Stebbins Cold Canyon Trail in Napa County offers several hiking options, though figuring out where dogs can actually go requires a bit of advance planning. The main draw here is the full 4-mile loop that climbs Cold Canyon to the Blue Ridge crest—a genuinely strenuous route with 1,500 feet of elevation gain that rewards you with views of Lake Berryessa and the surrounding landscape. The catch is that the canyon portion itself is closed to dogs since it passes through a nature reserve. That doesn’t mean you should skip it entirely though. If you have your dog with you, head past the entrance sign and watch for a second silver gate on your left. This leads to the ridge trail, where a very strenuous half-mile hike takes you up to a vista overlooking Putah Creek valley. It’s steep and short but genuinely rewarding.

For a longer outing without your dog, there’s a moderate one-mile hike up to the Old Homestead, also off-limits to dogs. A steep half-mile option goes to the Spillway Overlook with impressive views, though again, dogs aren’t permitted.

The landscape here shifts between chaparral and oak woodland as you gain elevation, and the quietness of the area is striking—you’ll actually hear the wind and bird calls rather than other hikers. Bring significantly more water than you think you’ll need. A strenuous hike with 1,500 feet of gain on a sunny day can dehydrate both you and your dog quickly, and there’s no water source on the trail itself.

The best approach is calling ahead to confirm current pet policies and trail conditions before you go. Leashing requirements and any seasonal closures can change, and the staff can give you specific directions to the dog-friendly ridge trail so you don’t waste time or energy figuring it out on site. The hike works best in cooler months—summer heat makes those exposed ridge sections genuinely uncomfortable.