Environmental Living Program
COVID-19 Update: 9/8/2020 - Sonoma County health regulation C19-15 states group sizes are not to exceed 12 persons. Until this limitation changes, we encourage all groups larger than 12, who were looking forward to visiting Fort Ross to reschedule their field trip to the spring and/or apply for an ELP or MEP Distance Learning Experience. For more information visit our Programs Page.
Marine Activities at Fort Ross
Fort Ross offers over six miles of pristine, diverse coastline. Learn about our programs and activities:
Marine Ecology Program
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.
The Cemetery Commemoration celebrated the collaboration to improve the historic cemetery. Joining California State Parks were Governor Brown, Russian Ambassador Antonov, Alaska Natives, Kashia Pomo, and Coast Miwok, Russian Orthodox Church officials, Fort Ross Conservancy, and researchers.
Fort Ross is a former Russian outpost in Sonoma County, California where 19th century Russians settled on native Kashia Pomo territory. It was established as a California State Park in 1909 to protect its unique Russian character and it is one of the earliest California State Parks. Today the park has cultural and historical significance for many groups, including the first people Kashia, Russians and Russian Americans, Alaska Natives, and ranch era settlers.
For more than four decades, the mission of Fort Ross Conservancy has been and continues to be promoting educational and cultural activities that recall this unique and diverse history. An article in The New York Times (Oligarchs, as U.S. Arts Patrons, Present a Softer Image of Russia, October 7, 2019) commented on the possible intangible benefits to wealthy Russians who have contributed funds to Fort Ross Conservancy to support our programs and events. Like most non-profits that rely upon charitable contributions for their activities, Fort Ross Conservancy solicits and accepts funds to pay for its educational and cultural activities at Fort Ross. All charitable gifts comply with applicable law and help promote our mission to create quality programming and equitable access to that programming. We are proud of the work we do and we are grateful for all the support we receive in service our mission."
Discovering Russian History on the California Coast: Click here to watch the Fort Ross, California Coastal Trail video featured on KCET.
Making Outdoor Education Accessible
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.