The Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park, a 1,500-acre open space near Fairfield owned by the Solano Land Trust, will open to the public for the first time on Saturday.
“People will experience an entirely new park with twelve miles of hiking trails, exciting ridgeline views and striking oak forests,” the organization said in a press release.
The park is located at 2061 Rockville Road in Fairfield, CA 94534 and has two restrooms, a water station, picnic tables and shaded areas to encourage visitors to linger and enjoy the natural splendor. Visiting hours are Friday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is $5 per vehicle and $10 per horse trailer.
“This is now the largest park with an address in Fairfield,” the press release states, “a place where cyclists, hikers, horseback riders and people of all ability levels can enjoy fresh air, shade under a blue oak tree and some of the most breathtaking mountaintop views in the county.”
The park was created with respect for the culture and knowledge of indigenous peoples and aims to educate not only about the natural environment but also about its historical custodians and inhabitants.
“Language is not just a way to show respect, but a way to experience and understand the world. That’s one reason why the signage not only explains the name, but identifies dozens of the park’s animals, plants and natural features in the Patwin language, tells the history of the land, and discusses traditional and medicinal uses of the things that grow here.”
The name is spelled Hill Patwin and has been spoken in the area for thousands of years.
“It means Southern Rock Home of the Patwin People,” the press release states, “and it reflects the support and partnership of the tribe that granted it, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, without whom this park would not have been possible.”
The Solano Land Trust thanked the community for its support and expressed its joy at sharing the space with all of Solano County.
“This is a decades-long community effort involving hundreds, if not thousands, of people,” the press release said. “That’s why we want the whole community to be a part of it.”
