Adventure: Hiking in Moore Creek Park in Napa
Eating: Genova Delicatessen
CRAVE: A delicious custom sando enjoyed atop the rolling Napa hills
Napa is, of course, synonymous with great wine and food — but there’s actually another side to this area that is a much cheaper venture than a day spent being chauffeured around to wine tastings (but let’s be real, I do love that as well).
Surprisingly, Napa brings its A-game when it comes to hiking.
A few Saturdays ago, my boyfriend and I decided to do a quick day-trip north, but wanted to do something that was outside of the usual wine-infused activities. Sometimes, unfortunately, all you can associate Napa with is wine and, with sprawls of vineyards everywhere, you wouldn’t really think this a hiking location.
But then you’d be thinking wrong.
After Yelping parks and hikes in the area we would be around, I decided we were going to chance it: we were going to go on a hike with only 4 reviews.
Now, these 4 reviews were for Moore Creek Park and were great reviews, but only 4? Why aren’t more people checking out this spot? What’s the catch here?
The quality of this hike could really go either way.
Regardless of if the hike was going to be enjoyable or not, hikes always require being prepared with nourishment. We popped into Genova Delicatessen ordering a few sandwiches to go, planning to savor them as a reward partway through our adventure.
We drove another twenty minutes through neighboring vineyards, pulling into a small parking lot nestled just past a long lake and tucked back between two rolling hills.
I was incredibly surprised by how beautiful our hike was. We started in the low valley, walking along a noisy, active creek (thanks El Niño) on the Moore Creek Trail.
Coming to the edge of the creek you have the option to cross several wooden planks up the next section of the stream continuing on the trail to the secret swimming pool. We didn’t venture this route on this trip, but I would definitely be encouraged to return later and explore it!
Instead, we chose to take the Valentine Vista Trail, looping up the mountainous hillside for a little over a mile at a steep grade before becoming a bit easier.
Sitting atop the hillside, we enjoyed our sandwiches after our sweaty ascent.
Genova Delicatessen makes great sandwiches with fresh sandwich stuffings and breads for the complete package. Customize your own (like my turkey/ham sandwich above) or go with one of their specialty sandwiches.
Most of their specialty sandwiches focus around a few ingredients and usually include ham or prosciutto. Above, a simple sandwich, the #1 of ham, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella.
The hardest part is over, you’ve had your sandwiches, now it’s time to enjoy the rest of the meandering path. The trail continues along the hillside with the valley several hundred yards below it.
Many streams trickle down the hillside, meadows of green grass, and fields of poppies populate your walk.
Used to redwood hikes, I honestly thought a hike through Napa meadows would feel mundane, but the open spaces and greener was stunning!
After a few more miles, the trail quickly drops down back into the parking lot. A few hours later and you will have had a decent sweat, satisfied your appetite and got your Vitamin-D sunshine all in one stunning outing.
Learn more about Moore Creek Park on their website, and Genova Delicatessen on theirs.