Old Faithful Geyser of California — Attraction in Napa Valley AVA

As we sat in the deserted parking lot of the faithful geyser park, we debated if we should go in. Sitting in front of us were small billboards full of promises. “Llama!” One billboard exclaimed. “Faithful Geyser!” Another seemed to shriek gleefully.

It vaguely reminded me of a museum in the hills of Oklahoma I had frequented as a a boy. So reluctantly, well within nostalgias grasps, we entered and handed over $30 for the two of us.

As we walked through the entryway, the sheer vacuousness of the facility hit me. We were truly alone. 100 feet in front of us, sat a puddle with some rocks in it. That was to be the main attraction when it erupted. Surrounding the puddle was seating for hundreds, on benches, in out of place cabanas, even some swings were set up to gaze at the geyser.

Thinking it was near moments from erupting, we hurriedly explored the facility. This is when we realized this attractions past was far better than its present. We saw signs talking about the old bath house that used to be there, “that would have been cool to use” we thought to ourselves. Another sign informed us this was the location of zebra fishes introduction to the west. "Those would have been cool to see" we thought to ourselves as the sign informed us all the fish were now gone. We then searched for the llama that had been promised. It was nowhere to be found. The closest we got was a plywood cutout of a llama that you’re supposed to stick your head in and be it’s face. But in a bizarre twist, the llama cutout already had eyes, so it felt as though you were an unwelcome guest, demonically possessing the llama while it’s sad eyes screamed for all of this to end.

By this point, it wasn’t the only one screaming for it to all end. We were out of activities and the geyser had still not gone off. We then went inside and asked when it was expected to go off, they said "maybe in a few hours". We left, knowing in our heart we had been scammed. As we were exiting, they informed us we could come back tomorrow for free. How kind of them. One out of five stars, please don’t lie...

The Old Faithful Geyser of California

If you've never been to Yellowstone, here's your chance to see another geyser up close! While driving around Calistoga, my significant other remembered that her dad always mentioned a geyser in Napa County, so we decided to find it.

The "Old Faithful Geyser of California" erupts regularly every 30 minutes, shooting hot water about 60 feet into the air. Although some call it "artificial" because it erupts from a well casing drilled in the late 19th century, it still provides an impressive display. According to Dr. John Rinehart in his book "A Guide to Geyser Gazing," a man once drilled into the geyser while searching for water and "simply opened up a dead geyser."

Artificial or not, the geyser gives people like me, who haven't seen the "real" thing, a great idea of what geysers look like and how they work!

The entrance fee is $15 for adults, and you can easily spend an hour or two here. You can wait for the next eruption and then explore the surrounding area.

So, how does a geyser work? According to Encyclopedia Britannica:

"Geysers result from the heating of groundwater by shallow bodies of magma. They are generally associated with areas that have seen past volcanic activity. The spouting action is caused by the sudden release of pressure that has been confining near-boiling water in deep, narrow conduits beneath a geyser. As steam or gas bubbles begin to form in the conduit, hot water spills from the vent of the geyser, and the pressure is lowered on the water column below. Water at depth then exceeds its boiling point and flashes into steam, forcing more water from the conduit and lowering the pressure further. This chain reaction continues until the geyser exhausts its supply of boiling water."

Whether you're a nature lover or just curious about geysers, the Old Faithful Geyser of California is...

It's been year since I've been here, like 1995, also with my wife (girlfriend back then). We pass it all the time but haven't stopped. This day my wife and I had to run a few errands and knew we would be passing by.

The grounds are much different from back then, to be expected. Really cool area, with Bocce, lounge style covered seating, and a cool area with goats, sheep, and alpacas.

You can also you the area for picnics. They have a small area with free ice, a sink and stocked a few other things if needed.

I asked if you can bring wine, beer, or other adult beverages and they said that would be fine to do so. They do not sell any food and may only have soda and water for sale, but I'm not even sure about that.

If you do decide to picnic, remember to pack your trash and maybe even tip the person behind the desk for the free ice and any help they provide.

If you're visiting from out of town, I would say you should try to stop by, you really only need to spend 30-60 minutes there if your crunched for time. If you live in the area, make it a point to visit something in your own backyard. Have fun.

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