Silverado Trail
Encyclopedia
The Silverado Trail is a scenic route that travels 29 miles along the Eastern edge of the Napa Valley, parallel to and several miles to the east of California State Route 29
.
built in 1852 after flooding made the main Napa Valley road impassible. Later, it served as a wagon trail to link cinnabar
mines on Mount St. Helena to San Pablo Bay
, the northern portion of the San Francisco Bay
, and was the first permanent road from Napa
to Calistoga
.
Silver was discovered in Napa Valley in 1858, and wine production began in the 1870s, making the road an important trade route. Charles Bolles
, a highway bandit also known as "Black Bart", preyed on the road's travelers in the 1880s. Safety improved when motorized bus service began in 1910. A Phylloxera
plague and Prohibition
forced most but not all of the local wineries out of business.
The area thrived with the growing prominence of California wine. One of the wineries on the road, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
, made Napa Valley world famous in 1976 when it won the Judgment of Paris, a promotional wine competition
among French and California wines. Today, at least 40 of the Valley's more than 200 wineries are along or near the road.
California State Route 29
State Route 29 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels in a north–south direction from State Route 20 in Upper Lake to Interstate 80 in Vallejo.-Route description:...
.
History
The road began as a trailTrail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
built in 1852 after flooding made the main Napa Valley road impassible. Later, it served as a wagon trail to link cinnabar
Cinnabar
Cinnabar or cinnabarite , is the common ore of mercury.-Word origin:The name comes from κινναβαρι , a Greek word most likely applied by Theophrastus to several distinct substances...
mines on Mount St. Helena to San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay is a tidal estuary that forms the northern extension of San Francisco Bay in northern California in the United States. Most of the Bay is shallow; however, there is a deep water channel approximately in mid bay, which allows access to Sacramento, Stockton, Benicia, Martinez, and...
, the northern portion of the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
, and was the first permanent road from Napa
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
to Calistoga
Calistoga, California
Calistoga is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,155 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , 99.30% of it land and 0.70% of it water.-Climate:...
.
Silver was discovered in Napa Valley in 1858, and wine production began in the 1870s, making the road an important trade route. Charles Bolles
Charles Bolles
Charles Earl Bowles , better known as Black Bart, was an English-born American Old West outlaw noted for his poetic messages left after two of his robberies. Also known as Charles Bolton, C.E...
, a highway bandit also known as "Black Bart", preyed on the road's travelers in the 1880s. Safety improved when motorized bus service began in 1910. A Phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
plague and Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
forced most but not all of the local wineries out of business.
The area thrived with the growing prominence of California wine. One of the wineries on the road, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is a winery established by Warren Winiarski in 1970 and based in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. The winery was sold to a joint venture by Chateau Ste...
, made Napa Valley world famous in 1976 when it won the Judgment of Paris, a promotional wine competition
Wine competition
A wine competition is an organized event in which trained judges or consumers competitively rate different vintages or bands of wine. There are two types of wine competitions, both of which use blind tasting of wine to prevent bias by the judges....
among French and California wines. Today, at least 40 of the Valley's more than 200 wineries are along or near the road.
Major intersections
| Location | Postmile | Intersection | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa | at Soscal Road in | Southern terminus | ||
| 1st street | COPIA COPIA COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts was a cultural museum and education center dedicated to the discovery, understanding, and celebration of wine, food and the arts in American culture. COPIA was located in the Napa Valley in the town of Napa, California... , Ritz-Carlton Ritz-Carlton The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide... Hotel (approved project) |
|||
| Coombsville Rd. / 3rd street | ||||
| at Trancas St. / Monticello Ave. | ||||
| Oak Knoll Ave. | Silverado Country Club Silverado Country Club Silverado Resort is a census-designated place in Napa County, California, United States, centered on a tennis, golf and spa resort in the Napa Valley known as the Silverado Country Club. The population of the CDP was 1,095 at the 2010 census.... , Clos Du Val Winery Clos Du Val Winery Clos Du Val Winery is a winery in the Stags Leap District of California's Napa Valley. The winery was founded by two men who were born into the French wine business, John Goelet and Bernard Portet... , Andretti Winery Andretti Winery Andretti Winery is a boutique winery in the Oak Knoll District portion of Napa, California.- History :Begun as a "hobby" in 1996, the winery grew steadily. Mario Andretti's interest in the wine business arose from a commemorative bottling of wine he marketed to celebrate his retirement from auto... |
|||
| Yountville | Yountville Cross Rd. | Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is a winery established by Warren Winiarski in 1970 and based in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. The winery was sold to a joint venture by Chateau Ste... , Stags' Leap Winery Stags' Leap Winery Stags' Leap Winery is a winery located near Yountville, California, in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. The winery's estate vineyard was first planted in 1893. In 1997, Stags' Leap was purchased by Beringer Wine Estates, which in 2000 was in turn purchased by the Australian company Foster's... , Silverado Vineyards Winery Silverado Vineyards Winery Silverado Vineyards is located east of Yountville, California in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. Ron and Diane Miller chose to purchase land with existing vineyards in the mid-1970s after a long time romance with the Valley. Although the Millers' original intention was to only grow grapes,... |
||
| Oakville | Oakville Cross Rd. | |||
| St. Helena | ||||
| Zinfandel Lane | ||||
| Pope St. / Howell Mountain Rd. | ||||
| Deer Park Rd. | Duckhorn Vineyards Duckhorn Vineyards Duckhorn Vineyards is a boutique winery in St. Helena, California, specializing in premium Merlot wines.-History:Founder Dan Duckhorn, a Santa Rosa native and Berkeley graduate, toured the Pomerol and Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux region of France in the mid-1970s with Ric Forman, who as winemaker... |
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| Calistoga | (Lincoln Ave.) | |||
External links
- silveradotrail.com - Silverado Trail Association (industry site)
- Map - from Silverado Trail Association