Silverado Trail

This is the road you want when Highway 29 is jam packed during rush hour and busy tourist season. Be warned that Silverado Trail is starting to get very crowded and traffic backups are now more common than they used to be, but this is still a much more pleasant way to get around the valley by bypassing the crazy traffic on 29. If you can catch the trail on a lightly traveled day, you can take a leisurely drive next to gorgeous, sun-​soaked vineyards and grapevines. There are tons of picture-​perfect photo opportunities along this road. There are lots of very high quality wineries along the route too, most are open to the public (and benefit from less crowds)! A lot of the wineries require appointments to be sure to check before showing up to avoid disappointment.

Silverado Trail is the scenic drive up the Napa Valley. While Highway 29 gets congested on weekends&holidays, the Silverado Trail is more pleasant. Since it can get steep and windy, one can get spectacular views of the Valley floor. One gets beautiful views of vineyards, the mustard in bloom, wildflowers. A lovely route.

This is a nice biking trail for avid bikers or even just someone on route to the La Prima Pizza. You have to watch out for cars, because it may get busy on this road, but it’s a very good workout. Also leads to Oat Hill Mine Trail, good for mountain biking.

My wife and I took this road as much as possible. Even though it might be slightly out of the way, it is beautiful. Rolling hills with vineyards, gorgeous.

The Silverado Trail is the backroad that runs the full length of Napa Valley, from Napa all the way to Calistoga, and everywhere in between. It takes a little more time than the highway, but it’s a really nice alternative. The trail takes you past all the vineyards and rows of grapes. It’s a great scenic route to take in the full wine country experience.