by Scott Hocker

 

Photographs by Jen Siska

Sebastopol, among the orchards and vineyards of Western Sonoma County north of San Francisco, is a favorite stopover for people heading west toward the Russian River or beyond that to the coast. But if you’ve only seen this quaint town from State 116, a cruise up into the less-traveled hills around town gives you new reasons to love the place.

Our favorite scenic drive is a 14-mile route that starts at Florence Avenue, which acts as a neighborhood-wide outdoor gallery of the madcap sculptures fashioned by local artists Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent out of bits of junk. Outside town, you’ll climb up, up, up, then plunge into a pastoral valley and pass over trickling Atascadero Creek.

Follow these directions from State 116 and click here for a Google map of the route:

Start at the corner of Healdsburg Ave. and Florence Ave.
Head down Florence Ave. to see the sculptures.
At street’s end, turn right on Bodega Hwy.
After .8 miles, turn left on Pleasant Hill Rd.
After 1.5 miles, turn right toward Watertrough Rd., then left on Sanders Rd. The road comes down the hill, veers right, and becomes Barnett Valley Rd.
After 4 miles on Barnett Valley Rd., turn right on Bodega Hwy.
After 1.7 miles, turn left on Grandview Rd.
After 1.3 miles, turn right on Cherry Ridge Rd., then right on Mill Station Rd.
Follow Mill Station Rd. until you return to State 116.