It was late April and spring was over in wine country. The fields of mustard were dried up and gone, and the parking lots at the tasting rooms were full. The Wine Train chugged back and forth along the road, moving at a slow speed that none the less was sometimes faster than automobile traffic on CA 29. Campgrounds and historical sites were doing brisk business. It was really almost too late in the season to visit Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. Napa County is not the best destination for hiking in the summer, when the valley is hot and crowded. Late winter and autumn are my favorite seasons in wine country. I love watching the grape vines turn golden, and enjoy the brisk fall country atmosphere. Bothe-Napa, with an abundance of maple trees, is a fine place to hike in autumn. Spring is a great time to witness the rushing seasonal creeks. So go in the spring, go in the summer (if you like the heat or can deal with the traffic), or go in the fall. This little-known park (founded in 1960) is a great place for day hiking, and you can even camp there.
      Bothe-Napa has a handful of trails, and there are three main destinations. Ritchey Canyon Trail runs along Ritchey Creek for 3.9 miles before ending near an old Homestead Site. History Trail, 1.2 miles one way, cuts south from Bothe-Napa Valley State Park to Bale Grist Mill State Historic Site, where if you're lucky, you can watch grain being ground with a 36-foot wooden water wheel and millstones. Coyote Peak (elevation 1170 feet) showcases views of the valley and can be accessed from the Coyote Peak Trail. A few loop hikes are possible, and Redwood Trail, which ambles along the creek, plays a part in most of them. The only less than optimal feature for hikers at the park is the seasonal heavily felt presence of horses; with a horse concession in the park, you can expect to see plenty of equestrians on the main creekside trails. However, the trails I liked best at the park are open to hikers only. Bothe-Napa's most unusual "extra" may be its swimming pool, which is small, but fed by natural springs. The pool is open from noon to 6 p.m. from mid-June through Labor Day, and there's a fee in addition to the entrance charge to use it.
     For the featured hike, begin on the Ritchey Canyon Trail. The deeply shaded path ambles through maples and oaks, crosses a service road, meets a spur trail entering from the right, and then passes an employee residence. Ritchey Creek comes into view on the right side of the trail. Ferns, thimbleberry and wild rose bushes, and hazelnut trees line the trail. In the spring, you may see woodland star, starflower, and bluedicks blooming in the shadows. Some redwoods make an appearance, and quickly become the dominate tree along the level path. Traffic noise from Highway 29 finally fades away. At about 0.5 mile, at a signed junction, Ritchey Canyon Trail crosses the creek, while Redwood Trail begins on the south bank. Remain right, on the Ritchey Canyon Trail.
     You may see tents and hear vehicular noise from campers as Ritchey Canyon Trail skirts the campground. In brief stretch through cleared land, madrones are mixed through some maples and oaks. White roses (not the wild kind) are a sure sign that people lived nearby once upon a time. The tree cover deepens again as the trail reaches an unmarked junction at about 0.9 mile. Stay to the left as Ritchey Canyon Trail passes an old building and barn. Look for a stone fountain on the left side of the trail, and see if you notice any other exotic plants that are not native. The wide dirt path passes a spur trail that connects to Redwood Trail on the left. Continue straight. At about 1.6 miles, Vineyard Trail sets out to the right at a signed junction. Continue on Ritchey Canyon Trail.
     This is a quiet stretch. The path passes under large redwoods, as the creek flows melodiously along the left side of the trail. Look beneath the trees for mushrooms in the winter and early spring. At about 2 miles, you encounter a signed multi-trail junction. Ritchey Canyon Trail breaks away from its creekside route to the right. Redwood Trail crosses the creek to the left. Walk straight, across the bridge and then look for a faint trail to the left, signed no horses/no bikes. Turn left onto the South Fork Trail.
     South Fork Trail fords the creek on a wooden bridge, then begins a steady ascent along a creek, through a thick redwood forest. Ferns line the narrow path, which may duck under or over fallen trees, especially after winter and early spring storms. At about 2.4 miles, Coyote Peak Trail sets out at a signed junction. South Fork Trail continues to the right; bear left on Coyote Peak Trail.
     After a bit more climbing, the trail drops down to cross the creek again, and then regains the lost elevation on the opposite bank. As Coyote Peak Trail ascends some more, redwoods fade away, replaced by California bays. At a break in the trees, look north for a great view of rugged Mount Saint Helena. Abruptly, the path steps out of the woods and into chaparral. With the tree cover gone, it can seem dramatically hotter on a sunny day. Chamise grows thickly on the sides of the trail, accompanied by monkeyflower, toyon, yerba santa, manzanitas, and poison oak. Volcanic rock juts out from the ground, and soon becomes the trail surface. In the spring, red indian paintbrush is a dramatic counterpoint to the green shrubs. At about 2.8 miles, a signpost marks the junction with the path to the top of Coyote Peak. Turn right.
     The path is very rocky, so watch your step. A large manzanita stands near a clearing off the right side of the path. Although this is not the top of the hill, you get the best views of Napa Valley from this spot. After more rocky climbing, the path passes a pretty Douglas fir, and then surprisingly, crosses through a patch of redwoods. Then there's a bit more ascending, and suddenly you're at the top, with views almost thoroughly blocked by tall trees. Retrace your steps back to the junction with Coyote Peak Trail, and turn right.
     Hummingbirds may buzz overhead as the trail descends slightly through the chaparral. In the spring, look for lovely yellow fairy-lanterns on the sides of the trail, along with irises and bluedicks. As Coyote Peak Trail contours around the slope of Coyote Peak, the path enters shade from tall oaks and California bays. A familiar patterns emerges; the trail drifts from shade to chaparral and back several times before setting on shade from a mixture of redwoods, oak, California bay, and maples. Look to the right side of the trail for a glimpse of an old moss-covered stone fence. Coyote Peak Trail ends at a signed junction with Redwood Trail at about 3.5 miles. In the spring you may see red larkspur near this junction. Turn right onto the Redwood Trail.
     Redwood Trail is an easy downhill grade. Stone water bars cross the path often, channeling winter rains off the trail. Ritchey Creek burbles on the left side of the trail. At about 3.9 miles Redwood Trail ends at a previously encountered junction with Ritchey Canyon Trail. Stay straight and retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Total distance: about 4.4 miles
Last hiked: Wednesday, April 26, 2000

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