Did you know that only about 9% of Napa county is actually covered with vine plants? It does look from the freeways as if all of the fields and grass areas grow vine, but if you take a look at Napa from a hiker’s point of view, you will discover the large fields and hills between the vine fields, and get amazing views over the vineyards from the top of smaller mountains. Napa has a perfect climate for hikers – warm, but not hot. Especially spring and fall are highly recommended for hiking in Napa Valley. High humidity to let those beautiful forests grow that will provide you with some shade during the warm summer days. Fox Rent A Car wants to present you some of the paths with different difficulty levels so that you can pick where to go!
Redwood, Ritchey Canyon Trails
This trail at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park starts just in the middle between St. Helena, CA and Calistoga, CA. You can hike up to 6.5 miles (round trip), and the total elevation on the hike is 1,200 foot. You will pass amazing trees and enjoy pure nature. There is a camping ground next to the trail, so if you plan to hike for a little while, why would you not want to camp there? Ritchey Creek will be your companion throughout the hike, be careful though if it rains, since the water level can rise easily.
Robert Louis Stevenson SP
Do you know who is Robert Louis Stevenson? He is the author of Treasure Island, a fascinating piece of work we all know! Stevenson spent his honeymoon at this park in 1880 and until today, the site where he stayed at is marked. Today, you can hike through this State Park up to the top of Mt. St. Helena. The hike is five miles, partially through rough terrain. However, you will get rewarded with the amazing view of the Bay Area!
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
The center of this park is a grist mill that was built in the late 1840’s and gets its energy from a beautiful water wheel. There is a 2-mile hiking trail (round-trip) down to the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. There are regular events at the mill that allow you to get inside the building and to receive a free tour. Mostly, those demonstrations take place on the weekends, so maybe you get lucky on the day of your hike?
Napa River Trail
Napa River Trail is about 2.4 miles and has very little elevation. It is easy to hike on this trail so even if you are not very active or sporty, you can walk here very smoothly and comfortably. You can also take your dog here and let him run. The walk basically leads you from the North of the city of Napa, down to the South part.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Sugarloaf Ridge offers wonderful hiking trails that allow you to fully enjoy gorgeous views of Napa Valley. There is a 6-mile loop so you can spend a whole day hiking through the vine valleys. Hike on the Bald Mountain, Vista, Gray Pine, and Meadow Trails and see why Napa Valley belongs to one of the most beautiful parts of California.
If you know any hiking trails that you would like to tell us about, let us know! The Fox Rent A Car team wishes you a wonderful time in Hiking in Napa Valley!
About Fox Rent A Car:
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