The Rebobs of Partrick Road

Hidden in the western hills of Napa Valley is a lonely stretch of pavement known as Partrick Road. By day it winds through vineyards, oak woodlands, and private property. At night, however, the road has become one of Northern California’s strangest pieces of folklore.

For generations, locals have whispered about creatures known as the Rebobs.

Descriptions vary depending on who you ask, but the most common version describes them as small winged monkey-like creatures with glowing eyes. Some stories even claim they are part machine, giving rise to the nickname “robot monkeys.” Others describe them as grotesque bat-like primates that leap from trees and swoop down onto passing vehicles.

The legend has existed since at least the 1950s and 1960s, becoming a rite of passage for Napa teenagers. Friends would pile into cars late at night and drive to the end of Partrick Road, hoping to catch a glimpse of one. According to the legend, if you parked your car around midnight and turned off the engine, the Rebobs would emerge from the surrounding forest. Some claimed they landed on the roof of the car, scratching and screeching. Others insisted they stayed hidden among the trees, watching anyone who dared enter their territory.

Like many cryptid legends, the origins of the Rebobs are just as bizarre as the creatures themselves.

One of the most popular stories claims a reclusive scientist living deep in the hills began experimenting on monkeys, attaching mechanical parts and wings in an attempt to create flying hybrid creatures. After the scientist disappeared or died, the creatures supposedly escaped into the surrounding forest where they multiplied over the decades. Another version replaces the lone scientist with a secret government laboratory hidden in the mountains, where military experiments produced the creatures before they escaped into the wild. These tales have never been supported by evidence, but they remain the most enduring explanations for the legend.

There are also more skeptical explanations.

Some longtime Napa residents believe the Rebob story was invented by parents to keep teenagers away from Partrick Road, which had become a popular lovers’ lane. Others think the legend grew during the era of classic monster movies, when giant insects, flying creatures, and mad scientists filled movie theaters across America. Over time, every generation added new details until the Rebobs became one of Napa Valley’s signature urban legends.

Whether anyone has truly encountered a Rebob remains unknown. There are no verified photographs, physical evidence, or documented biological specimens. Yet the legend refuses to die. It continues to inspire paranormal investigations, documentaries, local discussions, and even stage productions celebrating one of Napa’s strangest hometown legends.

Today, Partrick Road remains a real location, but much of the surrounding land is private property. Visitors should respect property boundaries, avoid trespassing, and remember that the Rebobs remain firmly in the realm of local folklore rather than established fact.

Whether they’re escaped experiments, government creations, or simply a story told around campfires and late-night drives, the Rebobs have earned their place among California’s most unusual cryptid legends.