West of Winters, the Sacramento Valley ends abruptly at the Vaca Mountains, and Putah Creek cuts a narrow canyon through them up to Monticello Dam and Lake Berryessa. This spot lies in that rugged, dry country a short way above Winters, where the valley floor of orchards and fields gives way to steep hills of oak, grey pine and golden grass, burned brown by summer and green after the winter rains.
Lake Berryessa is one of the largest reservoirs in California, created in the 1950s when the dam flooded the Berryessa Valley and the old town of Monticello beneath it. It is best known for its huge, round spillway, called the glory hole, a concrete funnel near the dam that swallows water when the lake is full, a strange and slightly unsettling sight in wet years. Below the dam, Putah Creek runs cold and clear through the canyon, and it is popular with fly fishers.
For a swim, the lake is the obvious choice. There are public day-use areas on its shores, such as Oak Shores, with access to the water, and in high summer, when temperatures in the valley often top thirty-five degrees Celsius, nothing beats a plunge into the warm upper layer of the lake. Putah Creek below the dam has a few swimming holes too, but the water released from the bottom of the reservoir is very cold, and the current can be strong. Swim where others swim and stay away from the dam and spillway.
The riding is the reason to come. Highway 128 runs west from Winters through Putah Canyon, along the creek, then climbs past the dam to the lake and beyond toward Napa Valley. It is a wonderful road, with constant curves, short climbs, rock walls and tight bends along the canyon, and it is well known among Bay Area riders. Expect weekend traffic, fishermen parked on the shoulders, and the occasional rock on the road. It is hot in summer, so ride early.
Winters is a pleasant small town with a historic main street, cafes, restaurants and fuel. After the canyon, a cold drink in town before heading back toward the Bay is a fine way to end the day, and the evening breeze from the Delta takes the edge off the heat.