Note: The Northern Section of the trail (between the Pallisades Trail Junction at Holms Place & the Aetna Springs Trailhead) will be closed between Saturday August 8th - Sunday September 20th. This annual closure is a safety request connected to high risk of wildfires and deer hunting season on private property nearby.

The trail, once a stagecoach route between Calistoga and Aetna Springs, provides a magnificent recreational experience for hikers, mountain bicyclists and equestrians, although the trail is rough and rocky in many places, and can be quite challenging. Visitors can enjoy sweeping views of Napa Valley along the lower Oat Hill Mine Trail, while the middle and upper sections of the trail cross striking volcanic formations. The trail passes through a diverse mixture of Oak, Douglas Fir, Gray Pine and Cypress forests, chaparral, and grasslands. Keep an eye out for wagon wheel ruts on the trail.  Hike to Holms place, turn around and return to the parking lot.