This year is complicated -- please read carefully to learn what is open and closed at Fort Ross and Salt Point parks:
Fort Ross State Historic Park trails, beaches, and parking lots are open to the public. The bookshop is open but the museum is closed. You can enter the historic compound but the buildings inside the compound are locked due to Covid-19 safety precautions. Reef Campground is closed for repairs.
Salt Point State Park trails, parking lots, and campgrounds are now open. Please make your reservations for the campgrounds at the Reserve California website.
Fort Ross Dialogue 2020
Enjoy these short videos describing our Distance Learning Programs.
Environmental Living Distance Learning
Our ELP opportunities allow students to experience the joys of history, exploring the interaction between people and their environment. Students learn about the many cultures and ways of living at Settlement Ross. An ELP Instructor provides a virtual interactive walk-about of the historic compound to share this rich history, and provides tutorial videos of our many fun hands-on craft projects that students can do at home to bring this historic era to life.
Marine Ecology Distance Learning
Learn how the history of Fort Ross is still, to this day, tied to the marine ecology along the Sonoma County coast. Fort Ross’ history provides a lens through which to examine the ways humans have cared for or exploited the environment around them. Its rich history — starting with the Kashia Pomo, followed by the Russians, Alaska Native and early California period — all instruct us to better understand how human impacts have lasting effects on ecosystems. recordings.
Fort Ross Bookshop in the Visitor Center is open 10a.m. - 4:30p.m. Come into the Bookshop to find the perfect gift for friends and family. We have a wonderful selection! Note Cards featuring designs from talented local artists and photographers; Stuffed Animals for stocking stuffers; Fun, festive and cozy socks with your choice of favorite animal; A wide variety of locally made ornaments, from wooden snowflakes to glass blown jellyfish and more!
Fort Ross Conservancy connects people to the history and beauty of Fort Ross and Salt Point. In a normal year, we bring over 4,000 youth to Fort Ross and Salt Point for outdoor educational programs they will never forget. This year we’ve constantly adapted to the new normal with the goal of keeping our parks open, sharing the beauty and importance of our parks, and broadening our educational program reach.
Marine Activities at Fort Ross
Fort Ross offers over six miles of pristine, diverse coastline. Learn about our programs and activities:
Beach Watch Survey
Doghole Ports Project
Marine Mammal Monitoring
Rocky Intertidal Species of Fort Ross,
add your pictures and species finds to
our iNaturalist project.
Discovering Russian History on the California Coast: Click here to watch the Fort Ross, California Coastal Trail video featured on KCET.
We are happy to announce our Fort Ross Education Fund to ensure all students have access to Fort Ross' wonderful youth programming. We offer scholarships for students to attend either our Environmental Living Program or our Marine Ecology Program. Please consider making a donation to FRC today to ensure all students can experience the joy of outdoor learning.
American Ranch Era Video
FRC has released a 22-minute film documenting the Call House museum. Author and FRC Volunteer Extraordinaire Lynn Rudy takes us for a joyful walk through the Call House Museum while describing early-California life on the farm during the American Ranch period.
FRC Digital Library
FRC has launched Fort Ross Digital Library Project -- we've digitized and made available more than 100 manuscripts unique to our park, with more to come!
Tours - Explore the wonders of Fort Ross on a Private or Group Tour! Join our English-Russian bilingual guide to learn about the hidden stories of Fort Ross, including the historic orchard, cemetery, redwoods, marine mammals & more. Check out the tour options here.
SURF at Fort Ross
Since 2011, the Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum delegation has traveled to Fort Ross as part of the Capstone Conference at Stanford. Program delegates learn about our shared Russian American history at Fort Ross, engage in community service activities, and also participate in team building exercises. See our webpage for more information.
Common Earth, Common History
In 2014, the historic Izborsk museum, received a US State Department Peer to Peer grant. The goal of this grant was to partner the Russian museum with an American museum to learn best practices and create projects that were beneficial to both institutions. Each museum created an online exhibition to showcase the crafts and trade that thrived in their respective settlements. Fort Ross' exhibit covers the most prevalent 19th century crafts practiced during the Russian era.
2020 Calendar
Plan your next visit by checking out our scheduled 2020 events!
About Fort Ross
Fort Ross, one of the main tourist attractions between Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg, is a California State Historic Park showcasing a historic Russian-era fort compound that has been designated National Historic Landmark status. Located eleven miles north of Jenner on California Highway One, one of the most scenic coastal routes in the world, Fort Ross is surrounded by sandy beaches, panoramic coves, and redwood forests, with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.
The 3,400 acre park offers pristine natural landscapes as well as historic structures and exhibits that bring
to life the former Imperial Russian settlement, early California Ranch era, and Kashaya territory. The park
is approximately 45 minutes north of Bodega Bay and about 25 miles or an hour’s drive from one of
San Francisco's oldest retreats, the Russian River.
Full Circle - Fort Ross Introductory Video
Enjoy footage and music from our fabulous bicentennial celebrations while learning more about Fort Ross Conservancy's work on the ground.