Lake Berryessa Recreation Area
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Lake Berryessa Recreation Area is a popular destination in northern California that offers a range of outdoor activities for visitors.
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Summary
The area is located in Napa County and is known for its beautiful scenery, water sports, and diverse wildlife.
Some good reasons to visit Lake Berryessa Recreation Area include the many recreational opportunities available, such as boating, fishing, hiking, and camping. The area is also home to a number of historic sites, including the Monticello Dam and the Spanish Flat Recreation Area.
One point of interest to see at Lake Berryessa is the Glory Hole, a unique spillway located at the Monticello Dam. There are also several hiking trails in the area that offer stunning views of the lake and surrounding landscape.
Interesting facts about Lake Berryessa Recreation Area include that it is one of the largest man-made lakes in California, with a capacity of over 1.6 million acre-feet. The area is also home to several endangered species, including the California red-legged frog and the northern spotted owl.
The best time of year to visit Lake Berryessa Recreation Area is during the summer months, when the weather is warm and ideal for water sports. However, visitors can enjoy the area year-round, with activities such as hiking and camping available in the fall, winter, and spring.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Spanish Flat Camp Site Office
Lupine Shores Camp Site
Foothill Pines - Lake Berryessa - USBR
Spanish Flat Camp Site
Lupine Shores - Lake Berryessa - USBR
Steele Canyon Camp Site
Cedar Roughs Wilderness
Lake Hennessy City Recreational Area
Putah Creek Wildlife Area
Las Posadas State Forest
Vinyard Park