Best Cali On Shore Camping Lake

[wedge44]

Ok, I've been to alot of lakes, but, Everyone respond, IYO, best lake in cali for
1) Camping right on the water
2) Location and water temps and beaches
3) Camping Facilities, showers, restrooms...etc
4) distance from greater LA
and Havasu and Parker don't count... :D

[riverbound]

Ok, I've been to alot of lakes, but, Everyone respond, IYO, best lake in cali for
1) Camping right on the water
2) Location and water temps and beaches
3) Camping Facilities, showers, restrooms...etc
4) distance from greater LA
and Havasu and Parker don't count... :D
Since Parker doesnt count.....Elsinore :D

[wedge44]

Since Parker doesnt count.....Elsinore :D
:hammer2: :hammer2:
OK I'm pACKING AND HEADING TO ELSINORE :hammerhea :hammerhea

[Beer-30]

Don Pedro is excellent. I don't know if it's the best, but it has full hook-ups for $25 / night, that are close to the lake. Right on the water would be dry-camp spots w/no hook-ups. Don't know how much that is /night, but you can park right next to the water.

[SlypperyWhenWet]

Ok, I've been to alot of lakes, but, Everyone respond, IYO, best lake in cali for
1) Camping right on the water
2) Location and water temps and beaches
3) Camping Facilities, showers, restrooms...etc
4) distance from greater LA
and Havasu and Parker don't count... :D
Lake Millerton...When the lake is full.
Over by the launch ramp. Camp sites
are 50' from the agua. You can leave
your boat right in front of you overnight!

[SlypperyWhenWet]

Lake Millerton...When the lake is full.
Over by the launch ramp. Camp sites
are 50' from the agua. You can leave
your boat right in front of you overnight!
Oh yeah that spot on the river across from Laughlin is cool too!

[wedge44]

see now that's what I'm looking for... :D
I've done San Antonio and Nac
Been doing Bass my whole life...Not what it used to be
Did Isabella...tooo windy
I've even sacrificed at The MUD HOLE (Buena Vista)
but I'm looking for a GOOD place to park fifth wheel and boat right outside my door. ON THE WATER or close by...SERIOUSLY FOLKS

[SlypperyWhenWet]

see now that's what I'm looking for... :D
I've done San Antonio and Nac
Been doing Bass my whole life...Not what it used to be
Did Isabella...tooo windy
I've even sacrificed at The MUD HOLE (Buena Vista)
but I'm looking for a GOOD place to park fifth wheel and boat right outside my door. ON THE WATER or close by...SERIOUSLY FOLKS
I've been to all those lakes...I prefer Millerton.
If I had a scanner I could show you the campground
legend. Nice oak trees,no grass Full hook-ups a stones
throw to the water. I was there about a month ago.
Water level is on it's way down though. The camp site
#s are like in the 120's.

[Cole1313]

Shasta, Naci, Don Pedro, Orville,
For beach camping you can not beat Mead. 6 hour drive and camp right on the beach. You can have your own cove.

[Cole1313]

Hands down, Pine Flats! Really really pretty lake! and the camping is great. But it is a haul from the L.A. area

[MOBrien]

don pedro

[disco_charger]

Hands down, Pine Flats! Really really pretty lake! and the camping is great. But it is a haul from the L.A. area
Who has hook ups by the water at Pine Flats? We used to go to Island Park and Trimmer Springs. No Hook ups, just water. Great lake though.

[Blown Spectra]

lake buena vista in bakersfield!!! great place, cheap, store. on the water hookups green grass and trees all over the place.661-861-2063(gate)
good luck
eric

[tahitijet]

My vote is for pine flat over millerton any day of the week. Pine flat is a nicer lake, much less crowded usually much better water. Millerton is a nice lake when the water is up but lately it has been crowded with jet skis and wake board boats. The wind normaly comes up in the early afternoon and the sail boats come out, add this to all the wakeboard boats and the lake becomes horrible around 3:30-4:00
I haven't camped at millerton or launched on the madera side in a long time but last i remember it was a pretty decent hike up hill and across the road to the first camp site. There are 15-20 or so campsites way in the back right on the water ( you have to boat into them) but i have never seen anyone staying there and i'm not sure if the area is kept up or not. On the weekends it's where everyone ties up and hangs out.

[HOOTER SLED-]

Not RIGHT on the water, but I like Silverwood Lake.

[JB in so cal]

Shasta.
Although depending on water level, you may be far ABOVE the lake. Can't beat the beauty of that lake, though!

[98 Vector 21]

B.V. not bad for a weekend, yes muddy but what the hell its Cali....

['78 gt boat]

Barryessa for sure. I was there over the holiday and there was camping right down to the water. It was a lot of fun.

[wedge44]

Barryessa for sure. I was there over the holiday and there was camping right down to the water. It was a lot of fun.
I've done Berryessa Daytime only ...My Wifes family lives noth of Napa...didn't think about camping...
I learned to ski on millerton, I've heard too many local idiots (gang bangers), I don't need jail time for F*cking up an idiot. i have family...looking for low key family orientated spot...Mead Maybe? wife gets too temped with staying at Hotel...Dammit I want camping on the water WITH NO COMPANY :D :D

[wedge44]

GOOD MORNING ALLL, we'll any more input from anyone :coffeycup

[Cole1313]

I've done Berryessa Daytime only ...My Wifes family lives noth of Napa...didn't think about camping...
I learned to ski on millerton, I've heard too many local idiots (gang bangers), I don't need jail time for F*cking up an idiot. i have family...looking for low key family orientated spot...Mead Maybe? wife gets too temped with staying at Hotel...Dammit I want camping on the water WITH NO COMPANY :D :D
Well in this case read my above post.
Load the boat up with supplies for a week, find a nice private cove and sandy beach. And you will be all alone! Powell is the best place for this, but it can be done at some spots at Mead. If you get hot at Powell stay close to Dangling Rope Marina and load up the family and head to the marnina for some ice cream. YOu can not beat the solitude of beach camping!!

[Lightning]

We used to go to a place in high school called Woodward Resevoir, I think it's up by Merced, not sure though. They have developed and undeveloped camp sites, so if you want concrete and picnic tables or just some dirt, you can find it. All spots were right on the water.

[Lightning]

Just found a pic online or Woodward...
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~shmat/photo/flying/94pinemtn/slides/08woodward.JPG

[JustMVG]

My vote is for pine flat over millerton any day of the week. Pine flat is a nicer lake, much less crowded usually much better water. Millerton is a nice lake when the water is up but lately it has been crowded with jet skis and wake board boats. The wind normaly comes up in the early afternoon and the sail boats come out, add this to all the wakeboard boats and the lake becomes horrible around 3:30-4:00
I haven't camped at millerton or launched on the madera side in a long time but last i remember it was a pretty decent hike up hill and across the road to the first camp site. There are 15-20 or so campsites way in the back right on the water ( you have to boat into them) but i have never seen anyone staying there and i'm not sure if the area is kept up or not. On the weekends it's where everyone ties up and hangs out.
Tahitijet, went there about month ago and took this shot,
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85sunset_at_Millerton.jpg
As you can see the water level at that time was real high. We had a 50' walk to the boat, and here is the Dam, the smaller pics don't do the place justice.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85Dam_shot.jpg
A bow shot going back towards camp from the east side of the lake
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85bowshot.jpg

[Cole1313]

Nice sunset picture! Pretty Lake

[JustMVG]

Thanks Cole, here are a couple of cove pics,
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85cove1.JPG
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85cove.JPG

[cracker]

Bass lake is great right now water level is still only about 5 feet down from full and there was no one on the lake last weekend. Its like the old days before wakeboard boats and big jetski's, glass........

[JustMVG]

Just down the road from Millerton.

[Cole1313]

Thanks Cole, here are a couple of cove pics,
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85cove1.JPG
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85cove.JPG
I am going to have to get up that way. Is most of the lake surrounded by rocks??

[n8dawg]

Lake San Antonio- Camp during the week, the weekends suck and you should have the whole place to yourself. The lake is really full right now. The temps should still be in the high 90's, h2o temps in the 70's.
Personally if I had to camp, I'd rather go to the river! :D

[JustMVG]

No it isn't those are from going waaaay back into one of the coves after paddling and making our way through this:
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85logjam.jpg
It took some time and alot of effort from all of us, but you see the pics, the water is crystal clear that far back and just beautiful. There were other spots that were wide open a few years ago but with all the rain this lake filled up so there isn't as much "beach" as there once was, but that makes the campsites alot more fun, 50' and your in the boat, before it was like a 100yds, water was so low we would drive the RV's down to the water line for the day and then back up the hill for nighttime activities.

[Debbolas]

Park Moabi? :cool:
Park your 5th wheel on the penisula, leave your boat in the water :p
June Lake has a few camping spots, close by the water, I don't know about right on??!!?! :rolleyes:

[72 Hondo]

No it isn't those are from going waaaay back into one of the coves after paddling and making our way through this:
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85logjam.jpg
It took some time and alot of effort from all of us, but you see the pics, the water is crystal clear that far back and just beautiful. There were other spots that were wide open a few years ago but with all the rain this lake filled up so there isn't as much "beach" as there once was, but that makes the campsites alot more fun, 50' and your in the boat, before it was like a 100yds, water was so low we would drive the RV's down to the water line for the day and then back up the hill for nighttime activities.
How much of that wood is floating in and around that lake? It whould make me nervous :squiggle:

[JustMVG]

All of that is in just this part of the lake, the rest of the lake is free of all this, and that jam is waaaay back in one of the fingers of the lake, you have to go a ways back to get to it.

[JustMVG]

Try this link, of you go to the Millerton N.E. map and see where the San Juaquin river flows in, where it narrows down on the map is where the log jam is, and we went as far back from there as we could , i'd say at least 4 -5 miles more, just because the water level is/was so high while we were there.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=587

[98 Vector 21]

How much of that wood is floating in and around that lake? It whould make me nervous :squiggle:
Looks like Pramid now...

[Brian Ray]

No it isn't those are from going waaaay back into one of the coves after paddling and making our way through this:
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85logjam.jpg
It took some time and alot of effort from all of us, but you see the pics, the water is crystal clear that far back and just beautiful. There were other spots that were wide open a few years ago but with all the rain this lake filled up so there isn't as much "beach" as there once was, but that makes the campsites alot more fun, 50' and your in the boat, before it was like a 100yds, water was so low we would drive the RV's down to the water line for the day and then back up the hill for nighttime activities.
My brother and I had to go through that in a '71 Sanger flatty....was not fun at all. We went in no problem but by the time we left the logs had come around and completely formed a log jam. There was still quite a few people left when we were getting through it. This was July 4th.....

[JustMVG]

We had 5 people paddlin' and pushing off of the logs. And we were sweatin it. But at least on the way back out the logs were loose and we could idle thru for a bit. Easier going back for sure, still beautiful up there.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/85boatincove1.jpg

[Eliminator 4 Life]

We used to go to a place in high school called Woodward Resevoir, I think it's up by Merced, not sure though. They have developed and undeveloped camp sites, so if you want concrete and picnic tables or just some dirt, you can find it. All spots were right on the water.
Its actually outside of Oakdale and I would rather go to Pedro if you are gonna come this far..

[ahhell]

Park Moabi? :cool:
Park your 5th wheel on the penisula, leave your boat in the water :p
June Lake has a few camping spots, close by the water, I don't know about right one??!!?! :rolleyes:
I agree...Moabi , not a lake, but ***** close :D

[GoCiggie31]

So many choices in California ;)
We really enjoy Oroville; 180+ miles of shoreline, close to metro Sacramento/BayArea and nice camping facilities, very rare that it gets crowded... nice camping facilities.
Also, another favorite is Lake Trinity (east of Shasta), bit of a haul but nice quiet Alpine type lake w/ prestine water.

[Debbolas]

I agree...Moabi , not a lake, but ***** close :D
Oh, was the thread restricted to lakes?
My bad :D
sorry...........(my teenagers HATE it when I say that...........lol) :D

[Desert Rat]

Spent many weekends at Woodward or as we called it WINDward :hammerhea
My vote is for this lake but if I told you all where it was (Hogan) then I would have to get a site father away from the water because you all would be there
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/881Hogan_2005_010.jpg
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/881Hogan_2005_029.jpg

[ACCEPTENCE]

The Pools!!!!
Unknown by the general population.
One of the better kept secrets.

[UltraStealth]

Been going to Don Pedro for 25+ years. It is by far family oriented. The campgrounds are close to the water. The water is smooth all day long. It's about 5 - 5 1/2 hours from the San Fernando Valley. The daytime temps are perfect and the water is clean and refreshing. It lacks the sandy beaches, but you can still pull the boat on shore.

[mororless]

This is Mohave during the week. Perfect spot.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/2621vacation_2005_019.jpg