There are places that become part of who we are.
For thousands of hikers, mountain bikers, runners, bird watchers, photographers, and equestrians, Trione-Annadel State Park in Santa Rosa, California is more than 5,000 acres of trails winding through oak woodlands, volcanic rock, wildflowers, and peaceful lakes. It is where first rides become lifelong passions, where friendships are built one mile at a time, and where generations return to reconnect with nature.
But places like Trione-Annadel State Park do not stay healthy on their own.
Behind every repaired trail, every restored creek crossing, every educational field trip, and every volunteer work day is a community of people who believe this park is worth protecting.
One of those people is Friends of Trione-Annadel founding board member Dan Stamps, whose family’s connection toTrione-Annadel State Park reaches back to the park’s very beginning.
A Family Legacy That Helped Save a Park
Long before Trione-Annadel State Park became one of Northern California’s most treasured state parks, it was nearly transformed into something entirely different.
Plans once existed to develop the property into a massive residential community with thousands of homes, a hotel, and extensive commercial development surrounding the man-made Lake Ilsanjo. Instead, Dan’s uncle by marriage, Henry Trione, believed the land deserved a different future and also founded the California State Parks Foundation.
Working alongside community leaders, public agencies, and private supporters, Henry helped lead the effort to preserve the property as a California State Park. That vision became reality in 1971 when Trione-Annadel State Park was established, protecting thousands of acres for future generations instead of development.
Years later, that legacy inspired Dan to continue the work.
“If Henry could devote so much of his life to creating this park,” Dan reflected, “the least I could do was help preserve it.”
Building Friends of Trione-Annadel
That commitment led Dan and fellow community members to establish Friends of Trione-Annadel in 2017. The inspiration came from something surprisingly simple: dedicated volunteers were showing up to repair trails, but they lacked the funding for basic materials like gravel needed to make those repairs last.
“We had people willing to volunteer their time,” Dan explained. “But we couldn’t even afford the materials they needed. That just didn’t make sense.”
Friends of Trione-Annadel (FOTA) was created to change that.
The organization raises funds that directly support trail restoration, park improvements, educational programs, equipment purchases, and conservation projects throughout the park. Today, Friends of Trione-Annadel works in close partnership with Redwood Trails Alliance, helping fund priority trail projects while supporting the crews who build and maintain sustainable trails.
Dan Stamps says, “I had a lot of help along the way.” As part of that story, we also want to recognize those who helped carry the vision forward. Don McCullough served as President after Dan stepped down, and John Quinn has been on the Board since the beginning. Their leadership, time, and dedication have made meaningful contributions to the continued work of Friends of Trione-Annadel.
Rising Through Fire
Only weeks after Friends of Trione-Annadel officially incorporated in September 2017, Sonoma County was devastated by the Tubbs Fire.
The fire forever changed the landscape around the park. Families evacuated. Homes were threatened. Trails were damaged. Ecological recovery became an entirely new challenge. Yet instead of slowing down, the organization leaned into the work.
Their very first fundraising gala raised approximately $125,000, providing critical funding during one of the most difficult periods in the park’s history.
Since then, additional wildfire seasons have continued to test both the park and the surrounding community, making long-term stewardship even more important.
More Than Trails
While trail restoration remains one of the organization’s highest priorities, Friends of Trione-Annadel has expanded its mission far beyond dirt and gravel.
One of its most impactful initiatives helps to introduce thousands of local fourth grade students to TASP through guided educational field trips. FOTA covers the transportation costs, an otherwise prohibitive funding gap for local school districts interested in sending their students to the park.
Working with park naturalists, students explore the park while learning about ecology, wildlife, geology, native plants, and environmental stewardship. FOTA and TASP are actively working to increase the program’s capacity by hiring a seasonal park interpreter specifically dedicated to this program and Visitor Center operations, as well as increasing outreach to local schools.
For many children, it is their first meaningful experience in nature.
Those experiences often become the foundation for a lifelong appreciation of public lands.
Protecting TASP is not only about preserving today’s trails. It is about inspiring tomorrow’s stewards.
Looking Toward the Future
Today, a completed Roads and Trails Management Plan gives the park a clear roadmap for future improvements.
Rather than spending years seeking approvals for every project, Friends of Trione-Annadel and Redwood Trails Alliance will focus on implementing sustainable trail improvements, restoring aging infrastructure, improving visitor experiences, and protecting sensitive habitats identified by the RTMP with considerable public input.
The vision is simple but powerful.
To ensure that our children, grandchildren, and generations beyond them can experience the same incredible park that so many of us enjoy today.
A Shared Responsibility
As mountain bikers, we often experience TASP from a unique perspective.
We celebrate personal victories on its singletrack. We introduce new riders to its trails. We return season after season because this place continually gives something back. That relationship comes with responsibility.
Dan hopes every trail user remembers that Trione-Annadel State Park belongs to everyone.
“It is a shared park,” he says. “Be courteous. Be safe. Protect the image of mountain bikers. Respect hikers, runners, and equestrians. Avoid riding when trails are saturated after heavy rain. Most importantly, be a good friend on the trail.”
Those small actions help preserve not only the trails themselves but also the relationships that make multiuse recreation possible.
Help Protect Trione-Annadel State Park’s Future
The future of Trione-Annadel State Park depends on the community that loves it.
Your donation helps fund trail restoration, educational programs, conservation projects, volunteer initiatives, and critical improvements that keep this extraordinary park thriving.
You can make a lasting impact by supporting Friends of Trione-Annadel with a donation of any size.
And if you want to experience the organization’s biggest fundraising event of the year, join fellow outdoor enthusiasts atTrails to Tomorrow Presented by Trione Vineyards & Winery on September 26 in Santa Rosa, featuring dinner, auctions, community celebration, and fundraising dedicated to protecting TASP for generations to come.
Together, we can ensure that the next rider, the next family, and the next generation discover the same incredible park that has inspired so many before us.
Donate. Attend Trails to Tomorrow Presented by Trione Vineyards & Winery. Help preserve Trione-Annadel State Park—one trail, one volunteer, and one generation at a time. For more information and to receive FOTA’s newsletter, visit https://friendsoftrione-annadel.org/.
