An easy, relatively flat tour of the wooded River Road area, punctuated with cool, forested roads and vast miles of incredible vineyards. Because of the length of the ride it can be considered to be moderately difficult for some beginners or out-of-condition riders.Mileage: 19= miles (2 - 3 hours riding time)
Rating: Medium Difficulty
Route: Take River Road 7 miles. After crossing the bridge turn right onto Old River Road. Turn left at Wohler Road, 3 miles, cross the bridge and turn left onto Westside Road, 4 miles, which rejoins River Road. Take that back to Guerneville.
Begin your trip in the heart of Guerneville and take River Road towards Rio Nido. There is moderate traffic here but the road is easy to travel on. You will pass through the small but charming town of Rio Nido, the town"where memories linger." Just past Rio Nido, River Road suddenly illuminates a giddy expanse of vineyards and breathtaking hills. The mid-summer smells of blackberries and fennel make you feel rich and alive. The road is flat and the going is easy, so this is a good time to enjoy the sights and aromas around you.
Shortly you will see signs beckoning you to Korbel Cellars, a winery famous for its champagne, made in the old, traditional style of winemaking. Tours that take you through the cellars and give you a step-by-step description of how wine is made are conducted every 45 minutes. A large, elegant tasting room offers you a selection of Korbel's finest wines. You will be passing by Korbel on the return trip and may find it more enjoyable then. Either time will be a treat.
River Road continues to be flat, but now becomes more forested, filled with tourist attractions and campgrounds along the Russian River where you can rent canoes. You will soon be crossing a bridge over the river, so if you have a camera handy, this is a good time to take a scenic shot.
At Wohler Road take a left. Here the road changes significantly. Traffic is infrequent and you are in the midst of orchards, vineyards, and a variety of shade trees. Wohler Road winds for a while and then joins Eastside Road at the Raford House, a bed and breakfast inn, which overlooks miles and miles of vineyards and mountains. The view is incredible. Wohler Road continues around and crosses another bridge over the Russian River. This is a good place to picnic down by the river or to take a dip. Canoes pass leisurely by, and we even saw some rubber rafts trying their luck. The river is quite shallow under the bridge and very calm, but quite barren with few trees.
Continue over the bridge and take a quick left at Westside Road. A sign tells you that Guerneville is 9 miles away. This is a beautiful road, carved through forests and vineyards. You feel as if you are far from civilization— until a car passes by. There are some easy climbs here with thrilling coasts down. Westside Road meets up with River Road to take you back to Guerneville. This side of the road, however, has uneven, rougher, and more narrow shoulders at some places, so watch out for them. The traffic speeds by pretty quickly. (Don't forget to stop by Korbel's on the way back.)
Variation: You might also consider combining the Eastside, Westside Loop to Healdsburg from Wohler Road by turning right on Eastside Road. This will add 21 miles to your trip. Return along Westside Road back to River Road, and continue as described above.
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
