Anderson Valley, located between Cloverdale and the Mendocino Coast, stretches along Hwy 128. Yorkville marks its eastern end, Boonville and Philo are located in its center, and Navarro sits at its western terminus. The main highway is busiest on the weekends as tourists head to and from Mendocino Village and Fort Bragg on the North Coast. The valley is sparsely populated on mostly large parcels, with Boonville leading Anderson Valley in activity and population. The town holds another distinction: it has its own language, called Boontling. Widely used in Boonville during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there are still about 100 people who speak it fluently. An example: “harp a slib of the ling” (speak a little Boontling).

The Anderson Valley is filled with rolling hills, shaded with oak and madrone trees, and home to apple orchards, vineyards and colorful wildflowers. Some 1,000 acres of wine grapes are produced in the area, and many local wineries with tasting rooms are found there, primarily along Hwy 128. According to Food & Wine magazine, “Anderson Valley may be one of the best places in the country to grow Pinot Noir.”