Contact Information
20 East Spain Street
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-938-1519
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park offers quiet and seclusion on the edge of the Napa Valley wine country. The park does not have the redwood groves typically found in coastal areas. Redwoods tend to grow along streams or near springs. For thousands of years before it became a state park, the area was home to a group of Native Americans known today as the Wappo. In the 1840s, an Englishman named Dr. Edward T. Bale acquired a land grant from the Mexican government. The grant included most of the valley floor between Rutherford and Calistoga. The grant was broken up by sales and barter with many of the early pioneers. Since most of the park is in the western hills it contains only a small part of Bale's original grant. This area was later developed as a large private estate by the Hitchcock family. Later, a large part of the estate was purchased to develop a private resort called "Paradise Park".The area today contains almost 2000 acres. The park has campsites and a swimming pool. A horseback ride concession operates during summer and fall. Visitors can follow hiking trails along a stream or climb to a vantage point on Coyote Peak at 1170'. Trails lead to nearby Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park as well as a grove of redwoods.
Summers are generally mild. Fog is often encountered near the coastline, with sunny, warmer weather more common inland in the foothills. Winters are generally cool with considerable precipitation. Wear layers of clothing to accommodate cool to warm temperatures and good walking shoes. Rain protection should be included at any time of year.
