Lake Marie Road, Marie Creek, Buckeye Trail Loop
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Lake Marie Road, Marie Creek, Buckeye Trail Loop is a beautiful loop hike just under 6 miles, located in Napa's Skyline Wilderness Park. If you can get to this trail in the springtime, the scenery is vibrant with lush green grass and wildflowers throughout. With light foot-traffic, you can choose your own adventure as there are many junctions and trails winding through the park.
Enter the parking lot just off of Hwy 221. Plan to pay a $5 entrance fee at the kiosk. The trail head begins at the edge of the parking lot where you'll soon be passing by the Martha Walker Native Habitat Garden on your right. Veer left to continue along Lake Marie Road where you'll enter the blue oaks and buckeyes to begin a moderate ascent. The trail becomes increasingly rocky as you climb, but picturesque as you can view Sugarloaf Mountain from the trails highest point. Watch for poison oak and wild turkeys. The turkeys are friendly, the poison oak, not so much!
Two miles in you'll reach a rock wall to your right and will follow a connector trail downhill. As it begins to climb again, stay left. You'll enter a densely wooded area with an abundance of wildflowers in the spring time, including blooming paintbrush, poppies and lupine. Follow the sign to the Chaparral Trail, and turn right at the junction of Chaparral and Upper Marie Creek trails.
At mile 2.7 you'll turn right to cross a small feeder creek and continue straight on Skyline Trail. At mile 3.3 you'll reach a junction with Buckeye Trail where you'll veer right. Follow Buckeye Trail as it descends and runs parallel to Lake Marie Road. You'll reach the junction with Lake Marie Road at 5.5 miles, then retrace your steps back to the trail head.
This is also a great hike to pack in a picnic lunch if you're feeling leisurely. Keep the trails clean and enjoy the fresh air!