Seat at the Top Table

Hike to Table Rock in Napa

02.06.2020

It just might be the best view in Napa. And it doesn’t require a hot air balloon. At 4.5 miles (round-trip) the hike to Table Rock overlook isn’t a walk in the park (well, technically it is, but it's not an easy one!). Still it’s well worth it, packing in plenty of highlights, especially the marquee destination. Get ready for valley views worth swooning over.

Winter and early spring are the best times for this hike, when temperatures are cooler and the sunlight hits the panoramic views just right. Go early in the day and make sure you bring plenty of water and sunscreen. (This is not a hike to do on hotter days.)

Start at Table Rock Trail in northern Napa’s Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and get ready for all kinds of highlights. The trail rises moderately for a mile, shaded by forest, before breaking out to a first overlook with pop-up-book vistas of hills and the vineyard-latticed valley, all the way to the impressive Mayacamas Mountains.

Hike Table Rock in Napa

Savor the views and scramble over and around the overlook’s huge boulders to take in more good scenery. Keep going on the trail, which can be a bit rutted and rocky at times (wear shoes with good traction).

Hike Table Rock in Napa

You’ll come across a section with several rock labyrinths to keep you going in circles for as long as you’d like.

Hike Table Rock Labyrinth in Napa

When you’re ready, keep on to a section that is a bit of a descent before a level-off and then ascending towards Table Rock. The last stretch is a bit of a huff-and-puff climb: You’ll wander up and across massive boulder slabs that make you feel as if you could be on Mars (if Mars had rolling vineyards within view below).

Hike Table Rock in Napa

Find yourself an outcropping to enjoy this wine country vista. There’s a lot of room up here, so if you’ve brought some picnic provisions, break them out and find a slab of Table Rock that’s a feast for the eyes.

BONUS EAT: Post-hike, try to nab a firepit spot at Sam’s Social Club in Calistoga. The lounge inside this modern-farm-style hotspot is also great. Enjoy rotating creative California cuisine and tasty cocktails! (Make a reservation if you really want a guaranteed spot.)

To reach the Table Rock Trailhead: From Calistoga, travel north on Hwy. 29 for 7 miles. The turnout for parking is on the right side of the road, 0.25 mile after the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park sign. It can get extremely hot in the summer; it’s best to hike in winter or very early spring on cooler days. NOTE: The trail is well-trodden and there are some signs, but trail markings are sparse in spots.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View