Napa County

Just up Highway 29 between St. Helena and Calistoga is the Silverado Brewing Co. Located inside the historic Freemark Abbey Winery building, which was built in 1895, Silverado opened in 2000 and has been serving award-winning ales and lagers and a menu featuring fresh and organic ingredients to locals and visitors alike. Their year-round beers include an Amber Ale, Pale Ale, Stout and Blonde.

One of St. Helena’s most interesting wineries is Charter Oak Winery. Known for its exceptional, and award-winning California Zinfandel, Charter Oak is an “old-world” family- run boutique winery.

After learning the process of winemaking from his Italian grandfather, and inheriting his winemaking tools after his death, Robert Fanucci, along with his son David and friend Jim White opened the Charter Oak Winery in 1986. Among the hundreds of other wineries in the valley, it is truly unique in that it is one of the only wineries that does mostly everything by hand; all of their wines are made with naturally occurring yeasts, hand-pressed in a 100-year-old basket press and punched down by hand. Their 2007 Monte Rosso Zinfandel recently gained notoriety in the international wine community, receiving the best in show, out of 730 entries, at the Millennial Winemakers Challenge.

Charter Oak Winery | 831 Charter Oak Ave, St. Helena, CA 94574 | (707) 963-2298
A little further north is Calistoga, which was developed in the 1860s. The name of the city is said to have been accidentally coined by town founder Sam Brannan who apparently intended to refer to it as the "Saratoga of California" (referring to Saratoga in upstate New York), but instead, after having had a few drinks, came out with "the Calistoga of Sarafornia".
Calistoga it stayed.

LOCAL SPIRITS
Grapes are not the only thing fermenting in the Napa Valley. Charbay Winery & Distillery is the only legal distillery in Napa, and they are makers of wine, port, vodka, brandy, tequila, whiskey, rum, grappa, liqueurs and aperitifs. Charbay Vodkas come in flavors like blood orange, ruby grapefruit and pomegranate and their 80-proof clear vodka, which is made using
American Midwest corn and rye, was voted the #1 Vodka in the World by Spirit Journal for two years in a row. Their Brandy No. 83 Folle Blanche was distilled in 1983 using rare Folle Blanche grapes and small batch distilling. 27 years of aging make this a premier brandy that goes for about $350 a bottle.
Affectionately known as “The Still on the Hill”, Charbay is a 27-year-old independent family business owned by the Karakasevic Family. Miles and Susan Karakasevic are the owners and co-founders and their son Marko, is a 13th generation winemaker and distiller.

Charbay Winery & Distillery | 4001 Spring Mountain Rd., St Helena, CA 94574 | (707) 963-9327
For a truly unique local cocktail, look no further than Bistro Don Giovanni whose bar makes a Yellow Bloody Mary, using yellow tomatoes, instead of the traditional red. Their Italian-inspired menu offers culinary delectable’s like gourmet pizzas, Fritto Misto, rabbit Pappardelle, shrimp Risotto and a wild boar Rigatoni Bolognese.

Blondie Mary
Yellow Tomatoes
Green Tabasco Sauce
Lea & Perrins Marinade (light Worcestershire sauce)
Charbay Pepper Vodka
Rim glass with lemon, add salt and pepper
Pour into glass, garnish with cherry tomato and bean

The park is the site of a water-powered grist mill that was built in 1846. It was once the center of social activity as Napa Valley settlers gathered to have their corn and wheat ground into meal or flour. The owner of the mill was Dr. Edward Turner Bale. He received the property in a land grant from the Mexican government and lived near the site until his death in 1849. The mill remained in use until the early 1900s.

The mill and its 36-foot water wheel are protected as a state historic landmark and have been partially restored. A trail connects the historic park to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. Additionally, the park includes the site of the first church in the Napa Valley as well as the Pioneer Cemetery.


Facilities and Activities
Visitors can hike from the mill on the historic trail to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, which features extensive picnic facilities and a number of trails. The round trip hike from Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park is approximately two miles.

Milling demonstrations and historic tours are offered on weekends.

The park is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Please call the park prior to visiting.

More about the Park
The gristmill and granary were built with local materials, Douglas firs and coast redwoods. Some timbers were cut to length with the bark left on, while others were roughed out with hand tools. The timbers were notched and held in place with wooden pegs as well as nails and screws.

The foundation of the structure is native stone. The mill was powered by a waterwheel, with water diverted from Mill Creek nearby. A ditch carried the water from a millpond to a wooden flume, which brought the water to the top of the waterwheel.

The first wheel did not provide enough power during dry summers and was replaced by a larger one, similar to the one at the mill today.

Farmers brought grain to the mill where it was placed into the boot of an elevator to be mechanically transported upstairs where it was cleaned by various types of equipment. The slow turning of the old grind stones and the dampness of the mill's site gave the meal a special quality for making cornbread, yellowbread, shortening bread and spoon bread.

As old timers put it, "When meal comes to you that way, like the heated underside of a settin' hen, it bakes bread that makes city bread taste like cardboard."

Operating Hours
Open Saturday and Sunday,
10am-5pm.

Daily, 8am to Sunset

Most of the park is rugged, with elevations ranging from 300 to 2,000 feet. You will notice a pattern in the vegetation: the forests are on the north-facing slopes and in canyons, while south-facing slopes tend to be brushy; redwoods grow only near creeks or springs.

Plant life hides much of the park's geology, which is principally volcanic, but you can see a reminder of the area's violent geologic past in the volcanic ash cliffs of upper Ritchey Canyon.

The park is home to raccoons, gray squirrels, deer, foxes, bobcats, and coyotes to name a few, but they are sometimes difficult to spot because of their nocturnal habits and the heavy forest cover.
Dogs are restricted to the camp and picnic areas and must be leashed. They are not permitted on the trails or in the pool area. Dogs may not be left unattended and must be inside a vehicle or tent at night.

Several species of birds can be easily detected though, including the six kinds of woodpecker that inhabit the park. The spectacular crow-sized pileated woodpecker is one of them. On a more rare occasion a spotted owl can be found, perched high in a redwood tree.

Located by the entrance to the park is the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center and entrance station are open intermittently when staffing is available. Brochures (hiking maps) are also available by mail.

Next to the park's visitor center is the Native American Garden which displays some of the plants important to the first people of this area. Today, many of the same plants are used by the Wappo people. A guide for the garden is available by mail or in the visitor center to broaden one's understanding of the first people.

Near the day use/picnic area is the Pioneer Cemetery, resting-place of some of the original settlers of the Napa Valley. The cemetery is an interesting place to visit while on a day hike, and is currently under restoration to return it to its original, mid-1800's appearance.

Interpretive programs are offered throughout the year. Special programs can sometimes be arranged for groups by calling the park in advance.

Located in the city of Calistoga is Chateau Montelena, a winery that is famous for winning the white wine section of the historic “Judgment of Paris” wine competition in 1976. Chateau Montelena's 1973 Chardonnay was in competition with nine other wines from France and California. After a blind tasting, all 11 judges awarded their top scores to either the Chardonnays from Chateau Montelena or Chalone Winery, from Soledad, California. Chateau Montelena was victorious. This win was not only a surprise to many, as France was generally regarded as being the foremost producers of the world’s best wines, but it put California wines on the map and was a significant part of drawing attention towards Napa Valley vineyards.

Hudson Cabin Site 1845 Route 29 At Lincoln Avenue Calistoga California 683
York Cabin Site 1845 Route 29 At Lincoln Avenue Calistoga California 682
Kelsey House Site 1841 Route 29 Near Diamond Mountain Road, 1.1 Miles South of Calistoga Calistoga California 686
Napa Valley Railroad Depot 1868 1458 Lincoln Avenue Calistoga California 687
Schramsberg Vineyard 1862 1400 Schramsberg Road Calistoga California 561
Brannan Store 1859 203 Wapoo Avenue Calistoga California 684
Brannan Cottage 1866 1311 Washington Street Calistoga California 685

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park is the place where the famous author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped spent his honeymoon in 1880. Although nothing remains of Stevenson’s cabin, the site is identified on the trail to the summit.

The area features rough terrain, with evergreen forests in the canyons on north-facing slopes and chaparral on the south-facing slopes.

There is a five-mile hike to the top of Mt. St. Helena from which one can see much of the San Francisco Bay Area. On good days the top of Mt. Shasta can be seen, 192 miles in the distance.

To protect the park's wildlife and other natural resources, dogs are not permitted in this park.

Location/Directions
The park is seven miles north of Calistoga on Highway 29.

Seasons/Climate/Recommended clothing
The best seasons are spring and fall. The winter provides the best vistas, but also the greatest chance of snow and chilling wind.

Napa Valley/Silverado Trail (California)

Drive: About an hour north of San Francisco, the vineyard-draped hills of Napa Valley are awash in crimsons and golds in the fall. Harvest season's crush parties are in full swing. From the town of Napa, follow the main Highway 29 route north 30 miles past big-name wineries and quaint towns to Calistoga. Then return on the quieter, breathtaking Silverado Trail.

Stop: Buy a $25 wine-tasting card in Napa to access 12 downtown tasting rooms for only 10 cents per taste. Pick up lunch at Napa's Oxbow Market for a roadside picnic en route to a winery. You can browse boutiques and hit the Culinary Institute's flavor bars ($10 to $15) in St. Helena. See a geyser and Petrified Forest near Calistoga.

Stay: Even during the valley's high season, there are still some inns and B&Bs with select rooms available for less than $200 a night. Try the Hennessey House, Napa Inn, or Arbor Guest House in Napa. The California Association of B&B Inns posts specials and last-minute deals on its website.

This is one of California's exceptional Twentieth Century folk art environments. Over a period of 30 years, Emanuele 'Litto' Damonte (1892-1985), with the help of his neighbors, collected more than 2,000 hubcaps. All around the hubcap ranch are constructions and arrangements of hubcaps, bottles and pulltops which proclaim that Litto, the Pope Valley Hubcap King, was here.

California Registered Historical Landmark No. 939

Plaque placed by the state Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with SPACES (Saving and Preserving Arts and Cultural Environments), a non-profit education corporation.

April 4, 1987