Ride recommendations near Calistoga, CA?

[sbornia]

I've only ridden in Calistoga a couple of times, and could use some suggestions for a 50-70 mile loop with some nice climbing. For example, is Deer Park->Howell Mountain->Chies Pope Valley->Sage Valley any good? Or is it better to head west and ride out to the ocean?

Thanks!

[maunahaole]

I've ridden the Howell Mountain area before and it is nice, but can get hot late in the day. You have a wealth of choices in that area. Try Oakville Grade if you are feeling spunky.

[jeffg]

That's a nice ride, and there are plenty of others.

From there a Geyser's loop would be great as well ...

[tuco]

I've only ridden in Calistoga a couple of times, and could use some suggestions for a 50-70 mile loop with some nice climbing. For example, is Deer Park->Howell Mountain->Chies Pope Valley->Sage Valley any good? Or is it better to head west and ride out to the ocean?

Thanks!
Up Howell Mtn. -> White Cottage > (L) Howell Mtn. -> (L) Pope Valley -> (L) Ink Grade -> (R) Howell Mtn. -> (S) Deer Park. Add on as needed. The rest of your route is kind of flat.

For climbing in that area, it's hard to beat an ascent of Spring Mtn. out of St. Helena climbing back to the Napa Valley over Cavedale (I like) or Trinity Grade. Once in Oakville, you will still have a bit of a haul back to Calistoga.

Lots of info. on local (Napa Co. and Sonoma Co.) cycling club pages, etc.

If it's not too hot, then the Geyser's Loop (g00gl3 for SRCC pages on ten good rides) or some part of it is nice. Head north out of Calistoga toward Healdsburg. Or, out to the Geyser's as an out&back and climb Pine Flat and Ida Clayton returning to Calistoga. It's all good :)

[Jack Brunk]

Up Howell Mtn. -> White Cottage > (L) Howell Mtn. -> (L) Pope Valley -> (L) Ink Grade -> (R) Howell Mtn. -> (S) Deer Park. Add on as needed. The rest of your route is kind of flat.

For climbing in that area, it's hard to beat an ascent of Spring Mtn. out of St. Helena climbing back to the Napa Valley over Cavedale (I like) or Trinity Grade. Once in Oakville, you will still have a bit of a haul back to Calistoga.

Lots of info. on local (Napa Co. and Sonoma Co.) cycling club pages, etc.

If it's not too hot, then the Geyser's Loop (g00gl3 for SRCC pages on ten good rides) or some part of it is nice. Head north out of Calistoga toward Healdsburg. Or, out to the Geyser's as an out&back and climb Pine Flat and Ida Clayton returning to Calistoga. It's all good :)
+100

Great route with some great climbs. Howell mountain also produces world class cabernet grapes. One of my favorite cab regions in Napa beside Oakville. Sorry for the wine insert.

[jeffg]

Up Howell Mtn. -> White Cottage > (L) Howell Mtn. -> (L) Pope Valley -> (L) Ink Grade -> (R) Howell Mtn. -> (S) Deer Park. Add on as needed. The rest of your route is kind of flat.

For climbing in that area, it's hard to beat an ascent of Spring Mtn. out of St. Helena climbing back to the Napa Valley over Cavedale (I like) or Trinity Grade. Once in Oakville, you will still have a bit of a haul back to Calistoga.

Lots of info. on local (Napa Co. and Sonoma Co.) cycling club pages, etc.

If it's not too hot, then the Geyser's Loop (g00gl3 for SRCC pages on ten good rides) or some part of it is nice. Head north out of Calistoga toward Healdsburg. Or, out to the Geyser's as an out&back and climb Pine Flat and Ida Clayton returning to Calistoga. It's all good :)

Spring Mountain (turns into St. Helena Road) is a great climb and then a middle of nowhere descent. If you go too far after you hit the bottom it gets suburban (if I recall correctly), but a fun ride.

We have stayed at St. Helena Road Vineyards a few times (nice house) and the last climb up that dirt road is a real kick in the a$$

[tuco]

Spring Mountain (turns into St. Helena Road) is a great climb and then a middle of nowhere descent. If you go too far after you hit the bottom it gets suburban (if I recall correctly), but a fun ride.

We have stayed at St. Helena Road Vineyards a few times (nice house) and the last climb up that dirt road is a real kick in the a$$
Yes, St. Helena Road meets Calistoga road just outside of Santa Rosa. It is possible to get from the intersection of Calistoga Rd. and Hwy 12 to the base of Trinity Grade with only a small amount of Hwy 12 in the loop (Calistoga -> St. Helena -> Santa Rosa -> Glen Ellen -> Oakville -> Calistoga).

Here's a thread that describes the working Spring Mtn. and Trinity/Cavedale into a climbing day. Any loop with these two climbs are favorites of mine.
Climbing b/w Napa and Sonoma Counties (http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=1448247&mode=linear)

Hills of Napa Valley (http://www.eaglecyclingclub.org/hills.htm)

[sbornia]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone. I'm going to have to get up there more often!

Up Howell Mtn. -> White Cottage > (L) Howell Mtn. -> (L) Pope Valley -> (L) Ink Grade -> (R) Howell Mtn. -> (S) Deer Park.

How does this variation sound: Up Howell, (L) Ink Grade, (L) Pope Valley, continue on Butts Canyon all the way to Middletown, (L) Hwy 29 back to Calistoga.

Butts Canyon looks scenic (and flat), but I can't recall what Hwy 29 is like going south from that point. Does it have more climbing, or is it mostly twisty descending?

[tuco]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone. I'm going to have to get up there more often!
Yes, you should. ;) Great cycling.

How does this variation sound: Up Howell, (L) Ink Grade, (L) Pope Valley, continue on Butts Canyon all the way to Middletown, (L) Hwy 29 back to Calistoga.

Butts Canyon looks scenic (and flat), but I can't recall what Hwy 29 is like going south from that point. Does it have more climbing, or is it mostly twisty descending?
Butts Canyon is a nice cruise, but Butts and Hwy 29 is not so compelling. The ride from Middletown to Calistoga on Hwy 29 climbs a bit before plunging into Calistoga. I don't recommend that stretch at all. If you insist, then be careful during commute hours and weekends. IOW, avoid it!

If you are a little nuts, then you can go back to Calistoga via Western Mine Road (dirt climb several years ago) and Ida Clayton Rd. (twisty descent, and not all smooth). After Ida Clayton, jump on to Franz Valley Rd. and then take a left on Franz Valley School Rd. to return to Calistoga. Quiet nice on a bike.

If you are *more* than a little nuts, then mtn. bike up Oat Hill Mine Rd. There's some trail maintenance scheduled for the weekend after next, so that's probably not a good time to be there. It's a hoot (did I just age myself?), and makes for a good post-ride hike anyway.
Oat Hill Mine Rd. in Calistoga (http://ogrehut.com/trails.php/Bay-North/OatHill/)
Great hike! (http://www.summitpost.org/route/380866/oat-hill-mine-road.html)

I think you'll find these rides will be very memorable, Hwy 29 notwithstanding.

[sbornia]

If you are *more* than a little nuts, then mtn. bike up Oat Hill Mine Rd.

I think you'll find these rides will be very memorable, Hwy 29 notwithstanding.

Thanks for the info. I first saw Oat Hill Road on the map last night, and thought it would make for a nice a big loop....then did more reading and saw that "road" is nostalgic at best :)

[tmanley]

I happened to find myself over in Healdsburg a few weekends ago. If you make it over that way, continue up Dry Creek Road and climb Rockpile Road. It takes you above Lake Sonoma and has some excellent views. The road is excellent and the traffic is very low. Plus you can get up to 50+mph safely on the descent.

Yeah, it's not close to Calistoga, but a good ride nonetheless. The Spring Mtn recommendation is good too. That's a tough climb (in my clydesdale opinion).

[tuco]

There is a ride report on another forum <<gasp>> that made me smile. It will resonate with many who have ridden in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. If you have not, yet, then it should get you itchin' to ride.
Ride report out of St. Helena (http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=1545521#post1545521)

I don't take so many pictures, but I thought this pairing of images the Napa Valley was worth sharing. The first picture shows a Dodge Ramcharger from another era climbing Oat Hill Mine Rd. c1977; picture stolen from a Jeep Forum. The second picture shows Tuco suffering up Oat Hill Mine on a vintage Bontrager hardtail in the Fall of 2005. I am wearing a 100 oz. Camelbak to accentuate my hunch-back-ed-ness.
Dodge Ramcharger (home.comcast.net/~hilltopmedical/Oat_Hill/Ram_at_Cliff.jpg)
Tuco (http://home.comcast.net/~hilltopmedical/Oat_Hill/Tuco_at_Cliff.jpg)
The Serotta has been on on single-track, just not this particular "trail" (yet).

[Okay, Oat Hill Mine Rd. is an old road, now a trail, and a lot of it is single-track.]