Going Places: Celebrating Jack London’s 150th Makes Sonoma County, California Visit Extra Special This Year
Celebrating Bay Area Famed Writer Jack London’s 150th Birthday
KQED – January 14, 2026
Sara Hossaini Made a visit to Jack London State Historic Park and talks about the writer’s 150th birthday. Listen here:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This Historic State Park Is Hosting Free Days This Month. Here’s How to Get Access.
One of Sonoma Valley’s most historic state parks is opening its gates for free in honor of local literary giant Jack London. To celebrate the 150th birthday of the author, Jack London State Historic Park is launching a year-long series of events inviting visitors to experience the land where he lived, worked, and built his dream ranch in Sonoma Valley. This weekend, the park is hosting several free events, and on Monday, January 12, admission to the park is free for all visitors.
Read full article here
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bilingual hikes at Jack London Park bridge language gap in the outdoors
Isabel Beer, Sonoma Index Tribune & Petaluma Argus-Courier- June 3, 2025
The Jack London State Historic Park is planning a bilingual Spanish-English hike on June 15. The hike, led by bilingual program coordinator, Carlos Barragán, who coordinates excursions each month as part of an effort to connect more people to the outdoors.
Titled “Arriba & Beyond: A Bilingual Summit Hike,” this month’s event will take participants on a guided trek to a scenic summit from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free with registration, though a $10 per-vehicle park entry fee applies.
Read full article here
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
California’s Underrated State Park In Sonoma County Is A Charming Literary Escape With Redwood Beauty
Kristin Conard, The Island – May 22, 2025
Sonoma County is full of all kinds of beautiful destinations from wine towns like Healdsburg that will make you feel you’re in the Tuscan countryside to the prettiest of seaside views at the Sonoma Coast State Park. Then there’s Jack London State Historic Park, a lesser-known attraction that lets you explore vibrant forests and literary history. It’s a 1,500-plus acre park with miles of trails where Jack London, noted American novelist known for works like “White Fang” and “The Call of the Wild,” once lived. The park is in Glen Ellen, about a 60-minute drive from San Francisco and its international airport and about 30 minutes from Santa Rosa.
Read full article here
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London State Historic Park, a Wine Country treasure, marks a major milestone
Sam Whiting, The San Francisco Chronicle – May 20, 2025
Brandon and Lindsay Tiffany were at the entry kiosk for Jack London State Historic Park on Sunday morning when they were advised by the volunteer attendant that the 1 millionth visitor would be coming through that day, and that it could very well be either Tiffany or their daughter, Ayla, 4, or son, Noah, 1.
“That would be cool,” said Lindsay, who entered the drawing for a prize basket that contained an annual pass to the Sonoma County park, a copy of “The Call of the Wild,” London’s most famous book, plus other swag. The drawing was at the end of Call of the Wild Day, an all-day free event to celebrate the overwhelming success of the first state park to form an agreement to operate as a nonprofit organization. This goes back to 2011-2012 when Jack London Park Partners was formed to keep the park, created in 1960, from possible closure during a state budget crunch. Admission is by the carload, at $10 each, which made it impossible to designate the exact moment when the millionth person came through.
Read full article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Performance of ‘An Intimate Affair’ celebrates love between Jack and Charmian London
Isabel Beer, The Sonoma Index Tribune – February 20, 2025
A production of “An Intimate Affair,” which follows the love story of famed writer Jack London and his wife Charmian Kittredge London, received a raucous standing ovation at the Sebastiani Theatre on Feb. 13 and raised $15,600 for Jack London Park Partners.
Sonoma-based writer, speaker and performer, Lynne Lancaster portrayed Charmian Kittredge London during the production, and told the story of how she became the wife of the renowned journalist and author, Jack London, who was played by Thaddeus Louviere of Petaluma.
Read full article here
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London Museum Interpreters from Canada make Pilgrammage to Glen Ellen
Tim Curley, The Sonoma Index-Tribune – January 23, 2025
Last week, four interpreters from the Jack London Museum in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada traveled 3,200 miles to visit Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen.
Read full article here
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It takes a village: Glen Ellen Village Market steps up for nearby park
Roger Coryell, The Sonoma County Gazette – August 26, 2024
It’s not a million bucks, but this neighborhood fundraiser and donation will make a big difference. Kudos to Glen Ellen Village Market, known for its gourmet products and community spirit, for donating $5,160 to the nonprofit organization that operates and funds nearby Jack London State Historic Park.
Read full article here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sonoma County: Recharging In The Great Californian Countryside
Baldwin Ho, House of Coco – July 24, 2024
Sonoma County might be synonymous with indulgence when you consider the region has bountiful wines coupled with an abundance of fresh produce. However, it is the wellness side of Sonoma that has been increasingly attracting visitors to the county. Baldwin Ho delves into this beautiful region. Sonoma Couty is a mere 48 kilometres north of San Francisco and offers one of the most diverse natural destinations in California. Not many people appreciate the region starts from the Pacific Ocean in the west and stretches to the Mayacamas Mountains.
Read full article here.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
An Author’s Legacy: Jack London State Park
Side of Culture by Marybeth Bond – April 3, 2024
When travelers think of Sonoma County in Northern California, they imagine vineyards, wine tasting, and fine dining. If you venture beyond the vineyards into the hidden hills of Sonoma, you’ll discover an overlooked cultural gem – Jack London State Park.
Read full article here.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Discover the beauty and stories of Jack London State Park”
ABC7 – February 21, 2024
GLEN ELLEN, Calif. — With more than 1,500 acres, outdoor enthusiasts can walk, hike, mountain bike, and even horseback ride along 30 miles of trails at Jack London State Park. “Sonoma Mountain is one of the most beautiful and ecologically rich parks around,” Executive Director Matt Leffert declares.
Watch the video below or read the article here
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“The Best State Parks to Visit This Winter”
New York Times – January 9, 2024
Learn about a famed California author.
Perfect for a drizzly day, Jack London State Historic Park in the Sonoma Valley lets visitors learn all about London, the author of “The Call of the Wild,” who was born in San Francisco and attended U.C. Berkeley. There’s a museum about London’s life, and you can walk to his gravesite and see the cottage where he worked.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Inspiration at Jack London State Historical Park
Travel Examiner – November 17, 2023
As a child growing up in the Midwest, Santa brought me two treasured books, “Call of the Wild” and “White Fang”, both written by Jack London. I read and re-read those books, loving the vivid accounts of Alaskan scenery and the exploits and travails of the wolf heroes.
Read Full Article Here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London Park harvests 6,000 pounds of fruit and a year’s worth of gratitude
Sonoma Valley Sun – November 6, 2023
In this season of thankfulness, there’s a lot of gratitude coming out of Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, most of it grown in the historic orchard that the park and its supporters have been restoring since 2017.
“In 2021, volunteers from throughout the community gleaned – or harvested – 2,500 pounds of fruit. In 2022, we were able to increase the total to 3,600 pounds. And in 2023, we gleaned an amazing 6,000 pounds of produce, including approximately 900 pounds of plums and 5,000 pounds of pears,” said Deputy Director and Director of Operations Eric Metz.
Read Full Article Here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Visiting Glen Ellen-Discover the many charms of this historic Sonoma County destination.
Napa Sonoma Magazine – October 13, 2023
A fun and educational outing begins on the property where London lived, died, and is buried. Jack London State Historic Park has more than 29 miles of hiking trails traversing the 1,565-acre park, which sports his cottage, barns, a distillery, and the ruins of the Wolf House and a winery.
Read Full Article Here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Visit legendary author Jack London’s ‘Pig Palace’ and other oddities on his farm | Bartell’s Backroads
May, 2023
Legendary American author Jack London was more than a writer and an adventurer, he was also a farmer.
Read Full Article Here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London’s Ranch of Good Intentions
Eden – Spring 2023
Writer Vonn Marie May’s 22-page cover story on “Jack London’s Ranch of Good Intentions” tells the story of Jack’s vision for Beauty Ranch and its greater implications.
Read Full Article Here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Family Hike at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen
Marin Mommies – January, 2023
Recently, we paid another visit one of our favorite outdoors spots in the Bay Area: Jack London State Historic Park. Located in the small Sonoma Valley town of Glen Ellen, it’s about a 45-minute drive north from Marin and a great destination for an active and educational family outing.
Read Full Article Here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where We’re Travelling
New York Times – October 14, 2022
Today’s tip comes from Stephanie Madison, who lives in Benicia:
“As a Bay Area native, my favorite place is Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. Housed in the park is London’s home with his wife. The home is set up to look like they still live there with clothes in the closet and personal items set out. A short hike to the Wolf House. A beautiful structure of locally harvested stones that create the frame of the Wolf House, which burned after completion because workers piled linseed oil rags which spontaneously combusted and burned the entire dream home. It was the beginning of bad times for London.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Magical Evening in an Enchanted Forest
Sonoma Valley Sun – September 29, 2022
Jack London State Historic Park transformed into an enchanted forest on Sept. 24 as 320 guests attended the gala fundraising event, “Once Upon a Time in a Not-So-Distant Forest.” The event raised more than $550,000…
Read Full Article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack and Charmian London Return as Holograms
by Mark Fernquest
Bohemian – August 17, 2022
All birthdays are good, but this year mine was the best, because Jack London State Park digital tour’s soft release date coincided with it, on Aug. 6. So, while I ate cake on my deck, I also downloaded the app and took the tour. And it was both informative and enjoyable.
Read full article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nearly 800 pounds of fruit gathered from historic Sonoma Valley orchards for those in need
by Charles Swanson
Santa Rosa Press Democrat – July 27, 2022
Volunteers up early Saturday among the plum trees of Jack London State Historic Park’s orchards in Glen Ellen picked a record 798 pounds of the fruit for locals struggling with food insecurity, according to a news release from the park.
Read full article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wine and Food Take Focus at Jack London Park
Sonoma Index tribune – July 26, 2022
Well into his successful writing career, Jack London purchased his first parcel of land on Sonoma Mountain in 1905. Not satisfied being a “gentleman farmer,” he wanted it to be a place of progressive change where he could model “green” farming techniques and create his version of a cooperative community where all residents would have fair working conditions and a great quality of life. This was his “Ranch of Good Intentions.”…
Read full article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London Park Boosts Student Learning Programs
by Daniel Johnson
Sonoma Index tribune – June 2022
(This is Part Two of a two-part story about Jack London State Historic Park.)
It’s hands-on learning at its best: Students actively explore and collect data on plants and animals from their own suburban schoolyard and the wilderness areas of Jack London Historic State Park to compare their levels of biodiversity.
Then the students apply what they have learned by re-imagining their school campus in ways that improve its biodiversity and create a 3D model of what their “new campus” would look like…
Read full article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nonprofit Celebrates 10 Years Managing Jack London Park
by Daniel Johnson
Sonoma Index Tribune – June 2022
(This is Part One of a two-part story about Jack London State Historic Park. Part Two will focus on the cutting-edge education offerings growing at the park.)
With the future of Jack London State Historic Park in jeopardy due to a statewide budgetary crisis during the recession, a group of Sonoma County residents came together in 2011 with a revolutionary idea to take over management of the park. The following year, it not only succeeded in starting to guide the park through the crisis, but has been efficiently running it ever since…
Read full article here
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London Park featured on Good Morning Texas
Click here to view the video
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sonoma wine hike: Head to Glen Ellen for wine tasting and vineyard trails
by Nora Heston Tarte
San Jose Mercury News – January 2022
Winter in Wine Country is a glorious affair, a way to escape the drearies while soaking in a little more sunshine in the Sonoma Valley. With warm weather beaming nearly all year round, it’s never a bad time to step out into nature before stepping into the tasting room. And the tiny town of Glen Ellen is the perfect place to do both…
https://jacklondonpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Mercury-News-article-1-12-22.pdf
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London – Innovative Sonoma Farmer
by Judith Horstman
Piedmont Living Magazine – August 2021
https://jacklondonpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2721_PiedmontLiving_August20218.pdf
Bay Area Travel Writers Association President Judith Horstman in Piedmont Living Magazine (see pages 16-17)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gleaners make the most of forgotten Jack London orchard
by Christian Kallen
Sonoma Index Tribune – August 17, 2021
A 40-acre orchard was harvested by Farm to Pantry, reviving the formerly productive SDC ranch…
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Ghost of Jack London Wanders in the Wine Country
by Karen Misuraca
August 2021
In the early 20th century, at the peak of his career as a world-renowned author of novels of high adventure, Jack London, and his wife Charmian, built a gargantuan stone mansion in a redwood and pine forest on their ranch in the hills of Sonoma Valley. In 1913, after two years of construction of the 15,000-square-foot, castle-like edifice, the house was complete with 26 rooms and nine fireplaces, a reflection pool, a two-story-tall living room, a huge library, and a wine cellar. Then, one August night…
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spotlight on Sonoma parks: Jack London State Historic Park
by Julie Vader
Sonoma Index Tribune – June 14, 2021
Spotlight on Sonoma parks: Jack London State Historic Park (sonomanews.com)
It is foolish to schedule a quick visit to Jack London State Historic Park — unless you intend on stopping by again, and again, and again. There is so much to see and savor at this place you could spend a lifetime exploring and still not see it all…
_________________________________________________________________________________
Jack London’s Bay Area mansion burnt down 108 years ago. Today, you can hike to its ruins.
SF Gate – April 23, 2021
_________________________________________________________________________________
Stories of Jack and Charmian come to life
By Tracy Salcedo
Kenwood Press – April 13, 2021
https://www.kenwoodpress.com/2021/04/13/stories-of-jack-and-charmian-come-to-life/
Jack ushers you in. When you enter the House of Happy Walls at Jack London State Historic Park, an iconic image of Glen Ellen’s most famous author greets you; shadowy eyes, a sideways smile, wind-tousled hair. His books — his body of work — are stacked in a display to one side, one atop the other, some spine out, some tipped forward against the glass, jackets antiqued by time. He’s the reason most people come to this place, to learn more about the writer, rancher, and adventurer…
_________________________________________________________________________________
House of Happy Walls Opens For Museum Visitors
By Christian Kallen
Sonoma Index Tribune – March 15, 2021
https://www.sonomanews.com/article/lifestyle/house-of-happy-walls-opens-for-museum-visitors/
News that Sonoma County would enter the red tier, with its allowance of indoor visits to restaurants, gyms and museums, prompted the crew at Jack London State Historic Park to get to work preparing the House of Happy Walls museum for visitors, welcome when the facility reopens on March 17.
That’s just over a year from the date it closed, on March 14, 2020, as part of the county-wide shutdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Though it opened for two weeks in July, the launch of the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy in August shut it down again.
Gutsy Traveler
In Sonoma, don’t miss Jack London Historic State Park for fascinating history and more than 29 miles of back-country trails for hikers and mountain bikers.
Read full article here
March 10, 2021
_________________________________________________________________________________
California State Parks Foundation – Partner Spotlight: Jack London Park Partners
Jack London Park Partners has been successfully running Jack London State Historic Park since 2012 when they formed during a budgetary crisis that was threatening to close state parks. The vision of Jack London Park Partners is for Jack London State Historic Park to be, “an innovative park that preserves the dream, enriches the experience and serves the entire community.”
Read full article here
_________________________________________________________________________________
Sonoma Index Tribune
The lasting effects of this strange time on the biome remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say these are wackadoodle days. Take five minutes to reset yourself with a virtual meditation at Jack London State Historic Park. In short, weekly videos that’ll bring you a moment of Zen: one camera held steady for a couple of minutes, as the wind ruffles the grasses and birds chirp in the distance. Throw in an explanation of a simple stress-management technique, and you’ve got a cure for what ails.
Anytime you need it, 24/7, “Take 5 with Jack” on YouTube, stress management at Jack London State Historic Park, free.
June 25, 2020
_________________________________________________________________________________
Bay Area Focus, KPIX TV
https://jacklondonpark.com/bay-area-focus-video/
March 27, 2016