Paddle Lake Valley Reservoir

Placer County, California

Description

A perfect adventure spot off Highway 80, Lake Valley Reservoir offers paddlers prime parking and a paved boat launch to push off on a mountain lake with an island for picnicking. Lake speed is 10 mph so fishing boats with outboards are allowed but they have to take it slow.

Post launch, head left away from the dam toward one of several islands. The first you see are the smallest and close to the opposite shore from the boat launch area. This shore is home to a summer camp and as such these smaller rock islands can be conquered already by campers. Continue past them to arrive at the largest island, which you can paddle around to the far side where a small beach serves as a pull out spot.

Once on the rocky island you’ll find Sierra wildflowers growing through the cracks — we saw mini meadows of Mariposa tulips — and decent jumping off spots for a swim as well as casting spots for fishing.

For more on this Lake see the book Paddling Northern California by Charlie Pike, which inspired this adventure for our family.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Kayaking

Bathrooms

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Lake

Picnic Area

Scenic

Wildflowers

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

33mi Loop to Donner Lake

We love this 33-mile loop on old Highway 40 from Cisco Grove to Donner Lake and back. It has just about everything: a few flats, a long slow pull, rollers, a screaming downhill, a tough Alpine climb and a long, cruising downhill. Not to mention altitude. The ride starts at a little above 6,000 feet, climbs to the summit at about 7,200 feet and then drops down to Donner Lake at just under 6,000 ...

Emerald Pools

Bowman Road and Meadow Lake Road to Henness Pass

Loch Leven Viewpoint Trail

Loch Leven Viewpoint Trail is an out-and-back trail to a viewpoint of the Loch Leven Lakes that is moderately difficult located near Truckee, California. This trail is just under 6.5 miles. If you're willing to add a little more than a mile to your adventure, you can head all the way to Upper Loch Leven Lakes (see the Loch Leven Lakes Trail adventure for more details). This trail is dog frien...

Loch Leven Lakes Trail

The trail is easy to follow for the first half mile until you get to some large slabs of granite. As you continue up the trail look for stacked rocks, these will give you a an easy route as you continue up the mountain. The trail then starts to switch back eventually leading to a small bridge. After crossing the bridge you will proceed roughly 1/4 of a mile and end up at a set of railroad track...

Backpack to Lower Rock Lake

This adventure begins at the Lindsey Lake Campground parking lot (6,200 feet) where you leave your vehicle, takes you three miles up a trail rife with amazing photo opportunities and seasonal wildlife, and ends on the shore of Lower Rock Lake. Here you will find a dispersed camping site owned by the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. that includes a firepit and log seating right next to the lake it...