Homestead-Blue Ridge Loop

The Hike: Visit the UC-Davis website for lots of information on the preserve including a self-guided tour PDF with numbers corresponding to the numbered stakes you'll encounter while walking the Homestead Trail portion. From the official trailhead (~0.05 miles from the end of the loop), take the right trail (Homestead Trail) and approach Cold Creek. The left trail heads steeply up the ridge to the east. A side-trail connecting the Homestead and Blue Ridge Trails is quickly met leading toward the creek. The donation and sign-in kiosk is reached at ~0.1 miles (#10 on the self-guided tour), marking the official entrance to the reserve. Shortly after this, another junction with a side-trail leading down to the creek is reached. The trail continues by moving through the dense forest, offering lots of shade on hot days. We recommend going during the winter and spring to avoid the heat we can only imagine exists during summer. Just past marker #16 you'll find lots of the interesting-looking California Pipevine. It may look like an insectivorous plant, but it is actually a flower. Milk Maids and Mission Bells are just a couple of examples of more wildflowers you can find along the way. At ~0.6 miles (marker #21) there is a short side-trail leading down to the creek where you can spy some California Newts. Please only watch and do not try and catch one not only for their sake but yours as well. California Newts secrete the same powerful neurotoxin as pufferfish through skin glands. Ingestion of this neurotoxin can kill a person.

Just past this side-trail, the main trail crosses the bed of Cold Creek (~0.65 miles). The trail now begins to climb in more earnest. Once a small meadow is crossed the remains of the homestead foundation (marker #30) is reached at ~1.05 miles. Just past this, the junction with the Blue Ridge Trail is reached (~1.1 miles). The Homestead Trail continues straight for another ~300' to the remains of the cold storage (for goat cheese) building (marker #32). Turn right at the junction to begin climbing up to Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Trail closely follows Cold Creek as it climbs and descends to the south under heavy shade. At ~0.4 miles from the Homestead Trail the steep climbing begins with multiple switchbacks and stairs built into the ground. During this climb the sweat really started to pour out of us in the 80-degree weather. Blue Ridge is reached at a trail junction ~0.65 miles and over 550' in elevation from the Homestead Trail. Stay right to follow the Blue Ridge Trail to the northwest through the chamise thicket.

The trail winds and climbs its way up to Peak 1535 (~0.25 miles from the trail junction) before descending and then climbing to the top of the peak immediately to the northwest. Be careful during the steep sections along the ridge. Look back at Peak 1535 while climbing the next peak for some nice views to the south and southeast. From this second peak are decent views of Lake Berryessa to the northwest and lots of spots to sit and take a rest. Continue following the ridge to the north as it descends to a mostly flat section. Ahead you can see the climb that awaits you up to Peak 1475. During this section as well as near Peak 1535 we saw multiple turkey vultures and some hawks circling above and below us. Peak 1475 is reached ~0.9 miles from Peak 1535. When we were here there were a lot of people hanging out on the top, so we didn't stay long. We followed the trail as it steeply descended to the west of the peak, passing into Napa County in the process, and stopped at a perfectly unoccupied sitting rock with a view of Lake Berryessa. We grabbed a bite to eat, drank some water, and admired the view. Once you get to Peak 1475 you'll run into a lot more people because most only hike up to the this peak from the highway and then turn back.

From here, the trail quickly gets back to the border between Napa and Solano counties and follows the ridge to a flat section before steeply switchbacking its way down. The way down is almost completely exposed and is pretty steep, which is why we recommend doing this loop clockwise (the way described). In a few places there are some nice views up Cold Canyon. Please refrain from following cut-through trails as these can seriously destabilize the steep slopes causing erosion and landslides. In a couple of places measures have been taken to try and stabilize the slope. The end of the loop and the highway are met ~1.7 miles from Peak 1475.