Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in California, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument protects a broad sweep of northern California’s Inner Coast Range, from the Napa County region to Mendocino National Forest north of Clear Lake. Plan around a particular trailhead: the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service manage different parts of this large monument.

Highlights

For a day on foot, Cache Creek Wilderness offers a canyon landscape reached from Highway 20 trailheads. The monument also includes oak-covered hills, ridgelines, and unusual serpentine soils. Choose one sector for the day so that a scenic drive does not consume the time intended for walking.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety information

Carry water and navigation essentials. Wilderness trails can be rough or unmarked, and some areas lack cell service. Consult the monument map and recreation guide to identify the correct trailhead, then check current notices; a mapped road or trail is not a promise that it is open. In burned areas, standing dead trees can shed limbs; heavy rain can trigger flash floods and debris flows.

The Ukiah Field Office fire order prohibits campfires and open flames on its BLM lands from June 5, 2026 until rescinded. Shutoff-valve stoves and lanterns using the specified fuels require a valid California campfire permit. Recreational target shooting is temporarily prohibited. Smoking is limited to the stated vehicle or cleared developed-campground exceptions. Engines must stay on designated roads and trails; non-street-legal engines need properly maintained spark arresters. These are BLM conditions; check Forest Service notices separately for its lands.

Visit responsibly

In Cache Creek Wilderness, motorized equipment and mechanical transport, including bicycles, are generally prohibited, subject to specific legal exceptions. A vehicle route elsewhere in the monument does not authorize riding into wilderness.

Maps, location, and access

Redbud Trailhead is on Highway 20 about five miles east of the Highway 20/53 junction; Judge Davis Trailhead is about 14 miles east of that junction. Both provide walking access toward Cache Creek Wilderness. Do not follow older driving directions down Langs Peak Road to Buck Island while the motorized road closure applies.

Nearby parks

For a visit based around the Highway 20 and Lower Lake side of the monument, Anderson Marsh State Historic Park lies on Highway 53 between Lower Lake and Clearlake, while Clear Lake State Park has its entrance on Soda Bay Road northeast of Kelseyville. Both are reached by local public roads rather than through the monument’s backcountry. Both list sunrise-to-sunset access. Anderson Marsh prohibits dogs; Clear Lake limits dogs to parking, paved roads, and campgrounds, excluding trails and day-use areas.

Things to do

Use the Redbud or Judge Davis trail access for a wilderness hike, matching your route to water levels and your ability to navigate rough ground. For a shorter nature-focused outing, concentrate on observing the contrast between oak hills and the plant communities adapted to nutrient-poor serpentine soil.

Facilities and accessibility

Facilities belong to individual recreation sites, so choose the destination before deciding what services to expect. Cedar Roughs Wilderness has no developed recreation facilities. Carry your own essentials for a wilderness outing and ask the managing office about any specific access needs.

About the monument

Established July 10, 2015 and expanded May 2, 2024, the monument contains 344,476 acres of public land split between BLM and Forest Service management. Those agency boundaries matter when checking road closures and fire rules.

Habitats and plant communities

Serpentine soils shape the monument’s ecology: their low nutrients and heavy metals favor plants able to withstand demanding growing conditions. The varied hills and canyons also provide wildlife habitat across the region.

Contact

Official monument planning information provides maps and agency notice links. For the BLM-managed Cache Creek area, call the Ukiah Field Office at 707-468-4000.