Hiking the classic wine country landscape

Too many people visit Napa and Sonoma valleys without really experiencing its beauty. To do that properly, climb into the hills on one of many available hiking trails to get a sweeping panorama of the region. Hiking can be easily "paired" with wine tasting if you set off on your hike early in the morning. The mornings are cooler and less busy, and leave you the afternoon to taste to your heart's content.

If there's one hike that typifies the classic wine country landscape, it's Jack London State Historic Park. Right around the corner from Glen Ellen on Highway 12, the trails and scenery here do not disappoint. You can see the location on a map here. There are quite a few trails available, and Bay Area Hiker has a 10.3mi recommended loop (feel free to browse this site for other local hikes--this is one of my most frequently visited sites). For a shorter hike, try the 1mi loop to the ruins of Wolf House and London's grave, and there are loops of intermediate length you can try as well. In the late summer and early fall, I recommend doing this hike nice and early in the morning. Stop in Glen Ellen or Sonoma for a quick lunch and then use the rest of your day for tastings.