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Lake Berryessa in Napa Valley, CA

LAKE BERRYESSA

Boating, swimming, hiking, and more in Napa Valley

One of the largest bodies of fresh water in California.

Lake Berryessa offers boating, water skiing, wake-boarding, tubing, and other fast-paced water sports, plus quiet coves for kayaking, swimming and fishing. In the summer, the water can reach 75 degrees — the perfect cool-down after a hike or a stroll through sun-drenched vineyards.

Known for

Boating and paddle sports, swimming, fishing, hiking, camping, picnicking, cycling

Vibe

Outdoorsy, super casual, family-friendly

Population

1,639

Once you get to Lake Berryessa

Just a 45-minute drive through gorgeous countryside from Rutherford — it's well worth the trip there. Head to Pleasure Cove Marina, which offers boat launching, boat and jet ski rentals and boat gasoline. If you want to stay the night, they also offer houseboat and cabin rentals, as well as camping options.

A little Lake Berryessa history

Lake Berryessa is the largest lake in Napa County, California. This reservoir in the Vaca Mountains was formed following the construction of the Monticello Dam on Putah Creek in the 1950s. Since the early 1960s, this reservoir has provided water and hydroelectricity to the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Things to Do at Lake Berryessa

Lake Berryessa in Napa Valley, CA

Things to Do at Lake Berryessa

With summer right around the corner, the warming temperatures remind us that there’s a gorgeous lake just up the hill from the Napa Valley floor. At 23 miles long, Lake Berryessa is the largest lake in Napa County, with a 2,000-acre wildlife…

Trefethen Family Vineyards from above cropped

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