beautiful view of the valley, so sunsets were amazing.
All in all, we had a great time. I think next time I’d opt for a place closer to the lake, but will definitely be back at some point, I’m sure.

Now this is a good review taking into consideration that we’re in a severe drought. The main camp ground is closed due to the low level of the lake (it’s about half full). There is plenty of water for boating and swimming though and the setting is still beautiful. We stayed at the small campsite above the marina area which served our needs just fine. I wish there were flush toilets instead of the ONE porta potty, but we drove down to the nearby marina to use their facilities.
Unfortunately, camping overnight sometimes includes tolerating partying young adults, crying babies, and unexpectedly cold nights, so be prepared!
This was a terrific place to start and finish our spectacular 25 mile bike ride around the Dry Creek Valley.

This review is going to cover three areas of Lake Sonoma:
1.) The Campgrounds (Liberty Glen, Group Site D, Five Stars)
2.) The Marina (Three Stars)
And
3.) The Lake (Three Stars)
1.
Of the three parts of this review, this is the most recommended by far.
This campground is awesome. Really awesome — I’ve been to a lot of campgrounds, this one really was great. It’s well run, well maintained, and the view is spectacular. We were at Group Site D, so one of two larger campsites on the Lake side of the grounds. There are two covered pavilions, a large parking area, and a small auditorium if you feel like hosting an impromptu play. There are three water taps in the site with drinkable water, and bathrooms with 24 hour lights and showers. The showers are ice cold, but this is big group car camping, hardly roughing it. Also, it’s inland enough that you get warm nights and very few mosquitos (we saw none), something that’s rare in a lot of nor-​cal campgrounds. It was nice enough though that half of our group slept happily without tents.
Did I mention the view? It’s spectacular. This site (all of them, really) are far enough down the road to mute traffic from the main road, but high enough on the hill to give you wide views of a valley that covers both sunrise and sunset. It’s far enough outside of town that you’ll get some great stargazing, and close enough in that it’s a short trip to and from.
We got the group site because there were about 30 of us all told, and at $ 80/​night it was an absolute steal split among a group (get ten people in on it and it’s $ 8 a night!)
There is a trail down to a less-​public and much nicer spit of the main lake, and great hiking/​running/​horseback riding trails all up and down the hills.
Only problems: There are raccoons (although they’re far more timid and less numerous than most sites, and the parking lot is so close it’s easy enough to just lock things up), there are Yellowjackets (wasp traps recommended, especially in late summer, mid-​September on).
You can reserve and pay for sites online, which is nice and again a bit unusual for a campground.
2.
The Marina. It’s crowded, and they charge for parking (but they do give you a pass if you want to pop down to the store and back up). That said, it’s also beautiful. I can say from experience that it’s a wonderful place to host a summer wedding!
There is some swimming, but again, it’s crowded, there are a lot of boats, and you can park at the boat landing across the bridge for free.
Also, the Marina store… It’s tiny, has a very limited selection (good for trail mix, terrible for beer etc.), and because of where it is it’s very expensive. We bought six packs that were probably in the cooler for a year and they were $ 15 each (you’re better off making a town trip).
3.
The lake! It is a beautiful lake, really spectacular from the lookout point or driving across the bridge. It’s walkable from the camp site, easily accessed from the Marina or the Boat Landing.
It’s cool, but perfect for a hot day. The shorelines vary from rocky (boat landing) to grassy (marina) and there is very little debris in the water. The beaches are a little dirty, and in the shore we went to there are leeches (!?) I was shocked, I’ve never seen a leech in California, but they’re here. They’re tiny brown worm-​looking things about the size of an inch worm, though they can apparently get bigger at other times of the year. They pull off no problem and don’t hurt or leave any marks. They’re just gross.

The lake and surrounding area are beautiful. Boats are fun but getting your own is expensive: buying, maintaining, storing, insuring… plus tricky and time consuming to trailer and launch, so renting at the marina here is a nice option. Its about a dollar a minute all told for a 4 hour trip, but considering all else not such a bad deal. Took two families out tubing and we had a great time. The sea ray we rented (cheapest one?) had a brand new motor, but some issue with a fuse deep in the engine compartment and it died on us mid day, and there was no mobile phone service there to call for help. Got a ride with another boater to a place where I could make the call and they came out to tow us all they way back to the marina. That was the only sucky part of it. We had an awesome time other than that and will be sure to spend a few dollars more to rent the Toyota epic next time.

Where to start? Alright I’m going to keep it really simple– at the Lake if your boat dies the Lake Sheriff department WON’T help you for two reason. 1) Because they don’t tow boats that break down on the lake they would rather leave families totally 100% stranded.. That’s sensible right?
2) They’re too busy joy riding helicopters 100’s of feet from the water wasting our tax dollars. But this review is not about them it’s about the other horrible, unforgettable service you can expect from Marina employees who absolutely have no sense of humanity.
So again, if your boat breaks down on the lake here is what you can expect 3) Completely useless Army Corp of Engineer staff that shouldn’t even pick up the phone (this is coming from a former Army Corp of Engineer Park ranger so you’re getting the real deal with this review people.) Park employees that don’t know how to give out correct phone numbers to the Sheriff and won’t make any calls for you after you have explained you have bad service and a broken boat. Oh and if you don’t have any cell service on the lake you might as well not go on the lake or make sure you’re a great swimmer.
Lastly, (4) if your boat breaks down on the lake, the Marina staff, not resort staff, let’s not be ridiculous and try and characterize this place as a «Resort» cause if you have been to a real resort you would know this is just a total dump with a terrible dock that is falling apart and is a hazard. As is the launch that’s in dire need of replacement. So the Marina staff– WILL tow a boat. Sure right… for $ 85 an hour and but ONLY if you pay in advance giving them your credit card number while your are on the water. Really who takes a credit card on the lake? And if they write down your number wrong, which not only do they want your 16 digit card number, but a bunch of other senseless information you can give them WHEN THEY COME here is the message you can expect on your phone, because again there is no decent cell service so you won’t be able to get those incoming calls «Your card didn’t work, were not coming to get you». Hang’s up. Never mind the fact the cell service on the lake is horrible but again to them it’s logical to force people to pay in advance.
Boats can be very unpredictable even really nice newer boats. I would never ever ever recommend relying on anyone for any helpful or considerate service at Lake Sonoma. YOUR ON YOUR OWN people literally. Oh’ and also don’t rely on the Army Corp of Engineer’s to staff the boat launch kiosk with envelopes they would rather not leave any out and then circle around a couple hours later and give $ 75 parking tickets.

Really pretty views, really cool to see the boat launch. Be sure to visit the lookout to get the full panoramic!
Not necessary to spend a ton of time here, but definitely worth a quick stop and a brief break from tannins and grapes!

This review is more on the Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road that connects from Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg to Highway 1 just south of the town of Gualala.
Very scenic, especially during autumn, as it meanders through vineyards and Lake Sonoma, through dense redwood forests and breathtaking views from the mountain tops.
Although picturesque and a recommended path at least once in your life, I definitely don’t recommend it as a way to conveniently and efficiently get to the ocean. The road has so many twists and turns and at times it narrows to uncomfortable one car widths. Luckily for us, we only encountered about 5 cars the entire length of this drive (others must already know this is not the best path to the Sonoma/​Mendocino coast.
But if you have some time and are in no hurry (and you’re not prone to car sickness), it’s one of the most beautiful drives I’ve encountered!

Make your way out to Lake Sonoma when the need to escape the Rat Race (that is the Bay Area) ever comes up. We sure do.
My family and I have made it a tradition to do a yearly camping trip here. The campsites are spacious, clean, comfortable (well, as comfortable as camping can be), and definitely provide for that all-​around outdoor experience.
As this is a lake, it technically means you need to have a boat to actually get around and to your campsite. You can also rent a houseboat and set shop out on the lake. The marina is equipped with a first aid station, equipment rental area and mini market for those last minute snacks and items you forgot to get before you head into the campsites. There is also the option for renting out their patio on the marina for private parties.
The drive through the vineyards to get to Lake Sonoma is absolutely serene: that sense of peace envelopes you and prepares you for the beauty and wonderment of the Lake
*sigh*
Love, love it. Can’t wait for our trip next year.

$ 10 entrance fee for day use. Not my favorite boat rental experience. Very unhelpful Marina staff who lost my initial booking I’d made in advance over the phone. Okay fine, so you lost our originally booked cheaper boat rental, and the boats in that class were all in fact broken, so we upgraded, which was fine– because it was a nicer boat and better for a comfy time– but they wouldn’t work out a little price break or anything. Not even a real apology.
Once we confirmed our boat rental, they started the clock. Like, IMMEDIATELY. If you have 4 hours on the water, bring your stuff down to the docks so you don’t have to run up to your car– and you can’t park in the lower lot, so we had to move the boat to the loading dock, load up our stuff, move the truck, use the restroom, and buy ice while we were on the clock. That really bothered me. Don’t expect these teens to cut you any breaks.
Also don’t expect any tips or advice on where to go or what not to do with your boat other than not to destroy the propeller. LOL. Luckily this wasn’t our first boating rodeo, but I would even suggest you bring a bit more rope/​line with you, because the boat was pathetically equipped if you wanted to tie off. Since this is a man made lake, a filled out canyon, the shore is very steep, and there are lots of hazards below the surface– mainly trees, and there aren’t many ‘beaches’ to speak of. Not too many sandy areas to speak of. In fact, If I had it my way, we’d of had an anchor so we could drop anchor (to what depth I don’t know!?), and swam up to some of the cool lakeside campsites that looked empty and inviting when we were here in Early June. I brought my trusty inner-​tube which was great for floating around on the side of the boat and in the lake.
Once we got out of the Marina/​Resort and onto the Lake, we had a Grand Olé Time. I won’t reveal our secret spots or strategies for chillaxin, but it was very fun. Sadly, coming back to the dock was deflating. Once again totally rude employees, and they charged over $ 6/​gallon to fill the boat back up with fuel. Who knows how much was in it when we left? The gas meter was broken (in fact the entire electrical console on the craft was bunk). So the boat rental was quite exorbitant, yet they have your card and there’s not much you can do to contest these prices, right?
Once back on shore, the Resort area is ‘okay’. There’s not much of a beach to my satisfaction, but the store area with all the trimmings and the pretty lawn beside it, with the grapevines growing and the shade trees is nice– but that’s by the Marina area– the only open ‘beach’ area that we discovered was rather small and not very nice.
It was certainly entertaining to watch all the wake boarding boats and boat traffic coming in and out from the lake, but being on the water is where it’s at here at Sonoma Lake Resort.

This area is beautiful — nestled in the coastal range at the north end of Dry Creek Valley, you can imagine that the roads afford stellar views and many twists and turns to keep you entertained.
This is also a very popular area with motorcyclists, young and old. They love to zip around on the twists and turns to build their skills and have fun. Skaggs Springs Road is usually not heavily trafficked — but when there are cars, they tend to go very fast and to take chances.
The pull out from the Lake Sonoma Overlook onto Skaggs Springs Rd is right by a curve — which makes it difficult, as you pull out, to see traffic coming up on your left if you are going to make a left hand turn. Someone took for granted that there was low traffic one day in August a few years ago — pulling out out in front of my brother Eddo on his motorcycle (
) — killing him nearly instantly.
Please — enjoy the Lake Sonoma resort area, and by all means — enjoy the road — but please stick to the speed limits and always be more cautious than you think the road warrants. Conditions change and there are deer, motorcyclists and bicyclists everywhere, around ever blind curve.

Very pretty area!!! Even if you don’t have a boat, grab your sweetie and pack a picnic.

A friend of mine rented out the patio area by the marina for her birthday shit-​show/​extravaganza. And becuase of the lenient rules, it was exactly that. It was a rather large picnic area with multiple benches, a couple large grass areas and a barbecue. Next to our fenced off patio was a huge Volleyball area that we took advantage of. With a few kegs, loud music, tons of food, and about 40 people we had a great time, thanks to this facility and the people in charge. We were never repremended until later in the night when our behavior became quickly questionable… which was understandable. Still we were allowed to play our music loudly late and continued the party into the darkness of the night. The lake is literally 100 yards away and easily accessable and the bathrooms are within walking distance.
This is a great spot to rent for any event.