Opening Aug. 17: Vine Trail grows 8.2 miles from Calistoga to St. Helena

Once completed, the Napa Valley Vine Trail will span 47 miles, connecting five cities, one town and two counties, from Calistoga to Vallejo, with a paved, Class 1 multimodal pathway. The newest stretch runs from Pratt Avenue in St. Helena to Lincoln Avenue in Calistoga, covering 8.2 miles of vineyards and world-class wineries, while winding through the picturesque Bothe-Napa Valley State Park and Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park.

“This project required the hard work of so many — I am proud of NVTA staff and our many partners for bringing this project to the public,” said Kate Miller, Executive Director of the Napa Valley Transportation Authority, which took the lead in building this section of Vine Trail. “We hope residents and visitors from St. Helena to Calistoga, and around the Valley, can enjoy this trail for generations to come.”

The new trail will open to the public on Saturday, Aug. 17, during a community event sponsored by the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition. The public is invited for a morning of music, meet-up rides, prizes, and exploration. More information and a schedule of events can be found at the organization’s website.

“We are witnessing a dream become reality,” said Shawn Casey-White, Executive Director of the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition. “Fifteen years ago, vintner Chuck McMinn brought together a coalition of the Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Valley Land Trust and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers to build an alternative corridor for a safer, more sustainable future for Napa Valley. This important section is the result of that vision and commitment of landowners, coalition members, and government officials.”

The surface of the new trail consists primarily of asphalt, but includes 1.5 miles of Park Tread, made from quarried shale/chert so it is both natural and durable — a perfect material in sensitive areas like wetlands and vineyards. Park Tread has been used in Golden Gate Park and Yosemite National Park.

With an overlapping footprint, the new section of the Vine Trail also adds 4.2 miles to the Bay Area Ridge Trail.

At a total cost of $19.1 million, the Calistoga to St. Helena section was largely publicly funded by the Active Transportation Program of the California Transportation Commission, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s One Bay Area Grant 2 Program (Regional) and other state and local funding. Through the nonprofit Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, community donors and private philanthropy gifted significant funds and easements to the project. Finical contributions were also made by the County of Napa, the Cities of Calistoga and St. Helena, and the Napa Valley Transportation Authority. Fifteen private landowners donated easements to ensure the trail could be built.

“The Vine Trail is one of Napa Valley’s most prized projects, and this newest section will encourage residents and visitors to get outdoors to take in our natural beauty,” said Mark Joseph, NVTA Board Chair and American Canyon City Councilmember. “I am also proud to see the progress underway on the segment that connects American Canyon and Vallejo.”

The new trail generally follows the State Route 29 corridor. That means it is dotted with bus stops, making it easy to access by public transit – visit vinetransit.com for schedules and routes. Projects like the Vine Trail help Napa Valley become less car dependent, increasing public opportunities to get active and outdoors. Existing sections of the Vine Trail from the City of Napa to the Town of Yountville are used by local residents 70% of the time, compared to 30% by visitors, indicating a high level of adoption by the local community.

Meanwhile, the Vine Trail continues to grow. Construction on the 5.5-mile segment that connects American Canyon and Vallejo will be completed this fall. The 11-mile stretch from St. Helena to Yountville is now in the planning stages.