The best way to see Wine Country: Hike it

“I think a lot of folks come to the Napa Valley for wine,” says Chris Cahill. “Which is lovely. But there’s a natural Napa Valley, too — hills and oaks and redwoods. And that really rounds out your experience. You can spend part of the day sipping wine and having great food and then stretch your legs.”

Cahill should know. As planner for the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District, he helps run 8,000 acres of open space. Territory under his watch ranges from the majestic redwoods of Bothe-Napa Valley State Park to the Instagram-worthy vistas you’ll see on Calistoga’s Oat Hill Mine Trail.

Now is the time to go. While certain stretches of the county are charred from last fall’s fires, many more are reaching the peak of early-spring beauty. Think shimmering green hillsides, newly leafed oak trees and exuberant bursts of wildflowers. They’re as memorably enjoyable as a Napa Cabernet.

Mason Trinca / Special to The Chronicle A fisherman in a boat tries his luck near the shore of Lake Hennessey above St. Helena. The 6.4-mile Dryfoot Trail, part of the Moore Creek Trail, offers this view as well as a Top Secret Swimming Hole (Shh!).