Monumental Questions - More Views of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument

Darlene Collisson • May 9, 2023

Yes, the mountains of the northern Inner Coast Range Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument are not as high as the Sierra Nevada or even the Klamath Mountains. However, if you know where to go, you can get some amazing views.


I have previously recommended Annie’s Trail, Berryessa Peak, Snow Mountain, and a few other places for great views in Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. After rereading the post, I realized that there are other places that deserve a mention.


Cedar Roughs is located west of Lake Berryessa and has only one access trail – Cedar Roughs Trail. (A new access may be available soon thanks to Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District.) Iron Mountain is not the highest point in Cedar Roughs Wilderness, but it offers a good view of Lake Berryessa from a vantage that most people never see. Additionally, Cedar Roughs is rarely visited so the area is quite remote and relatively undisturbed.


Cold Spring Mountain is the high point of Molok Luyuk, which is included in the proposed expansion of the Monument. Goat, Snow, and St John Mountains are all visible to the north from this peak, even when visibility is low. Mount Konocti, Cobb Mountain, Mount St Helena, Fiske Peak, and Glascock Mountain can be seen to the south. To the east, visitors can see the Sierra and Sutter Buttes. On clear days, Mount Diablo, Mount Lassen, and Mount Shasta can be seen. This is truly a 360-degree view!


Also visible from Cold Spring Mountain is Bear Valley. In the spring, the valley is multi-colored due to the wildflowers. The valley is accessible from Cold Spring Mountain by taking Walker Ridge Road north to Brim Road. As this is a valley, one cannot see very far. However, the view is amazing when the flowers are in bloom. Shades of yellow, purple, pink, and green are a sight to see under blue skies dotted with white clouds. Check out the photo album from our May 6 visit to get a taste of how beautiful it can be!


-Nate Lillge (nlillge@tuleyome.org)


Tuleyome Adventures and Engagement Director


Certified California Naturalist


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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
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