The Napa Open Space District, working in partnership with the Land Trust of Napa County, completed the purchase of a 42-acre property on Mount Veeder. Situated in the Mayacamas Mountains on the west side of the Napa Valley, this beautiful shaded property abuts The Cove, a historic Girl Scout camp already owned by the District. The new acquisition will allow public access to this storied area in the near future, and the development of what will be a phenomenal hiking park on the western ridge of the Napa Valley.
The new property is a beautiful but small parcel that is carpeted in redwoods and has its own viewshed facing down into Napa. Just twenty minutes from the Browns Valley neighborhood, visitors will be transported to the wild forested slopes of Mount Veeder and will eventually have access to vigorous day hikes once the new park is fully developed.
“This addition is very worthy in and of itself,” said Chris Cahill, General Manager of the Napa Open Space District, “but the really exciting piece is that it unlocks a world of possibilities for getting the public access to the peak of Mt Veeder and establishes a hiking park in the hills west of Napa, something that is sorely lacking in that area now.”
Once referred to as the Napa Redwoods, The Cove and surrounding area was a major summer resort destination for nearly a century. In the 1860’s-1870’s the nearby Lokoya Lodge, Solid Comfort Resort and Mt. Veeder Resort were popular family destinations for visitors from San Francisco and beyond. Mount Veeder has extensive local history going back to the early 1800s as well, including colorful stories like the story of Robber’s Roost, which some say was located on the newly acquired property and detailed in Larry Hicks’ 1975 report The History of Mt Veeder.
The Cove was purchased by the Girl Scouts of Northern California in 1964, using funds raised from selling their famous cookies, and operated as a scout camp for decades with innumerable campers and families building lifelong memories on the property. In 2016, when the Girl Scouts organization decided to sell this historic property, they were very concerned that it might be closed to visitors once sold. The group approached the Napa Open Space District about the sale of the property and the District rallied the public and raised funds to purchase and save the property for the outdoor enjoyment of future generations.
As the sale was nearing completion, the devastating 2017 fires occurred, decimating the forest and all of the camp infrastructure on the property, including doing severe damage to the easement access road. The District completed the purchase, understanding the value of this property for public use and enjoyment, but has been stymied by the logistical issues of public access on the property since, and has been patiently waiting for an opportunity like this recent property acquisition to emerge.
Photo Courtesy of the Napa Open Space District
While the 2017 fire destroyed the infrastructure of the camp completely and burned most of the forest to the ground at The Cove, it has also exposed features there that have been hidden for more than a century. In a serendipitous turn of events, the fire exposed expansive views of the Napa Valley and south toward the San Francisco Bay that are unique because of the vantage point. It has also exposed the stunning geological features that were hidden beneath the forest, allowing visitors to see the full false-caldera that earned The Cove its name, stunning rock formations that are part of the Sonoma Volcanics, and scree fields the likes of which are usually only seen in the Sierra Nevadas. The new park, once developed, offers amazing potential for hikers and school groups to see and learn about geology and experience these incredible views.
The acquisition of this new property was made possible by the Land Trust of Napa County’s ability to swiftly purchase the property when it became available. Upon learning of the opportunity, the Land Trust immediately recognized the value and potential as a connection to The Cove and worked out an agreement in which they purchased the property and allowed time for the District to raise funds to purchase it themselves.
“We’re very pleased that we could help the Napa Open Space District acquire this property,” said Doug Parker, CEO of the Land Trust, “and help provide the opportunity for the public to hike to the top of Mount Veeder and enjoy the impressive views from there.”
For more information about The Cove and the Napa Open Space District’s work rehabilitating this historic property, see www.NapaOutdoors.org.
Read the Register story here.
