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  5. Road trippin': Napa Valley

Road trippin': SR-29 into Napa Valley

A vehicular stroll through the vineyards

For decades, tourists and wine enthusiasts from all over the world have gone out of their way to visit Napa Valley. CT News took a trek down State Route 29 in mid-November, when clear weather and fall colors gave the region extra visual appeal. Traffic was relatively light, too, which is far from always the case on this scenic byway.

State Route 29

sr29-01 (Screen grab courtesy of Google Maps)
sr29-02 State Route 29 shoots off from State Route 20 at a roundabout in Upper Lake, and heads south toward Napa Valley.
sr29-03 A few miles south of Upper Lake, SR-29 cuts through the town of Lakeport, which features this Vista Point view of Clear Lake.
sr29-04 This Vista Point plaque in Lakeport pays tribute to George C. Hoberg, described as a "consistent supporter of good state highways."
sr29-05 As it wends southward from the Clear Lake region, State Route 29 is undergoing some radical changes.
sr29-06 Blue skies and lots of forest-draped curves awaited CT News as it traveled down SR-29 in mid-November.
sr29-07 In Hidden Valley Lake, motorists encounter another SR-29 roundabout that offers the chance to scoot over into town.
sr29-08 In Middletown, State Route 29 intersects for a second time below Clear Lake with State Route 175.
sr29-09 Sunlight streaks over SR-29 near the Mt. St. Helena trail head in Robert Louis Stevenson State Park north of Calistoga.
sr29-10 Vineyards start to become the predominant backdrop to SR-29 south of Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.
sr29-11 The Napa Valley region has in recent years been threatened and impacted by several wildfires.
sr29-12 This store sign in Calistoga reminds people (who might not be paying attention!) that the state is plagued by a drought.
sr29-14 South of Calistoga, SR-29 motorists encounter this rather emphatic sign that signals one of the state's premier regions.
sr29-15 Traffic along State Route 29 can back up a bit in St. Helena, in the heart of Napa Valley, even on a midweek afternoon.
sr29-16 The tracks to the west of State Route 29 south of St. Helena have seen some good times over the years via the wine train.
sr29-17 Wineries in Napa Valley can have grand entrances off State Route 29 ...
sr29-18 ... or are set so far back from the road that they are almost coy in their remote beauty ...
sr29-19 ... or just decide to go for full opulence, in the spirit of life being one nonstop parade of drink and friendship.
sr29-20 A few miles north of becoming a freeway as it passes through Napa, SR-29 has a parallel companion: a lovely bike/pedestrian trail.