Lake Oroville
 

Anyone want to share the previous experience with Lake Oroville?
It's a big lake, are the ski/wakeboard areas crowded?
Are there great on-the-water picnic areas in no wake zones?
Is it a family-friendly boating/camping area or is it a punks gone wild
lake?
Is there plenty of ramp-close parking for trucks and trailers?
Which ramps have fuel nearby?

What's your favorite launch area and why?
What's your favorite on the water picnic area?

Have I missed anything? Maybe a comment about what you don't like about
Lake Oroville?

Oh, yeah, thanks!

"Bryan" wrote in message
...
Anyone want to share the previous experience with Lake Oroville?
It's a big lake, are the ski/wakeboard areas crowded?
Are there great on-the-water picnic areas in no wake zones?
Is it a family-friendly boating/camping area or is it a punks gone wild
lake?
Is there plenty of ramp-close parking for trucks and trailers?
Which ramps have fuel nearby?

What's your favorite launch area and why?
What's your favorite on the water picnic area?

Have I missed anything? Maybe a comment about what you don't like about
Lake Oroville?

Oh, yeah, thanks!

We like the lake a lot. Lots of launch ramps. If there for just a day, the
spillway ramp at the dam is great. If camping, Loafer Creek, is our
preferred place. Has a ramp. Always room to ski and tube. Is a very large
lake. Fuel at Lime Saddle and Bidwell Marina. We just fill in town. Is
about 6 miles from the lake and I can go about 2.5 days on a fill (67
gallons). There are 5 mph areas, and no ski areas. Up the Middle Fork is
the nicest area for swimming and picnics. Is a long narrow, rock lined, no
ski channel and then a 5 mph area. Feather Falls is visable at the upper
end if the water level is high enough to go all the way to the end.
Otherwise is a short hike. Probably still OK to get far enough up at maybe
30' down. You can also rent floating campsites. Is an anchored platform
with potty, and an upper deck, if you want to pitch a tent up there. Only
thing we do not like is the heat in July, can be 90 at 11 pm in the
campground. Sept, is fantastic. If no room at the lake for camping,
there are reasonable motels in town and River Reflections RV park is nice
and right on the river as ou come into town. Also has tent camping.

In article ,
Bryan wrote:
:Anyone want to share the previous experience with Lake Oroville?
:It's a big lake, are the ski/wakeboard areas crowded?
:Are there great on-the-water picnic areas in no wake zones?
:Is it a family-friendly boating/camping area or is it a punks gone wild
:lake?
:Is there plenty of ramp-close parking for trucks and trailers?
:Which ramps have fuel nearby?
:
:What's your favorite launch area and why?
:What's your favorite on the water picnic area?
:
:Have I missed anything? Maybe a comment about what you don't like about
:Lake Oroville?
:
:Oh, yeah, thanks!

I'll second what Bill said. Very nice lake, just very warm in the
summer months. There are plenty of areas for ski/wakeboarding off the
main lake and I've never seen them what I would call crowded. Tons of
great on-the-water picnic areas in the no wake zones...lots of little
coves and inlets shaded by trees on the fairly steep banks.

Bob wrote:
In article ,
Bryan wrote:
:Anyone want to share the previous experience with Lake Oroville?
:It's a big lake, are the ski/wakeboard areas crowded?
:Are there great on-the-water picnic areas in no wake zones?
:Is it a family-friendly boating/camping area or is it a punks gone wild
:lake?
:Is there plenty of ramp-close parking for trucks and trailers?
:Which ramps have fuel nearby?
:
:What's your favorite launch area and why?
:What's your favorite on the water picnic area?
:
:Have I missed anything? Maybe a comment about what you don't like about
:Lake Oroville?
:
:Oh, yeah, thanks!

I'll second what Bill said. Very nice lake, just very warm in the
summer months. There are plenty of areas for ski/wakeboarding off the
main lake and I've never seen them what I would call crowded. Tons of
great on-the-water picnic areas in the no wake zones...lots of little
coves and inlets shaded by trees on the fairly steep banks.

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
hlink.net...

We like the lake a lot. Lots of launch ramps. If there for just a day,
the spillway ramp at the dam is great. If camping, Loafer Creek, is our
preferred place. Has a ramp. Always room to ski and tube. Is a very
large lake. Fuel at Lime Saddle and Bidwell Marina. We just fill in
town. Is about 6 miles from the lake and I can go about 2.5 days on a
fill (67 gallons). There are 5 mph areas, and no ski areas. Up the
Middle Fork is the nicest area for swimming and picnics. Is a long
narrow, rock lined, no ski channel and then a 5 mph area. Feather Falls
is visable at the upper end if the water level is high enough to go all
the way to the end. Otherwise is a short hike. Probably still OK to get
far enough up at maybe 30' down. You can also rent floating campsites.
Is an anchored platform with potty, and an upper deck, if you want to
pitch a tent up there. Only thing we do not like is the heat in July, can
be 90 at 11 pm in the campground. Sept, is fantastic. If no room at
the lake for camping, there are reasonable motels in town and River
Reflections RV park is nice and right on the river as ou come into town.
Also has tent camping.


Bill,
Once again, thank you for your contributions. Great description loaded with
useful info! I've got to check it out; sounds like a September trip or even
an October trip. Is the water still warm in October?
Bryan

"Bob" wrote in message
...
In article ,
I'll second what Bill said. Very nice lake, just very warm in the
summer months. There are plenty of areas for ski/wakeboarding off the
main lake and I've never seen them what I would call crowded. Tons of
great on-the-water picnic areas in the no wake zones...lots of little
coves and inlets shaded by trees on the fairly steep banks.

Thanks Bob!

"Bryan" wrote in message
...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
hlink.net...

We like the lake a lot. Lots of launch ramps. If there for just a day,
the spillway ramp at the dam is great. If camping, Loafer Creek, is our
preferred place. Has a ramp. Always room to ski and tube. Is a very
large lake. Fuel at Lime Saddle and Bidwell Marina. We just fill in
town. Is about 6 miles from the lake and I can go about 2.5 days on a
fill (67 gallons). There are 5 mph areas, and no ski areas. Up the
Middle Fork is the nicest area for swimming and picnics. Is a long
narrow, rock lined, no ski channel and then a 5 mph area. Feather Falls
is visable at the upper end if the water level is high enough to go all
the way to the end. Otherwise is a short hike. Probably still OK to get
far enough up at maybe 30' down. You can also rent floating campsites.
Is an anchored platform with potty, and an upper deck, if you want to
pitch a tent up there. Only thing we do not like is the heat in July,
can be 90 at 11 pm in the campground. Sept, is fantastic. If no room
at the lake for camping, there are reasonable motels in town and River
Reflections RV park is nice and right on the river as ou come into town.
Also has tent camping.


Bill,
Once again, thank you for your contributions. Great description loaded
with useful info! I've got to check it out; sounds like a September trip
or even an October trip. Is the water still warm in October?
Bryan



Probably in the high 60's in October. 68-69. We have gone a couple of times
in early Oct, and had very enjoyable times. Where are you coming from?

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
link.net...

"Bryan" wrote in message
...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
hlink.net...



Bill,
Once again, thank you for your contributions. Great description loaded
with useful info! I've got to check it out; sounds like a September trip
or even an October trip. Is the water still warm in October?
Bryan



Probably in the high 60's in October. 68-69. We have gone a couple of
times in early Oct, and had very enjoyable times. Where are you coming
from?

Santa Rosa.

Bryan-- I live in the SF North Bay area. My family just did a week at
Oroville camping at Loafer Creek park. If you're tent camping, this is
a great place to stay. Clean, well maintained and almost empty except
on weekends. There is a great swimming area with a grassy picnic area.
My only complaint was that the camp got a little rowdy over the weekend
(college kids, underage drinking but the rangers took care of it). I
usually avoid weekends.

Out on the water things were quiet and not crowded at all. If you stay
at Loafer creek theres a medium sized grocery store and gas station
only 10 minutes from the park entrance-- this is a good deal if you're
camping with little kids (trust me). There are no facilities here to
leave your boat in the water overnight and the campsites are about a
half mile from the ramp but it's a very easy tow and the campsites have
sufficient parking to keep your boat and tow vehicle without
difficulty. This was our third summer camping at Oroville and the water
levels and boating conditions were perfect when we were there.

I'd toss out another name for you that's not too far from Santa Rosa,
Lake Don Pedro just east of Modesto. We went there for the first time a
week ago and really enjoyed it. I didn't find much to do on shore but
there are many campsites right on the shoreline with good shallow water
swimming right at your camp. Many of us anchored our boats for the week
right at our campsites. There's a nice marina right at the campground.
The skiing and wakeboarding are great because the lake has tons of
large coves that you can have almost to yourself (at least during the
week.) The coves are protected so that even on windy days you have
nearly flat water. The other thing that was different from Oroville was
that the lake topography was much better suited for anchoring. Oroville
is surrounded by high cliffs and steeply banked shorelines while at Don
Pedro, the bottom slopes up gradually and we could easily anchor in 20
or 30 feet of water and swim to our hearts content. Just food for
thought.

Enjoy your summer,

"Paul" wrote in message
ups.com...
Bryan-- I live in the SF North Bay area. My family just did a week at
Oroville camping at Loafer Creek park. If you're tent camping, this is
a great place to stay. Clean, well maintained and almost empty except
on weekends. There is a great swimming area with a grassy picnic area.
My only complaint was that the camp got a little rowdy over the weekend
(college kids, underage drinking but the rangers took care of it). I
usually avoid weekends.

Out on the water things were quiet and not crowded at all. If you stay
at Loafer creek theres a medium sized grocery store and gas station
only 10 minutes from the park entrance-- this is a good deal if you're
camping with little kids (trust me). There are no facilities here to
leave your boat in the water overnight and the campsites are about a
half mile from the ramp but it's a very easy tow and the campsites have
sufficient parking to keep your boat and tow vehicle without
difficulty. This was our third summer camping at Oroville and the water
levels and boating conditions were perfect when we were there.

I'd toss out another name for you that's not too far from Santa Rosa,
Lake Don Pedro just east of Modesto. We went there for the first time a
week ago and really enjoyed it. I didn't find much to do on shore but
there are many campsites right on the shoreline with good shallow water
swimming right at your camp. Many of us anchored our boats for the week
right at our campsites. There's a nice marina right at the campground.
The skiing and wakeboarding are great because the lake has tons of
large coves that you can have almost to yourself (at least during the
week.) The coves are protected so that even on windy days you have
nearly flat water. The other thing that was different from Oroville was
that the lake topography was much better suited for anchoring. Oroville
is surrounded by high cliffs and steeply banked shorelines while at Don
Pedro, the bottom slopes up gradually and we could easily anchor in 20
or 30 feet of water and swim to our hearts content. Just food for
thought.

Enjoy your summer,


Great information, Paul!

I know what you mean about the anchoring difference.
It's one of the first wake up calls when I got the boat. I'm used to
sailing and reading charts and finding good anchoring. I'm not used to
powerboating on lakes! I found a nice cove at Lake Sonoma and got close to
shore and tossed the anchor over. It sure took a long time to hit bottom!
And even with all that rode out we still dragged anchor. A bit perplexing,
then I realized Lake Sonoma is a canyon filled with water; steep and deep to
the edge.

Thank you,
Bryan

Lake Mendocino is nice also. Use the North End campground. Lots of trees.
Early enough reservation, and you can camp near the waters edge and I think
you beach your boat.

"Bryan" wrote in message
m...

"Paul" wrote in message
ups.com...
Bryan-- I live in the SF North Bay area. My family just did a week at
Oroville camping at Loafer Creek park. If you're tent camping, this is
a great place to stay. Clean, well maintained and almost empty except
on weekends. There is a great swimming area with a grassy picnic area.
My only complaint was that the camp got a little rowdy over the weekend
(college kids, underage drinking but the rangers took care of it). I
usually avoid weekends.

Out on the water things were quiet and not crowded at all. If you stay
at Loafer creek theres a medium sized grocery store and gas station
only 10 minutes from the park entrance-- this is a good deal if you're
camping with little kids (trust me). There are no facilities here to
leave your boat in the water overnight and the campsites are about a
half mile from the ramp but it's a very easy tow and the campsites have
sufficient parking to keep your boat and tow vehicle without
difficulty. This was our third summer camping at Oroville and the water
levels and boating conditions were perfect when we were there.

I'd toss out another name for you that's not too far from Santa Rosa,
Lake Don Pedro just east of Modesto. We went there for the first time a
week ago and really enjoyed it. I didn't find much to do on shore but
there are many campsites right on the shoreline with good shallow water
swimming right at your camp. Many of us anchored our boats for the week
right at our campsites. There's a nice marina right at the campground.
The skiing and wakeboarding are great because the lake has tons of
large coves that you can have almost to yourself (at least during the
week.) The coves are protected so that even on windy days you have
nearly flat water. The other thing that was different from Oroville was
that the lake topography was much better suited for anchoring. Oroville
is surrounded by high cliffs and steeply banked shorelines while at Don
Pedro, the bottom slopes up gradually and we could easily anchor in 20
or 30 feet of water and swim to our hearts content. Just food for
thought.

Enjoy your summer,


Great information, Paul!

I know what you mean about the anchoring difference.
It's one of the first wake up calls when I got the boat. I'm used to
sailing and reading charts and finding good anchoring. I'm not used to
powerboating on lakes! I found a nice cove at Lake Sonoma and got close
to shore and tossed the anchor over. It sure took a long time to hit
bottom! And even with all that rode out we still dragged anchor. A bit
perplexing, then I realized Lake Sonoma is a canyon filled with water;
steep and deep to the edge.

Thank you,
Bryan

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Lake Mendocino is nice also. Use the North End campground. Lots of
trees. Early enough reservation, and you can camp near the waters edge and
I think you beach your boat.

Hey Bill,

Lake Mendocino is on my list of lakes to try. It's close and I even know
the turn-off from boating with my friend in Lucerne at Clear Lake.

I keep passing by because I'm always on the way to my friends place. I've
just got to motivate to give it a try. My neighbor across the street
prefers Lake Mendocino to Lake Sonoma and Clear Lake.

I keep coming across folks who consider Lake Pillsbury their special place;
seems a little tough to get to, but I'll have to give it a try.

I know one thing for sure, the kids want warm water lakes and I want
uncrowded lakes (I guess that's 2 things).

Bryan
So many lakes, so little time! And only 20 years to retirement.

"Bryan" wrote in message
m...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Lake Mendocino is nice also. Use the North End campground. Lots of
trees. Early enough reservation, and you can camp near the waters edge
and I think you beach your boat.

Hey Bill,

Lake Mendocino is on my list of lakes to try. It's close and I even know
the turn-off from boating with my friend in Lucerne at Clear Lake.

I keep passing by because I'm always on the way to my friends place. I've
just got to motivate to give it a try. My neighbor across the street
prefers Lake Mendocino to Lake Sonoma and Clear Lake.

I keep coming across folks who consider Lake Pillsbury their special
place; seems a little tough to get to, but I'll have to give it a try.

I know one thing for sure, the kids want warm water lakes and I want
uncrowded lakes (I guess that's 2 things).

Bryan
So many lakes, so little time! And only 20 years to retirement.


Pillsbury is uncrowded, but that is because of a crappy dirt road part of
the way. We were at Mendo on the 7th of July and was not crowded. On way
back from Rogue River / Gold Beach. Getting Fuel at the Chevron Station at
the Southern road turnoff to the lake, the clerk said to go to the Calpella
turnoff as the north end campground is better. Very nice CG. If going to
Pillsbury look below the dam and see the salmon jumping up trying to go
further up river. No fishing in the Eel in this area. Was at Clear Lake to
see some old friends from jr / high school perform at Konocti Harbor and was
amazed had how clean it is anymore. Last there maybe 18 years ago, when I
sold my property at Soda Bay. If going to Ukiah eat at Jensen's truck stop.
Great food. Reasonable food. Been in business since 1952.

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Bryan" wrote in message
m...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Lake Mendocino is nice also. Use the North End campground. Lots of
trees. Early enough reservation, and you can camp near the waters edge
and I think you beach your boat.

Hey Bill,

Lake Mendocino is on my list of lakes to try. It's close and I even know
the turn-off from boating with my friend in Lucerne at Clear Lake.

I keep passing by because I'm always on the way to my friends place.
I've just got to motivate to give it a try. My neighbor across the
street prefers Lake Mendocino to Lake Sonoma and Clear Lake.

I keep coming across folks who consider Lake Pillsbury their special
place; seems a little tough to get to, but I'll have to give it a try.

I know one thing for sure, the kids want warm water lakes and I want
uncrowded lakes (I guess that's 2 things).

Bryan
So many lakes, so little time! And only 20 years to retirement.


Pillsbury is uncrowded, but that is because of a crappy dirt road part of
the way. We were at Mendo on the 7th of July and was not crowded. On way
back from Rogue River / Gold Beach. Getting Fuel at the Chevron Station
at the Southern road turnoff to the lake, the clerk said to go to the
Calpella turnoff as the north end campground is better. Very nice CG. If
going to Pillsbury look below the dam and see the salmon jumping up trying
to go further up river. No fishing in the Eel in this area. Was at Clear
Lake to see some old friends from jr / high school perform at Konocti
Harbor and was amazed had how clean it is anymore. Last there maybe 18
years ago, when I sold my property at Soda Bay. If going to Ukiah eat at
Jensen's truck stop. Great food. Reasonable food. Been in business since
1952.


I have to make the Pillsbury trip one day, but it's that dirt road that
stops me from trying. I just don't want to beat the crap out of my truck,
trailer, and boat. Maybe when my boat is older and has a few more blemishes
from a well-lived life.

Everytime I drive past the north end of Lake Mendocino on my way to Lucerne,
all is see is empty water. I might try it this weekend. When I do I'll
offer a report. Looking at the map there are several campgrounds around the
lake with a couple that could be considered at the northern end. I'll check
out Jensen's Truck Stop. We're looking for a new place to grab a bite on
our way home.