Lake Berryessa

Lake Berryessa is a reservoir in Napa County, California, covering roughly 20,000 acres and forming a shoreline that extends around 165 miles (265 kilometers). The water fills a long narrow valley framed by brown hills dotted with oak trees and grassland.

Monticello Dam was built between 1953 and 1958, flooding the farming community of Monticello along with its schoolhouse, cemetery, and orchards. Families left their homesteads before the rising water filled the valley and shaped the new reservoir.

The name recalls José Jesus and Sexto Berrelleza, early residents of the ranch whose spelling was later anglicized. Today houseboats anchor in quiet coves, and anglers gather at narrow pebble beaches along the winding shore in the early morning.

Pleasure Cove Marina offers boat rentals, campsites, and fishing gear for visitors planning to spend several hours or a full day on the water. Sandy shore sections are reachable from parking areas, though some access roads can become very warm in summer.

A funnel-shaped spillway called the Glory Hole becomes visible during high water and can channel over 48,000 cubic feet (1,360 cubic meters) of water per second. The circular throat draws onlookers in winter and spring who watch the swirling water from the dam crest.

Location: Napa County

Elevation above the sea: 135 m

GPS coordinates: 38.57094,-122.23526

Latest update: December 14, 2025 21:34