Robert Louis Stevenson State Park

About Robert Louis Stevenson State Park

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park is the place where the famous author of "Treasure Island Kidnapped" spent the first half of his life. The area is impassable and the site has not been identified because there is nothing left of Stevenson's cabin.

On a good day, you can see Shasta, which is 192 miles away, and on a bad day, you have to be at least 100 miles north of San Francisco to see much of the Bay Area.

The best seasons are spring and fall, but in winter we offer some of the best hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking and hiking trails in California. Dogs are not allowed to protect wildlife and other natural resources within the park.

The Stevenson Memorial is a 2 km circular walk, and the top of Mt. Saint Helenais is just 1.5 km from the main entrance to the park. The best view of the vineyards is offered by Mount Saint-Helena, which can be reached by a 5 km long path that winds through the vineyards and enjoys the view. You can see the imposing mountain that towers over the vineyards and beyond, but the best view of everything is at the top of Mount St. Helena, which is about 1,500 feet above sea level and about 2,000 feet higher than the mountain.

Crispy, clear winter days mean breathtaking views from the summit, and while winter is not the most popular season for wine tours, it is a great time to admire the vineyards and mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the valley below. Members of the Sierra Club plan a wine tour to the top of Mt. Saint-Helenais, a refreshing way to celebrate the past year and welcome the coming year.

Stevenson, best known for his imaginative novels, spent Mr. Hyde's honeymoon on the summit of Mount Saint-Helenais, the highest point in the Sierra Nevada. Robert Louis Stevenson State Park is protected by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Forest Service.

A world traveller, Stevenson, constantly on the lookout for relief from chronic tuberculosis, trotted to Switzerland, the South of France and Samoa. The American Fanny Osbourne, whom he married, the Scottish-born singer followed his heart to the Sierra Nevada, where he lived with his wife and children.

The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in an abandoned Silverado mining camp, where they moved into an old cabin and used hay for their bed. But the money wasn't enough, and Stevenson flipped through his notebook for stories of the many colorful Napa Valley residents who met him, from stage drivers to winemakers. Over time, he filled the diary with local color and later wrote "Silverado Squatters" that introduced him to American readers.

Follow the path that leads to the remote Stevenson site and you will have a view of the San Joaquin Valley, Napa Valley and Sierra Nevada. At sunrise and later at night, the scent of sweet bay fills the gorge, and an open book recalls the author's stay in the mountains and marks the location of his hut. The mountain itself has become one of California's most popular tourist attractions, perhaps belying its status as a national park, but it also houses a number of other historic sites.

Travelers interested in learning more about Robert Louis Stevenson and his life and work should visit the Silverado Museum in St. Helena, located seven miles south of Calistoga, as well as the Stevenson Library and Museum in the Park.

The Stevenson Memorial Trail is particularly pleasant when you walk the first interesting mile through the forest to the memorial. The beautiful views get better with each ascent, but frankly the well-graded fire road leading to and from the summit is a bit dull. But the picturesque views of the Sierra Nevada and the magnificent views on the way down more than compensate.