The full hike is a 4 mile loop hike up Cold Canyon and then to the Blue Ridge with spectacular views of Lake Berryessa and the surrounding area. Alternate partial hikes are a half mile (one way) very steep hike to the Spillway Overlook on the ridge or a moderate one mile hike (one way) up the canyon to the Old Homestead.

Length/Degree of Difficulty:

• Loop trail - 4 miles, strenuous, elevation gain of 1500 feet
• Canyon hike to old homestead - 1 mile (one way), moderate, elevation gain of 520 feet (No dogs as it's a nature reserve).
• Ridge hike to Putah Creek valley vista - half mile (one way), very strenuous, elevation gain of 1040 feet. (If you have a dog with you, skip the Canyon portion. Pass the entrance sign shown below and continue on the road until you see a second silver gate on the left. Head up to the top of the ridge here, and then south once you reach the top. Come back the same way).

Trail Condition: maintained, traihead well marked but otherwise unmarked, trailbed obvious, footing rough along ridge.

Part of this hike is in the UC Davis Nature Reserve and part is on BLM land. See links below for information on wildflowers, plants, wildlife and the old homestead ruins. The trail map is courtesy of Yolohiker.org

Follow these driving directions to the trailhead. A short distance up the trail from the road is a bulletin board with a detailed map and, usually, brochures describing interesting features along the walk to the Old Homestead.

Photo - View of the narrows of Lake Berryessa from the Blue Ridge portion of the Loop Trail

Links

Yolohiker Stebbins Cold Canyon page (photos)

UC Davis Nature Reserve Stebbins Cold Canyon
(information on wildflowers, other plants, wildlife, etc.)

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