Trail Location: the park is located at the end of Redwood Road, about 8 miles west of it's highway 29 intersection. There are locked gates, so see the park page for permission, codes and complete directions.

They have 2 flush toilets w/ tp in outhouses down the hill by the picnic tables.   7-mi loop hike takes about 4.5 hours.

Maggie's Peak is on private land.  It's pretty steep, nice views on the top.  Then go down & hike on the side of the cliff, cross creeks, go down more steep & slippery rocks on not really a trail - just sides of the cliff.  Look for the bottom of Devil's Well - nice waterfall, then climb a bit and see Devil's Well - you see a nice tall waterfall, and a middle waterfall that you can barely see.

There's a rock scramble they call the Jumble that is a bit tough, but doable.  Tons & tons of ladybugs may be seen. Ladybugs seem to like creeks & open area where they can get sun.

The 380 acre Archer - Taylor Preserve contains some of the oldest & largest stands of redwoods in the Napa County and the habitats range from redwood riparian to grassy meadows.

It is the result of the extraordinary and exemplary generosity and foresight of the Taylor family.

Archer Taylor Preserve, located in Napa county, once owned by Taylor family, now is a protected area maintained by a non-profit organization Napa Land Trust. The trust organizes several hikes in this preserve every year.

This preserve is quite wild, the trails are either steep uphill or steep downhill, through rocks, several creek crossings, hopping over fallen trees makes it quite adventurous.

The property follows a year-round creek and rises to the tops of Maggie's Peak and Bismark Knob on the west and the Crags on the east.

Several endangered and threatened plant and animal species live on the Preserve. The land has been largely untouched by man since the 1890s.

Some of the most spectacular falls are in the Archer Taylor Preserve, a privately owned stretch of land in Napa with trails that wind through shady redwood forests and sun-drenched meadows.

The land originally was purchased in 1945 by two professors at UC Berkeley, Dr. Archer Taylor and his wife, Hasseltine Byrd Taylor.

After they died, their two daughters, Ann and Constance, decided to set up the preserve, donating the land in 1993 to The Land Trust of Napa County, a nonprofit that preserves wildlife and agricultural and recreational land in the county.

The 380 acres of land is now jointly owned by the trust, the Taylor sisters and Ann Taylor's husband, Charles Schwing.

Because it is privately owned, hikers must get permission to use the trails. Guided tours are recommended on the first visit because the trails are unmarked, making it easy to get lost.

GEOLOGY
The Preserve is in a huge volcanic field, the "Sonoma Volcanic Formation." Geologists judge it to be between 7 and 3 million years old, rather young in geologic time.

Volcanic deposits on and near the Taylor Preserve are mainly lava and ash. Ash forms into soft white layers called "tuff." Curious structures called "columnar lava" or "volcanic postpiles" occur on the Preserve, visible at the swimming hole near the bridge and high up the creek.

Like those of Devil's Postpile east of Yosemite, they consist of large columns of rock tightly joined together. In the creek bed of the Preserve, some large column fragments can be found, showing the 5- or 6-sided posts clearly.

REDWOODS & TREES
The redwood trees were logged in the 1890s. In several dozen places, sawed-off stumps can be seen, often ringed with new trees sprouting from the roots or bases of the stumps.

Due to logging, this forest is not old-growth redwood, but some very old trees can be seen. The other tall conifer found here is Douglas Fir, identified by its very different bark and needles.

Ferns abound in the redwoods. Sword Fern is evergreen and often grows in large clumps. California Polypody is a small winter-growing species, with tender, lance-shaped leaves (called "fronds"). Bracken Fern, a summer plant, has fronds far larger than Polypody's.

Many other interesting native plants grow here, including wild Strawberries and wild Huckleberries.

Donations and memberships are not required to enjoy the Preserve. You are invited to donate to the Archer Taylor Preserve or the Land Trust in general. You may be a member of the Land Trust: $30 - 49 individual, $50-99 family. Please make your check to:

The Land Trust of Napa County, 1040 Main Street, Suite 203, Napa, CA 94559 (707) 252-3270

Devil’s Well Waterfalls

Redwood Road becomes Mt. Veeder -
Go Left Here to Stay on Redwood Road

Maggie’s peak and descend is ~ three miles

Devil’s Well Waterfalls

Narrow Canyon - Redwood Creek