Home & Garden
Anonymous Donor Gives $200,000 toward Calistoga Vine Trail, Bay Area Ridge Trail
Napa Valley Community Foundation awards grant.
Napa Valley Community Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant from an anonymous donor to the nonprofit Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition to fund the design of the Calistoga section of the Vine Trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail in Calistoga, Napa Valley.
In turn, the Vine Trail Coalition has hired the local Napa civil engineering firm of Riechers Spence & Associates (RSA) to assess route options, perform surveys and required environmental studies and work collaboratively with all stakeholders at the community, city, county and state levels. This process will include at least one public meeting in the spring of 2013 to allow for community input into the trail design.
The study will focus on the 5-mile route between the Vine Trail’s northern gateway (at Silverado Trail and Hwy 29), through downtown Calistoga and on to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.
Find out what's happening in Napa Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Chuck McMinn, Executive Director of the Vine Trail Coalition praised the donation, saying “This significant gift is a great example of our strategy to use philanthropy to accelerate the design of the Vine and Ridge Trails much sooner than we ever expected.
Terence Mulligan, President of Napa Valley Community Foundation, is enthusiastic about the project. “The Vine Trail is going to be an amazing asset for this community, and we’re proud to be in a position to help.”
Find out what's happening in Napa Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council in December changed the route of the Ridge Trail in Napa Valley to extend north to Calistoga and connect with the Vine Trail.
“The Ridge Trail is proud to partner with our Vine Trail friends on this key connection between Napa and Sonoma counties, and we are very excited that the beautiful, historic spa town of Calistoga now forms a vital link in our 550+ mile Bay Area trail network. From Calistoga, trail enthusiasts will be able to access the Oat Hill Mine Trail, Mt. St. Helena and a protected open space corridor along Napa Valley’s eastern ridge line,” said Janet McBride, Executive Director of the Ridge Trail.
The Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition is a community-supported nonprofit working to create a 47-mile walking/biking trail system connecting the entire Napa Valley from the Vallejo Ferry Terminal to the foot of Mt. St Helena in Calistoga. The Coalition board and thousands of supporters are dedicated to helping shape a Napa Valley future that preserves agriculture, is more economically vital, safer, greener, healthier and more connected.
Residents and visitors alike celebrate Napa Valley’s world-famous vineyards, wines, and hospitality. To reflect the Napa Valley’s unique sense of place and viticultural tradition, the Vine Trail route divides into 10 sections, corresponding to the AVA (American Viticultural Area sub-appellation) or city sections through which the Trail passes.
From south to north these sections are: Vallejo, American Canyon, Los Carneros, Napa/Coombsville, Oak Knoll District, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga.
The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council’s mission is to create a continuous 550+ mile trail for hikers, mountain bicyclists, and equestrians along the ridgelines overlooking San Francisco Bay. The Council works in close partnership with agencies and local government, parks, land trusts, and other stakeholders and volunteers to plan, acquire, design, build, care for and promote the Ridge Trail. Careful planning and design of the Ridge Trail frequently dovetails with preservation and restoration of key upland habitats. Opening the trail often allows the public to experience and enjoy restored natural areas for the first time. Today, over 340 miles of the Bay Area Ridge Trail are open and permanently protected for all to explore.
Napa Patch is now Napa Valley Patch! Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for the daily email with links to the latest news | Got something to say? Start a blog and share your views with the valley.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.