Suscol Headwaters Park

Suscol Headwater Preserve

Suscol Headwaters Park

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The southern entrance to Suscol Headwaters Park is open!

The new parking lot for Suscol Headwaters Park at 1700 North Kelly Rd in Napa is open for use.

You can access Suscol Headwaters Park either through Skyline Wilderness Park, or through the new parking lot. Trail rules and day-use parking fees are identical through both entrances ($6/car). Skyline Park annual passes are accepted at the North Kelly Rd. parking lot. Please display the annual pass on your dashboard when parking.

See below for driving directions and Google map to the parking lot and the new Suscol Headwaters Park trail map.

Activities: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Equestrian Use, Wildlife Viewing

Location: Suscol Headwaters Park is accessible through Skyline Wilderness Park or via the parking lot at 1700 North Kelly Rd (open 10/24/26).

~ Via North Kelly Rd: (Google Map here) The access trail begins with a short walk up the service road to the trail, which climbs the ridge into the park. The access trail runs for approximately 3.5 miles before entering the main body of Suscol Headwaters Park, but climbing the ridge on the access trail will immediately get you views out over southern Napa County.

~ Via Skyline Wilderness Park: (Google Map here). Access is through a gate in the Napa Solano Ridge Trail at the top of Skyline Park. Please see a trail map of Skyline Park here to map your route to Suscol Headwaters Park (bottom right hand corner of map).

Hours: North Kelly Rd parking lot is open sunrise to sunset, Skyline Wilderness Park is open 7am-5pm Fall/Winter & 7am-7pm Spring/Summer.

Fees & Details:

~ There is an entrance fee of $6/car at the North Kelly Rd parking lot for Suscol Headwaters Park. Skyline Park annual passes are accepted at this parking lot. Please display the annual pass on your dashboard when parking.

~ There is an entrance fee of $6/car for the main parking lot of Skyline Wilderness Park & $3 to walk in/$3 bike in for the main entrance and the River to Ridge entrance. All trails are multi-use. This is a lengthy round-trip hike – please bring water and consult a map of Skyline Park before starting.

Amenities: North Kelly Rd has a portable restroom and ADA parking, no potable water. Skyline Wilderness Park has restrooms, ADA parking and potable water.

Park Rules: Please respect private property and do not trespass. Observe park boundary signs and stay on NOSD property at all times. No hunting or shooting allowed in this park. Please stay on official trails and do not use or create social trails. Dogs are not allowed on trails.

Maps and Park Notes: Suscol Headwaters Park Trail Map (Updated 10.24.26), Google Map for Suscol Headwaters Park via Skyline Park, Skyline Wilderness Park Trail Map

Suscol Headwater Preserve collage

The 709 acres that comprise Suscol Headwaters Park were acquired by the Napa Open Space District between 2015 and 2017. It is immediately south of Skyline Wilderness Park, which has over 25 miles of trail, building and expanding upon the existing hiking, biking, and horseback-riding opportunities.

The park includes several promontories that offer sweeping views of the surrounding area, from Mount St. Helena in the north to San Francisco in the south, providing an invaluable geography lesson to local residents who may never have seen the region from such a perspective.

Suscol Headwaters officially opened as a public park in 2020, and the District is currently designing the trail system that will be built over the next several years. Eventually, we will have access points in addition to the Skyline Park entrance. Currently, there is an official trail leading to The Prominence at the peak of the property as well as dirt fire roads that are hiker/cyclist friendly.

Flora and Fauna

Open grasslands spotted with wild flowers give way to oak and bay laurel woodlands, with closed canopy riparian habitat found along several creeks. Native wildflowers include common fiddleneck, sky lupine, purple owl’s clover, and California poppy. The spring finds the hillsides awash with the yellows, oranges, and purples of these blooms.

The park is home to many birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, including bobcat, mountain lion, coyote, and gray fox. Wildlife surveys have observed over 136 different species on the property. Hawks, owls, newts, and rattlesnakes are among the countless other animals found within the park. Suscol Creek provides high quality aquatic habitat for native fish and amphibians, including steelhead trout, the local population of which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The park’s many habitats and large variety of plant and animal species makes it a special place to explore and protect.

Additional Suscol Headwaters Park Information and Articles: