The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
The Knoxville Recreation Area is located in Napa County, California and is a top area destination for ATV and OHV riding. Aside from an OHV staging area, this recreational area includes four primitive campgrounds that can accommodate RVs plus opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and hunting among the landscape of steep, rolling hills and valleys.
This recreation area is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a U.S. government organization that works to keep areas like this one clean and open for the public to use for free. The Knoxville Recreation Area is also a part of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, a collective of 330,780 acres of public-use land within driving distance of San Francisco, Sacramento, and Santa Rosa.
The Long Canyon Loop Trail includes views of Blue Ridge in the greater Knoxville Wildlife Area. Popular with mountain bikers, it can also be hiked although it has some steep parts.
Length: 4 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Featuring an up-close view of Zim Zim Falls, this trail also includes fields of wildflowers and dry valleys. Near Pope Valley, the Zim Zim Falls Trail also has come challenging inclines at its end, near the Zim Zim Waterfall.
Length: 7 miles
Intensity: Moderate
The Fiske Creek Trail features a walking bridge over Fiske Creek plus scattered areas of woodland.
Length: 13.2 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Multiple ponds, creeks, and lakes are found within the Knoxville Recreation Area, including Lake Berryessa and Clear Lake. Anglers can fish for species like catfish, brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, and kokanee salmon in Lake Berryessa, and some hot fishing spots along the lake include Capell Cove and Steel Canyon Inlet. Anytime you plan to fish in the area, be sure to obtain a valid California fishing license to comply with state fishing laws.
In the summer, boating and water skiing are popular on both Lake Berryessa and Clear Lake. Boat launching is offered at Pleasure Cove Marina for Lake Berryessa and at Konocti Vista Casino Resort, Marina, and RV Park for Clear Lake.
Perhaps the top attraction for the Knoxville Recreation Area is off-highway vehicle riding in the North OHV Staging Area. Here, OHV riders can ride over rocks and hills on marked off-roading trails. A parking lot and vault restroom are included in this area, and all OHVs are required to be street licensed or have current off-highway vehicle registration stickers issued by the state of California.
When you want to have a picnic near the Knoxville Recreation Area, consider using the picnic site at the Eticuera Creek Day Use Area, which features picnic tables in pavilions that are free to use. You may also like to use the picnic tables at Highlands Park on Clear Lake, which has amazing views of the lake and include on-site grills.
If you'd like to go RV camping with full hookups near the Knoxville Recreation Area, try staying at Pleasure Cove Campground, which has water, electricity, and free Wi-Fi on Lake Berryessa. You can also take your RV to Canyon Creek Resort, also near Lake Berryessa, which has amenities like a pool, hot tub, and campsite patios on top of full hookups. Another great option is Spanish Flat RV Resort, a campground on its own peninsula of Lake Berryessa. Here, you can enjoy a secluded beach and go fishing or swimming in the lake within walking distance of your RV.
If you're looking for BLM camping near me, check out some of the campgrounds offered at the Knoxville Recreation area. Lower Hunting Creek Campground is an organized Bureau of Land Management campground that has five campsites with shade structures, three sites without, trash bins, and vault toilets. This campground can be found at the intersection of Dunnigan Hill Road and Hunting Creek Road. Other BLM campgrounds in the area include the Cedar Creek, Cement Creek, and Pocock Creek campgrounds, all of which have no facilities but do include marked campsites that you may use for free up to 14 days at a time.
If you plan to ride in the OHV staging area at Knoxville Recreation Area, be sure to bring DOT-approved helmets for all riders as they are required when riding in this area. Anyone who wants to visit the area in the summer may want to bring sunscreen, too since there is little shade here.
When you want to camp at one of the BLM campgrounds, remember that you will have no water or electricity, so pack accordingly. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
Anyone who visits the Knoxville Recreation Area is required to follow the "Leave No Trace" principles put in place by the BLM. These principles include easy-to-follow tasks like picking up after yourself, leaving the natural environment undisturbed, and keeping your distance from any wildlife that you encounter. By following these guidelines, you can help keep this recreation area preserved for future visitors to enjoy as well.
To reach the Knoxville Recreation Area from Napa, begin on Lake Berryessa Road, which follows the west side of the lake. Once the road crosses Putah Creek, you may travel for seven miles to reach the Devilhead Road entrance or for 20 miles to reach the Dunnigan Hill Road entrance for the recreation area.
Ready to visit Knoxville Recreation Area? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
