If I told you that the Old Bale Grist Mill (or simply Old Bale Mill) State Historic Park was only 10 minutes away from Calistoga, CA, a laid-back but luxurious Napa Valley wine town, would you be more interested in going? And, you know, if you get tired after your visit, Calistoga has a lot of spas, and you can shop ’til you drop on Lincoln Avenue (very nice artisan stuff); oh, and did I mention you’re in California wine country? You really should just pop over to the Old Bale Mill; it was one of the most interesting historic happenings I’ve had, and I’ve been to a few historic spots. But the guides at the Old Bale Mill were vivacious and informative, like friendlier, tanner versions of Bill Nye. After you learn about the grist mill and granary (I won’t spoil the show for you, but local trees – think redwoods – had been used to make it and there’s a demonstration… And no, the redwoods weren’t in too much danger at the time the mill was built), you can check out Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, via a trail so quaint and pretty you’d think happy gnomes might pop out and sing you along. The Old Bale Mill is awesome, and would be a great blip for your next northern California trip.
Filed under: North America, Uncategorized | Tagged: Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, CA, California, Calistoga, demonstrations, friendly folk, granary, grist mill, guides, Lincoln Avenue, Napa Valley, National Park, Northern California, Old Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, park, redwood, spas, wine, wine country | Leave a Comment »
Facebook
Juror Travel Photos
Twitter
