Still Milling After All These Years

It's hard to imagine anything other than wine grapes being grown in the Napa Valley. But thanks to the State Parks' historic preservation of the Bale Grist Mill, we get to peek back in time at what folks of the mid-19th century did before the grapes moved in. In many ways the old grist mills were the center of social life for communities. Farmers would bring in their grains and then hang around to shoot the breeze. Located in the northern part of Napa Valley, Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park’s 36-foot waterwheel still powers the mill that was built in 1846. In fact, the mill is still making actual products! Pop in for demonstrations throughout the day on weekends. Take home a bag of cornmeal, polenta, spelt flour, whole wheat bread flour, or even pastry flour. It's all organic, stoneground, and made in the old mill. If you'd like to stretch your legs, there's a 2-mile (round-trip) hike to neighboring Bothe Napa Valley State Park, or a shorter hike to a (currently dry) pond. Go ahead, mill about!

BONUS BOTHE NAPA VALLEY STATE PARK: Bothe Napa Valley State Park is a hideaway haven, where big and bold reds come in the form of the easternmost coastal redwoods in the state. And you can pitch your tent among them. There are 45 sites (including a few first-come, first served options) spaced under tall tree cover including oaks, pines, madrones, Douglas fir, and coast redwood. Sites 28 to 30 make nice spots with a little extra seclusion. Miles of hiking trails can be found in the park, including the popular Coyote Peak Trail, which climbs 1.5 miles to a beautiful vista of the valley and Mount Saint Helena. Or stay on lower ground and take the 1.1-mile History Trail to neighboring Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park. At night, kick back and relax in the company of the big reds, and that other big red famous in Napa—a nice bold Cab!

BONUS YURTS (pictured): A relatively new addition to Bothe-Napa, 10 tidy yurts are also on the scene! A few are set within the main campground, and the rest are in the park's aptly named Yurtville—higher up and close to the seasonal pool/recreation area. Yurts have patios and wood floors and furnishings, along with mattresses on beds (you'll need to bring your own bedding).

TIP: Yeah, the line can get long at popular Gott's Roadside (aka Taylor's Refresher), but the wait is well worth it. Pair a Niman Ranch burger or crispy jalapeño chicken sandwich with some garlic fries, a side kale salad, and a half bottle of wine (WS Pro Tip: if you bring your own bottle of wine to Gotts it's just a $5 corkage fee). Enjoy it all on the picnic grounds here … then decide which flavor of ice cream you want for dessert.

Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park is 3 miles north of St. Helena (3369 N St.) on Highway 29. No dogs. Bothe Napa Valley camping is dog-friendly.