Enjoying Outside - The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument - Something for Everyone!

Kristie Ehrhardt • July 2, 2025

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument (the Monument) quite literally has something for everyone who loves the outdoors. From rugged wilderness camping to glamping, from hunting to passive birdwatching and from OHV recreating to horseback trail riding; anyone who enjoys being outside can find something to soothe their souls in these nearly 350,000 acres of public land.

 

Cache Creek is the only outlet for Clear Lake (the largest freshwater, natural lake in California) with two major tributaries being the North Fork Cache Creek and Bear Creek. It is regionally famed for its whitewater rafting and kayaking experiences. To Learn more about Cache Creek visit https://sacriver.org/explore-watersheds/westside-subregion/cache-creek-watershed/

 

Indian Valley Reservoir boasts some prime boating and fishing opportunities with large and smallmouth bass, Kokanee salmon, crappie, rainbow trout, bluegill and catfish. The 300,000 acres Indian Valley Reservoir was created when the Indian Valley Dam was constructed on the North Fork of Cache Creek. It offers boating, fishing and swimming but during the hot, dry summer months the lake level may drop significantly which decreases the speed limit for boats from five to ten miles per hour depending on your location. The lake is part of the Indian Valley Recreation Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) but the reservoir itself is managed by the Yolo Flood Control and Water Conservation District.


The Monument boundaries also include three designated wilderness areas: Cedar Roughs Wilderness located west of Lake Berryessa, Cache Creek Wilderness located in the heart of the Monument and Snow Mountain Wilderness Area located alongside Snow Mountain. Additionally the Yuki Wilderness is immediately adjacent to the far northern boundary of the Monument. Typically motorized vehicles of any sort are not allowed in wilderness areas and camping is primitive. What you will find is solitude and only the sounds of nature. 


The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is also bursting with recreational areas, trails and campgrounds dispersed all throughout the Monument. Just a few of the possibilities are listed below, there are many more to explore. Click here to see a cool map and to learn more about recreational activities within the Monument.


Knoxville Recreation Area includes an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) park and a wildlife area. OHV riding is also welcome on existing established roads but please keep them off of firebreaks as unauthorized activity contributes to erosion and hampers revegetation. A map of the Knoxville Recreation Area is available here.


There are many (SO many!) hiking trails throughout the Monument, please see Tuleyome’s Trail Guide for a description of some of our favorites including Fiske Peak, Annie’s Trail, Judge Davis Trail, Lynch Canyon and Signal Rock among many others!


Other recreational opportunities in the Monument include:

  • Horseback Riding and Mountain Biking: There are many trails to explore the Monument from a either type of saddle!
  • Hunting and Fishing is permitted on public lands within the Monument but appropriate licenses and permits are required. Please follow all restrictions and regulations as set forth by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
  • Wildlife viewing, birdwatching and photography opportunities abound throughout the Monument. You may even be lucky enough to witness some special-status species such as Bald or Golden Eagles, Tule Elk or Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs.
  • Seasonal wildflower viewing. The Monument has a stunning display of wildflowers in the spring. Keep an eye on Tuleyome’s website for upcoming wildflower hike dates next spring.


Be sure to check weather and trail conditions before you head out. Summer hiking can be very rigorous with high temperatures, little shade and no available water. Be sure to plan ahead and let others know where you’re going and when you expect to return. See you on the trail!


-Kristie Ehrhardt (kehrhardt@tuleyome.org)

Tuleyome Land Conservation Program Manager

RECENT ARTICLES

Policy Corner: The Community Alternative Management Plan for Berryessa Snow Mountain

By Bryan Pride • November 3, 2025
It’s been a decade since the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument was designated in 2015, and just last year we celebrated the expansion of the Monument to include Molok Luyuk. Now we’re in an exciting new phase: working alongside our community to shape how this incredible landscape will be protected for generations to come. Throughout 2025, Tuleyome has been collaborating with the Bureau of Land Management to submit detailed information about the many “objects of interest” that make our National Monument so special, from unique soils, to native plants, breathtaking geology and the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous people who have called this plan home for thousands of years. This information will help BLM develop the Monument’s resource management plan. But we’re not stopping there. We’re doing something that reflects the very best of what public lands protection can be: we’re creating a Community Alternative Management Plan (CAMP). What makes the CAMP different? The Berryessa Snow Mountain coalition brings together people who know the landscape intimately: climate scientists, geologists, botanists, hydrologists, recreationists, conservationists, community members and representatives from tribal nations. These aren’t just experts, they’re our neighbors, the people who hike these trails, study these ecosystems, and carry forward traditional knowledge passed down through generations. By bringing diverse expertise and perspectives to the table, we’re creating a management plan that is inclusive, and reflective of what the Monument means to all of us. The CAMP follows models like the Bears Ears National Monument and the Mojave Trails National Monument , where community-driven planning has shown that the best way to protect public lands is to partner with the people who care and know the landscapes the best. This is a co-stewardship in action, a real commitment to ensuring that local experts and tribal knowledge shape how we care for these lands. Once complete, we will present the CAMP to BLM to help inform their final Monument management plan. It is one of the many ways Tuleyome is making sure that those of us who visit, recreate, live near and hold cultural connections to the Monument have our voices heard in the decisions that affect these places we love. The work continues and we’re grateful to be doing it alongside a community that cares as deeply about Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument as we do. Want to get involved or learn more? Contact Bryan Pride, bpride@tuleyome.org , Tuleyome’s Policy Director

Stebbins Cold Canyon Workday

By Nate Lillge • October 2, 2025
Tuleyome was excited to be back in the field at Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve. Volunteers installed a Chronolog station that will help monitor restoration efforts on the Blue Ridge Trail. This station - a post next to the trail that encourages hikers to take a photo - will help UC Reserve System document the changes at the site without large amounts of resources and time dedicated to monitoring. You can be a part of restoration efforts by taking a photo at the station. Thanks to our volunteers who joined us! Photos from the day are available on Flickr . Check out our website for more chances to help Tuleyome maintain trails! More information about Chronolog can be found on their website . There are currently two cameras at Stebbins - one monitoring big leaf maples and this one on the Blue Ridge Trail . Head to Stebbins and be a part of the restoration efforts!

Welcome Horticultural Interns!

By Geoff Benn • October 2, 2025
Interns Diego, Ellen, and Rithika on the Rotary Pavilion at the Preserve Tuleyome is excited to welcome three new Horticultural Interns for Fall 2025! This is our second year offering this internship, where we pair college students with mentors at Woodland Regional Park Preserve to assist with projects including invasive plant removal, native plantings, and native species monitoring. This year’s cohort includes three UC Davis Environmental Science and Management majors – senior Diego Barraza and sophomores Ellen Jenkins and Rithika Warrier. They will be mentored by longtime Preserve volunteers Jennifer Hogan and Teri Barry. Over the course of the Fall Quarter, the interns will join volunteer crews for work days at the Preserve, providing opportunities for both skill development and networking. The Preserve, which opened to the public in May 2025, is a restored former landfill site that was developed into nature preserve to provide outdoor education opportunities and to protect the rare and endangered plants found on the site. The Preserve is a collaborative effort by the City of Woodland, Tuleyome, Yolo Habitat Conservancy, Rotary clubs, and other local organizations and volunteers. If you have any questions about the internship program or Tuleyome’s work at the Preserve, please contact Geoff Benn at gbenn@tuleyome.org.