From the shore of Lake Berryessa, you still can see the results of the wildfire that swept across this part of Napa County last year. Ash carpets miles of hills, with blackened tree skeletons another reminder of the devastation late last summer.
From a boat, it’s a different picture. Emerald water extends for miles. Spring is taking hold on Berryessa’s eastern shore as the first sprouts of green emerge in some burn zones. Cabins, marinas and recreation facilities are reopening, a sign that better days are ahead.
The Hennessey Fire blazed through the surrounding communities last summer, destroying homes and forcing one of Northern California’s prime tourist destinations to shut down for a month. It burned much of the western shore of the lake and even jumped across water and burned little Goat Island.
Now, rebuilding begins.
“Lake Berryessa has great proximity, little competition, good weather nine months a year, the famous Napa Valley nearby and good county support,” said Richard Ragatz of Ragatz Realty, a Eugene, Ore., consulting service that Napa County hired to produce a marketing report about Berryessa.
The lake, 23 miles long and 3 miles wide, is the largest recreation lake in the Bay Area. In normal years it is a top destination for boating, water sports, camping, cabin rentals and fishing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the lake, about 1.6 million people visit each year.
From the south, the lake ranges from Monticello Dam and Markley Cove on north past a series of deep coves on the western shore, past islands and then extends along an open shoreline to Putah Creek. The dam is set in a high, deep canyon, which then backs up water through a long valley edged by several ravines. The surrounding landscape is upland woodlands with oaks. To the nearby east, the Blue Ridge-Berryessa Natural Area spans 800,000 acres, its 3,000-foot ridge towering over the lake.
Spring conditions are arriving, with the hills reborn in green in the unburned areas across the foothills to the east. The lake is 73% full — far higher than most major reservoirs in Northern California. The bass and salmon are biting, and the opening of camping season is off to a fast start, say staffers at recreation sites.
“Cabins, tents and RVs — everybody’s been making camping reservations like crazy,” said Lynn Graham, the store manager at Pleasure Cove Resort and Marina.
Here are five great spots to visit this spring.
The store and cabins at Markley Cove were destroyed by fire, but the dock and boat ramp are open.
Photos by John Storey / Special to the ChronicleMarkley Cove
From Monticello Dam, Markley Cove extends into a long, narrow arm of the lake to the south along Highway 128. It provides an excellent launch point for kayaks, canoes and inflatables, and often provides good bass fishing from spring through early summer. The boat ramp and dock are open. The gas facility for boats has been rebuilt, and the dock for long-term boat mooring in Markley Cove remains untouched. Yet what remains of the resort’s on-land infrastructure is a shed-like kiosk at the entrance station. The store and cabins are gone. Contact: Markley Cove, 707-966-2134, www.markleycove.com
Two men fish near Pleasure Cove Marina at Lake Berryessa earlies this month.
John Storey / Special to the ChroniclePleasure Cove Resort and Marina
In something of a local miracle, Pleasure Cove escaped fire damage. The store, cabins, campgrounds, boats for rent and docks all emerged untouched. The resort is nestled along the foot of Wragg Canyon, a deep, southern arm of the lake. It is a pretty boat ride to the mouth of the cove and the main lake, where those participating in water sports turn left and let it rip, and those there to fish and low-speed boaters turn right and often venture to an area called the Narrows. Reservations are up this spring for camping (both tent and RV sites) and cabins. At nearby Capell Cove, the boat ramp is also open. Contact: Pleasure Cove Marina, 707-966-9600, www.goberryessa.com
Capell Cove, on the southern arm of Lake Berryessa, provides an ideal place for this visitor to try his luck with a rod and reel.
John Storey / Special to the ChronicleSteele Canyon Recreation Area
Steele Canyon is located in one of Berryessa’s largest coves and across the water from Spanish Flat. The campground narrowly eluded fire damage, said Steele Canyon employee Jennifer Adams. “They saved all of it, except a handful of trees and a porta-potty,” Adams said. The boat ramp is open, she added, and new docks with boat slips have arrived and will open soon. As you near the main lake, the area is popular with wakeboarders, water skiers and personal watercraft. Anglers troll at the mouth of Skier’s Cove for salmon and trout. Contact: Steele Canyon Recreation Area, 707-966-9179, http://www.lakeberryessacampgrounds.com/
Spanish Flat
Spanish Flat is located across the water from Steele Park. For boaters, it provides access to excellent nearby areas for water sports and fishing. It is open for family camping — no groups — self-service most days with the gatehouse often not staffed at present. Reservations will be available starting April 1. The entrance to Spanish Flat was severely burned. Contact: Spanish Flat Recreation Area, 707-966-0200, www.spanishflatcamping.com
Putah Canyon
Putah Canyon is Berryessa’s most distant recreation site. Of 98 campsites, most have lake views and there is a boat ramp in the campground. It is a short boat ride to Putah Creek and to a signed 5 mph zone that is excellent for kayaks, canoes and fishing. On spring mornings, upper Putah Creek can provide some of the best smallmouth fishing in Northern California. The recreation site is located along Berryessa-Knoxville Road at the northwest end of the lake. Contact: Putah Canyon Recreation Area, 707-966-9051, www.californiasbestcamping.com/sonoma/putah.html
Tom Stienstra is The San Francisco Chronicle’s outdoors writer emeritus. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @StienstraTom