Calistoga Geyser and Mill Day
Watch a geyser erupt, meet the fainting goats, then see an old water wheel grind flour. Wine country without the wine.
1.75 hrs drive · 1 day · Best for all ages · Mar–Oct
Day 1: Geyser, trees and mill
- 9:00 Old Faithful Geyser of California at opening; ask staff when the next eruption is due before you pay
- 10:30 Visit the goats at the Animal Farm, then picnic on site
- 12:00 Walk the short trail at the Petrified Forest
- 2:00 Bale Grist Mill on a weekend to watch the water wheel and milling demo
- 3:30 Optional: hike the 2.4-mile round-trip History Trail toward Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, or swim at the Bothe pool on summer weekends
From parents who have been
- Old Faithful has become unreliable. One 2021 visitor was told it had erupted only once that day, and another waited about an hour. Ask staff when the next eruption is likely before you pay. Roadside America visitor tips
- Several visitors felt the geyser was overpriced for a whole family, at about $15 per adult and $9 per child. A fence also blocks some of the view. The goats and llamas are what kids tend to remember most. Roadside America visitor tips
- Each eruption lasts only about 4 to 8 minutes. Fill the wait with the small goat farm (fainting goats plus a guard llama) and the bocce courts on site. California Through My Lens
- The Bale Grist Mill is about a five-minute walk through the woods, and a stroller can make it. Kids can watch grain being ground. The fresh flour sold in the store was cash or check only. 7x7
- Pair the mill in the morning with a picnic at Bothe, since the two parks connect by trail. Gott's in St. Helena is the kid-friendly lunch stop parents name most, with shade and milkshakes. SF Tourism Tips
Good to know
- Old Faithful Geyser opens daily at 9 AM. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for ages 4 to 11, and free under 4. Plan 1 to 2 hours. Picnics are allowed.
- Bale Grist Mill is open Saturdays and Sundays only, 10 AM to 4 PM. It costs $8 for adults, $3 for ages 6 to 17, and is free under 6.
- The Bothe-Napa Valley spring-fed pool is open weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 1 to 5 PM, with lifeguards. It has a separate pool fee.
- Most geyser paths are flat, with some fine gravel, so strollers mostly work.
Sources: Old Faithful Geyser plan your visit · Napa Outdoors: Bale Grist Mill · Napa Valley State Parks: Bothe · NapaValley.com: Petrified Forest · California Through My Lens: Petrified Forest