Sightseeing at Lake Berryessa
On the lake:
- Glory Hole - Glory Hole is on the lake, however, cannot be approached by boat or swimmers due to the obvious danger. It is the largest morning glory spillway in the world, where during high waters, water spills into the funnel instead of over the dam. It is approximately 200 feet from the dam and narrows from 72 feet in diameter to 28 feet. The spillway exits on the south side of the dam and in dry months, the horizontal cement cylinder is a haven for skateboarders and bikers. Drive to it by taking Highway 128 to the top of Monticello dam and then pulling into the parking area on the right. Or you can hike to the Spillway Overlook on the Stebbins Cold Canyon trail.
In the area:
- Bothe-Napa Valley State Park - The park is located 5 miles north of St. Helena and 4 miles south of Calistoga on Highway 29/128. There are well over 10 miles of trail for your indulgence, swimming, picnicking, a Visitor Center, a Native American Garden, and the Pioneer Cemetery from the 1800’s.
- Putah Creek State Wildlife Area - 670 acres of gently sloping to steep hillsides of cottonwood riparian, blue oak woodland, and chamise chaparral natural communities. Just a few of the species supported by these habitats include California towhee, Bullock's oriole, and black-headed grosbeak. This area is just downstream of the Monticello dam, where Cold Creek enters Putah Creek, and includes Stebbins' Cold Canyon Reserve.
- Sugarloaf Ridge State Park - 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood, CA 95452 - A 25-foot waterfall flows after the winter rains. There is a self-guided nature trail along Sonoma Creek that starts near the picnic area. With the oak woodland and chaparral, the park has 25 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding. On a clear day, visitors can see views of the Sierra Nevada and the Golden Gate bridge from the 2729-foot summit of Bald Mountain.
- Napa Firefighters Museum, Inc. - 1201 Main Street , Napa CA 707-259-0609 - Featuring the history of firefighting in Napa through photos, scrapbooks, tools and instruments as well as trucks.
