Area
Oxbow Preserve is a 13-acre park managed by the City of Napa and located in an oxbow on the Napa River. The park can be accessed by turning onto McKenzie Drive off Silverado Trail. It contains ADA-accessible paved parking and trails that follow the contours of the oxbow with views of the Napa River. An easy walking park, this park was replanted to contain native plants, trees and grasses. It’s a great spot to take children on a hunt for the rhino statue.
The Napa River drains 426 square miles over 50 miles from Mount St. Helena to the San Pablo Bay. Consisting of 47 tributaries, the Napa River is home to chinook salmon, steelhead, bluegill, black bass, striped bass, and sturgeon — among other non-game fish. The river is a fantastic spot for bird watching as it is home to water birds, song birds, birds of prey, wood peckers, and quail. Mammals — including beaver, river otter, mink muskrat, raccoon, deer, fox, coyote, and bobcat — utilize the water system and can be spotted with careful consideration. Harbor porpoise swim as far upstream as the Oxbow and can be spotted eating smelt. The river is also host to a variety of parks and trails for recreational purposes.
