Wine Geo: the Navarro River

Base map via USGS: https://apps.nationalmap.gov

The Navarro River flows for just a short distance—about 28 miles/45 km in total—across Mendocino County. The beginning point, located in the foothills of California’s Coast Range, about one mile south of the town of Philo, is defined as the point where two creeks—Anderson Creek and Rancheria Creek—join to form the main stem of the Navarro River.

On its short journey to the Pacific Ocean, the Navarro River winds its way through the Anderson Valley, named by Walter Anderson, who settled near (what is now) the town of Boonville with his family in 1851. The Anderson Valley is a rich, cool-climate agricultural valley planted to vineyards—featuring Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Riesling—as well as over thirty bonded wineries. The Anderson Valley is also home to apple orchards, cideries, dairy farms, grazing land for sheep and goats, and breweries. California State Highway 128 cuts through the Anderson Valley—never too far from the river itself—from the town of Philo all the way to the river’s mouth at the Pacific Ocean.

Photo of Redwood Trees in the Navarro River Redwoods State Park by David Eppstein, via Wikimedia Commons

Just a few miles from its source, the Navarro River flows through Hendy Woods State Park. In this small area—tucked between vineyards, tasting rooms, and farms—you will find two small groves of old-growth coast redwoods. Named Big Hendy (covering 80 acres) and Little Hendy (covering 20 acres), and thanks to Joshua Hendy—a previous owner who stipulated that the property must always be protected from logging—these areas are known to contain some trees that are over 300 feet (91 m) tall and are estimated to be 1,000 years old.

If you continue your trek along the river, soon you will drive past the town of Navarro and leave the rolling fields of agriculture behind. At this point you will have entered the Navarro River Redwoods State Park. Here, you will be whisked into a narrow, 11-mile stretch of redwood forests known as the “Redwood Tunnel.”  Here, you can enjoy hiking, picnicking, swimming, kayaking, and canoeing (and even camping if you are so inclined).

Once you travel though the Redwood Tunnel you are just two miles from the coast. As you meet the Pacific Ocean, you have reached the end of Highway 128. At this point, if you are in the mood for a road trip, you’ve come to the right place—the end point of Highway 128 runs intersects with California Highway 1—portions of which are known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)—and which can carry you across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, and all the way to Dana Point in Orange County.

Base map via the USGS

Prior to the arrival of European Settlers, the area around the Navarro River was inhabited by the Pomo people, who occupied nineteen known village sites. The Pomo people had a estimated population of 600 in 1855. European settlement in the area began in 1851; Walter Anderson (and family) as well as his two step-brothers, Issac and Henry Beeson, were among the first wave.

Wine students will no doubt know that the Navarro River flows through the Anderson Valley AVA—famous for cool-climate Pinot Noir and world class sparkling wine. Click here for a closer look at the Anderson Valley AVA and the vineyards planted in the watershed of the Navarro River.

References/for more information:

• Anderson Valley | Wineries, Vineyards, Restaurants, Lodging (avwines.com)
• Navarro River – Wikipedia
• Navarro River Redwoods State Park 
• Hendy Woods State Park 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Valley
• USGS: https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net