Angwin, Angwin, CA

Angwin perches on Howell Mountain well above the Napa Valley floor, at roughly 1,800 feet, and the light and air feel different up here. Nights are cooler, forest closes in on the roads, and the whole place feels quieter. Homes here range from simple cabins in the woods to custom houses with valley views. Near the college campus, many houses were built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and sit on wooded lots, while parcels of several acres, some with room for vines, spread out through the surrounding forest. The Pacific Union College forest is the town's backyard. More than 35 miles of trails thread through redwoods and Douglas firs, with madrones and bay laurels below, and a viewpoint at Inspiration Point. Entry points include Las Posadas Road and the airport on Airport Way. Trails are open from dawn to dusk, dogs stay on leash, and there is no fee, though cell coverage is unreliable. Las Posadas State Forest is just up the road for more hiking. Adamus and O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery are two of the Howell Mountain wineries among the trees. Eating out is a short list. Howell Mountain Market at 15 Angwin Avenue has operated since 1902 and stocks natural foods and bulk goods, with a lot of vegetarian items, and it carries no alcohol, no tobacco and no meat. Howell Mountain Deli is the other regular stop, for sandwiches and hot lunches. For a real restaurant meal or a full grocery trip, the drive is down to St. Helena, about 20 minutes by way of Deer Park Road, and Napa is roughly 35 minutes out. That road is the cost of the view. It is winding and narrow in places, a car is needed for almost everything, and power can drop out more often than in the valley. Twenty minutes separates this hilltop from St. Helena, but the forest between them makes it feel like a different county.