We finally made it to this trail and happy we did. As we had a late start there was only enough time to make it up 3 miles before returning. The fall colors and the views were magnificent. I suggest wearing good shoes- especially for the descent as there are loose rocks. I didn't need my hiking poles on the way up yet they were handy coming back down. The rock type is Andesite lava & Rhyolite (I had to look it up). Really fascinating topography. Limited parking available at parking lot at main entrance. It is free however there is a donation box for the Napa Open Space District. read more

Oat Hill Mine Trail - Parks Near Me - Calistoga, California

Oat Hill Mine trail is a wonderful hike (it's also great for MTB) with some beautiful views of Calistoga. It's dog-friendly and one of the only trails I've been on locally where everyone has respected the rule that dogs need to be on leash at all times, which is nice. It's not typically heavily trafficked, and you can go miles without seeing another person. It's particularly beautiful in the fall when the vines start changing colors. Parking usually isn't too difficult. I recommend slapping on some sunscreen before hitting the trail and bringing a hat and sunnies because there's not very much tree coverage. It can get very hot during the summer, so starting earlier in the day is advisable. read more

Oat Hill Mine Trail - Parks Near Me - Calistoga, California

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Oat Hill Mine Trail is a 14.1 mile out and back trail in Calistoga that has amazing views of the valley and vineyards as well rock formations. We hiked to the three mile marker and back so six miles total and plan on going farther next time. This is a great trail for both hikers and experienced mountain bikers. The trail is dog friendly so if you want to bring your dog the only requirement is that all dogs are on leashes. There is a small parking lot at the start of the trail and plenty of parking along the side of the road. It's good to know that there is not a bathroom at the start of the trail so plan accordingly. The trail is a slow and steady incline with mile markers along the way. There are benches along the way to stop and take in the natural beauty or have a picnic. Enjoy the hike! We were so happy we found this place and can't wait to come back! Some tips: 1.) There is not a lot of tree cover so bring a hat and sunscreen. 2.) There is a lot of loose gravel so wear hiking shoes if you have them. 3.) Bring a backpack with plenty of water. 4.) Consider bringing snacks if you plan on hiking farther on this trail so that you are prepared. read more

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I hiked this trail many years ago. But never got around to reviewing it. I don't have any cool pictures to post because I dropped my old phone in the toilet. So I guess I'll have to get out there and do this again! Because "Pix or it didn't happen" Right? Anyhow, my friends and I did this hike. We started out with a lot of motivation. We got lost. We had a teammate drop out after our getting lost part. I'll let you in on a little secret... We started this by parking one car at the bottom of the hill at the trail head to oat hill mine. We then drove to the top parking lot at the top near the trail head to the palisades trail. Our plan was to start at the top and finish at the top... or so my buddy that planned this said... I'm thinking he had a hunch what would happen... Where we went terribly WRONG is that at the labyrinth we made a left. Which took us down a hill on to private property and damn near to Angwin. We had a run in with the private property owner who definitely seemed up to no good. And scared out of his wits when he saw us. If you do decide to hike this in this manner. I suggest you keep RIGHT at the labyrinth and head towards some big boulders. Climb over them, and you will clearly see the path. And the palisades cliffs. Take that down and you will merge after a few miles to the oat hill mine trail. The trail is very rocky so bring adequate hiking boots! And I'd even recommend so trekking poles if you have them. I wore running shoes. And I finished this 10 miles sole-less! That's right... at about the 7th mile I lost my sole!! And I had to finish the last three miles without a sole. How come the hardest times are the most memorable? Well you can definitely say I earned a merit badge on this one... even if the badge said "what not to do". I finished strong and got my badge! If you've done this hike from oat hill trail head, up to the top and back down, my hat is off to you! I had a hard enough time finishing the 10 mile downhill leg!!! This hike is a real ass kicker!! But the views are worth every ounce of effort! They will leave you speechless! read more

Kenzie and I decided to try out a hiking spot we had heard much about but never ventured to before. Oat Hill Mine Road Trail. Quite the mouthful! We left around 2pm Saturday thinking we would get there around 3 as we knew the trail head was in Calistoga. Of course there are actually two trail heads, and one of them is in Pope Valley, a tiny little town north of Napa over the mountains. It wasn't until quite a ways into or journey that we realized our Apple maps was leading us to the "other" trail head. We accepted our fate, and soon realized the last 5 miles or so to the trail head were quite rugged. You will not be able to even get to the trail head without a higher clearance vehicle and 4 wheel drive. So of course the drive to the trail head was just as fun as the hike itself. The trail starts out commonly enough but soon leads to beautiful meadows, followed shortly by majestic views of neighboring mountains. If you follow the trail long enough it will lead to Calistoga, and actually meets the Palisades trail that comes from the top of Mount St Helena. (A trail I also highly recommend) Don't forget to pack sunscreen and bring a hat my pale skinned friends. This area is much hotter and has a more vigorous sun than many surrounding areas. A side note: This trail will rarely have many hikers as it is difficult to get too and a long ways from the other side. read more

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nice trail. a bit rocky. enough other hikers that it's not spookily lonely and not too crowded. nicely shaded too read more

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Came here after Bale Grist was closed (unannounced mind you) and glad we did! This was the most crucial part to the wife's bday weekend getaway. Go to Napa for wineries? Hek no. Enjoy the beauty of the place from outdoors. First of all, if you're coming from the south take the Silverado Trail instead of 128. Much less traffic and many more views of perfectly landscaped vineyards. It's like an appetizer to the scenic vistas from the trail. Plenty of parking on the road and a decent amount of space to walk without getting side swiped by a car OR bike going 50mph. We took the express trail to the top which was fun. I think that was our favorite feature. If all you want is a short hike with a beautiful view it's possible here. When you reach the fork in the trail just go up! On the way back we explored a bit more. Heard some bird sounds this yuppie hadn't heard before and saw some huge vulture looking birds further into the park. Really cool seeing those things soar around. Lots of places to picnic throughout the hike although there were a fair number of ant farms. Dogs are welcome and get this: you don't even have to pick up the poop! The signage at the front tells you to just leave it. Finally! A place of nature that really welcomes acts of nature. There were no instructions for human waste though. You'll have to figure that one out on your own. ;-) read more

Oat Hill Mine Road is the perfect place to bring your full suspension mountain bike. This trail will work you on climbs and exhilarate you on the descend! On top of that, the scenery is breath taking while overlooking the many vineyards in the valley. The climbs starts off with hard pack single and double track then before you know it, the trail becomes very uneven and rocky which makes the climb very challenging. Our group climbed about 5-6 miles then turned around and headed back down the same way. There was at least another 3.9 miles to reach the summit if we wanted to get more climbing in. The descend was very technical and I had a blast on my All Mountain bike. I would strongly recommend that you be at least an intermediate level rider, a strong climber, and have a decent full suspension mountain bike or else it will be a long day of torment on your body. Be cautious and courteous of hikers when making your descend. You can catch a lot of speed here so you wouldn't want to hurt anyone. read more

Oat Hill Mine Road is a mountain bike trail that starts right at the intersection of Highway 29 and Silverado Trail, just outside Calistoga's retail strip. The trail is an old wagon trail that was once used to bring supplies up to miners. The ride is about 3 hours long (up and back), climbing about 2000 feet in elevation over some very rocky terrain. Very "technical" as MTB folks like to say (ad nauseum). I sort of went on a whim while staying at the Solage hotel a couple hundred feet away, and it turned out to be a blast. Almost no one else was there, and I could cool my heels back in the pool once I was done. Enjoy! read more

I've been going up this trail both hiking and biking since I was a kid. Back in elementary school we did a hike up here while getting ready for our trip to Yosemite. After that I brought my mountain mike up here more times than I can remember. This trail would be awesome for hauling ass downhill if it wasn't for all the people going up hill, especially hikers. You have to go fairly slow so you can stop in time to avoid other people on the trail. You have that with every trail though so no real knock on this one, just dreaming of what it would be like to have it closed off to all uphill traffic for a bit and be able to really open it up going down. Several very steep shortcuts that you can take on the downhill journey but you do so at your own risk and some are quite steep and you can easily fly right over your handlebars. Remember to keep on the back brake and lean back a little and that should keep you vertical but not going over. Overall this is the best place to ride in the area if you want to get off the high-traffic roads for a bit. read more

Oat hill mine is definitely a destination hike. I have been up and down this trail more times than I can remember, and it really doesn't get old to me. As you ascent up the hill it seems as if you are stepping into different states. During this hike you will see some really neat things, such as grooves in the rocks from wagon wheels, large bluffs like I have only seen in Nebraska, old apple trees with delicious fruit, a old homesite (great place to stop for lunch) a large rock formation that some call a cave and cascading water runoff if it has recently rained.. Definitely a great hike / ride. read more

Oat Hill Mine Trail - The first lookout on the way up! - Parks Near Me - Calistoga, California

Another hike with fantastic views. I had to do it again to refresh my soul from a bad night sleep. Cold brisk walk. Low fog but still green and yellow valleys below. A winter storm is coming, my favorite time to hike. Make sure you hike here while visiting the Napa Valley. read more

This is a great trail with beautiful views. I highly recommend a hike here. We did about 4 miles up and then back and it wasn't anything too exhausting. It is all pretty much up hill at a steady and constant incline. But definitely worth it. read more

Oat Hill Mine Trail - Parks Near Me - Calistoga, California

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This place would be awesome if not for the heat and sun blasting the top of my follically challenged head beet red. Had too much wine at too many wineries the day before a hike with friends and I forgot my hat. If you are lacking in the hair department, bring a hat and some water. Probably a little dehydrated after all the wineries the previous day and the 16 ounce bottle I brought didn't last long. This trail kicked my ass and I have a bad headache right now, but I could see coming back a little better prepared next time. read more

good hike went 2 miles in and 2 out great scenery and burned 800 calories yay

Fairly easy trail my wife and I almost finished it. Try going early in the morning (7:00am) I felt it was easier than going in the evening (4:00pm) trees throughout the trail give you shade but there is some open spots where you'll be hit by the sun. read more

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Beautiful hike! This trail is wide, and offers a lot of different views (overview of the valley, rocky terrain, hiking through forest). I was with my 4 year old and we made it about halfway up. There were a few waterfalls that were fun to see as well (runoff water from all the recent rain). I think this trail is perfect for all ages and skill level. Also a plus that you can't get lost ... go as far as you like then turn around. read more

Oat Hill Mine Trail - About 1.5 miles up the trail - Parks Near Me - Calistoga, California

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Incredible! The historical carriage route has you constantly intrigued and wondering how carriages traversed the rocky trail. The volcanic rock formations add to beautiful views. As you hike from Calistoga the views get better as you hike further in. I highly recommend this trail and bring your dog! Dogs are allowed off leash under "strict voice control" lots of uphill but it's steady and not steep. read more

Oak Hill Mine Trail is definately a destination hike in Calistoga. Mostly uphill but very moderate incline and the views are completely worth it... read more

Review for Oat Hill Mine Trail right off Lincoln Ave in Calistoga. I think it connects to a much longer trail as part of the Robert Louis Stevenson Park but this is just a review of Oat Hill Mine Trail. After eating and drinking so much in this area it was great to take a hike. easy- moderate. I walked about 2 miles in each direction. The first mile had really great views of the vineyards below. Some parking available, no mile markers but the trail was in good shape. This may provide additional resources for people interested in this trail- http://www.napaoutdoors.org/parks-trails/oat-hill-mine-trail read more

Oat Hill Mine Trail - Parks Near Me - Calistoga, California

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Beautiful, quiet and at 6:30 am til 10 am we were the only ones on the trail besides one other person. Mile 3 market had an awesome view.

One of the best, if not the best hiking trails around Calistoga. It feels so accomplishing when you finally get to the top.

Great trail for all levels of hikers and adventurers. Advanced for mountain biking. There is a diverse array of single track that goes off in the back country, and its great for a 20 minute hike or an all day excursion. read more

We selected the Oat Hill Mine hike off of Yelp. The day was a little warmer than expected, but the hike was beautiful. Mostly all dirt path, and pretty much up a light uphill grade. Nice views of the valley and vineyards. While the day was hot, there were many sections that were nicely shaded. Take your time or hammer it up the hill. This is a worthwhile hike. read more