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Overlooked lakes offer summer fun
Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle
July 20, 2003
A favorite test of mine is to hand out blank sheets of lined paper to a group, and then ask each person to take "The Lake Test."
1. Name every lake you can think of in the Bay Area; 2. Name every lake in California with a boat ramp. 3. Name every lake that is accessible with a vehicle, yet which do not have boat ramps; 4. Name every lake in the wilderness accessible by hiking.
The answers are stunning. Many have nearly blank sheets and embarrassed grins.
In a group of 200 people, typically only a handful can list more than 25 or 30 lakes. It happens again and again. It explains why many of the best opportunities for summer recreation get overlooked. It also shows that hundreds of relatively little-known destinations can be unveiled and discovered by anybody willing to do a little homework.
Here is a synopsis of the opportunities, as well as my picks of the best of California:
-- Bay Area Lakes: The Bay Area has roughly 45 recreation lakes (60 counting all lakes), featuring 30 that are stocked with trout or catfish, 10 with developed fishing programs, 10 good swimming spots, and six lakes with campgrounds. There are another 18 lakes that do not allow public access, but that's another story.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Pilarcitos Lake, Crystal Springs (biking and hiking starting in August); 2. Pelican Lake, Point Reyes; 3. Loch Lomond Reservoir, Ben Lomond; 4. Alpine Lake, Marin; 5. Briones Res., Pleasant Hill.
Others of note: Best boating: Calero Res., Coyote; best boat rentals: Del Valle Res., Livermore; best fishing: San Pablo Res., El Sobrante; best camping:
Coyote Res., Gilroy; best biking: Lake Chabot, Castro Valley; best hiking: Lagunitas/Bon Tempe/Alpine lakes, Marin.
-- Lakes with boat ramps: California has 194 recreation lakes with boat ramps. Most are set in the foothills of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys,
as well as in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade and Shasta-Siskiyou ranges. Virtually all have campgrounds, fishing and nearby hiking or biking.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Lake Tahoe at Emerald Bay; 2. Sardine Lake, Graeagle; 3. Donner Lake, Truckee; 4. Convict Lake, Inyo County; 5. Lake Siskiyou, Mount Shasta.
Others of note: Best boating: Shasta Lake, Redding; best fishing: Barrett Lake, San Diego; best camping: French Meadows, Tahoe National Forest.
-- Lakes you can reach by vehicle without boat ramps: California has 190 small lakes that you can reach with an SUV with 4-wheel-drive or car with high clearance. Many of these 190 can provide outstanding car-top boating (especially canoeing), camping and fishing, and dozens are set near trailheads.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park; 2. Faucherie Lake, Tahoe National Forest; 3. Castle Lake, Shasta-Trinity National Forest; 4. Gerle Creek Res., Eldorado National Forest; 5. Tamarack Lake, Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
-- Lakes in wilderness: California has roughly 800 wilderness lakes large enough to provide habitat for trout amid nearly 14 million acres of wilderness.
Many of these lakes provide water-view campsites and good fishing in pristine settings.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Rae Lakes, John Muir Trail, Kings Canyon National Park; 2. Marie Lake, John Muir Trail, Selden Pass; 3. Kearsage Lakes, Inyo National Forest out of Independence; 3. Spirit Lake, Marble Mountain Wilderness; 5. Velma Lake, Desolation Wilderness.
Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle
July 20, 2003
A favorite test of mine is to hand out blank sheets of lined paper to a group, and then ask each person to take "The Lake Test."
1. Name every lake you can think of in the Bay Area; 2. Name every lake in California with a boat ramp. 3. Name every lake that is accessible with a vehicle, yet which do not have boat ramps; 4. Name every lake in the wilderness accessible by hiking.
The answers are stunning. Many have nearly blank sheets and embarrassed grins.
In a group of 200 people, typically only a handful can list more than 25 or 30 lakes. It happens again and again. It explains why many of the best opportunities for summer recreation get overlooked. It also shows that hundreds of relatively little-known destinations can be unveiled and discovered by anybody willing to do a little homework.
Here is a synopsis of the opportunities, as well as my picks of the best of California:
-- Bay Area Lakes: The Bay Area has roughly 45 recreation lakes (60 counting all lakes), featuring 30 that are stocked with trout or catfish, 10 with developed fishing programs, 10 good swimming spots, and six lakes with campgrounds. There are another 18 lakes that do not allow public access, but that's another story.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Pilarcitos Lake, Crystal Springs (biking and hiking starting in August); 2. Pelican Lake, Point Reyes; 3. Loch Lomond Reservoir, Ben Lomond; 4. Alpine Lake, Marin; 5. Briones Res., Pleasant Hill.
Others of note: Best boating: Calero Res., Coyote; best boat rentals: Del Valle Res., Livermore; best fishing: San Pablo Res., El Sobrante; best camping:
Coyote Res., Gilroy; best biking: Lake Chabot, Castro Valley; best hiking: Lagunitas/Bon Tempe/Alpine lakes, Marin.
-- Lakes with boat ramps: California has 194 recreation lakes with boat ramps. Most are set in the foothills of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys,
as well as in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade and Shasta-Siskiyou ranges. Virtually all have campgrounds, fishing and nearby hiking or biking.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Lake Tahoe at Emerald Bay; 2. Sardine Lake, Graeagle; 3. Donner Lake, Truckee; 4. Convict Lake, Inyo County; 5. Lake Siskiyou, Mount Shasta.
Others of note: Best boating: Shasta Lake, Redding; best fishing: Barrett Lake, San Diego; best camping: French Meadows, Tahoe National Forest.
-- Lakes you can reach by vehicle without boat ramps: California has 190 small lakes that you can reach with an SUV with 4-wheel-drive or car with high clearance. Many of these 190 can provide outstanding car-top boating (especially canoeing), camping and fishing, and dozens are set near trailheads.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park; 2. Faucherie Lake, Tahoe National Forest; 3. Castle Lake, Shasta-Trinity National Forest; 4. Gerle Creek Res., Eldorado National Forest; 5. Tamarack Lake, Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
-- Lakes in wilderness: California has roughly 800 wilderness lakes large enough to provide habitat for trout amid nearly 14 million acres of wilderness.
Many of these lakes provide water-view campsites and good fishing in pristine settings.
Here are the prettiest: 1. Rae Lakes, John Muir Trail, Kings Canyon National Park; 2. Marie Lake, John Muir Trail, Selden Pass; 3. Kearsage Lakes, Inyo National Forest out of Independence; 3. Spirit Lake, Marble Mountain Wilderness; 5. Velma Lake, Desolation Wilderness.
