Lake County, California

At just 2 scenic hours from the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento area, Lake County is a convenient and stunning family recreation and getaway destination. In Lake County you'll find friendly communities, attractions, outdoor recreation, activities, beautiful rural scenery, and the best air quality in the state (as determined by the California Air Resources Board).

Lake County is home to Clear Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake within California and possibly the oldest lake in North America. The elevation for Clear Lake is 1,326 feet. Blue Lakes, Lake Pillsbury, and Indian Valley Reservoir are the county's other major bodies of water. The region is rich with historical and cultural resources, as well as recreational opportunities.

Within Lake County are two incorporated cities, the county seat of Lakeport and Clearlake, the largest city, and the communities of Blue Lakes, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake Park, Cobb, Finley, Glenhaven, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Loch Lomond, Lower Lake, Lucerne, Middletown, Nice, Spring Valley, Upper Lake, and Witter Springs.

Adventurous visitors will enjoy Lake County's national forests and other public lands with trails for hiking, dirt biking, off-highway vehicle riding, rock and stone collecting, and bird watching, plus areas for hang gliding, fishing, and hunting. Local parks and two state parks offer trails for hiking. Exhibits and programs about the region's culture and history are maintained and presented by rangers and docents at Clear Lake State Park and at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.

Area wineries with tasting rooms include Guenoc and Langtry Estate Vineyards and Winery, Ployez Winery, Steele Wines, and Wildhurst Vineyards. Winery events often feature wine tasting, art, and music.

Outdoor recreation include the many watersports enjoyed at the county's lakes and streams, plus hiking, soaring, skydiving, and bicycling. Five golf courses, including one championship 18-hole course, are located in the county. A water park and fun center in the city of Clearlake offers water slides during the summer months, an arcade, Grand Prix race cars, and other attractions.

With over 100 miles of shoreline, Clear Lake is a popular spot for watersports enthusiasts. Visitors enjoy fishing, swimming, sailing, wind surfing, parasailing, waterskiing, boating, and riding jet skis. There are 11 free boat launch ramps around the lake that are open to the public. Individuals may rent boats and personal watercraft from many businesses around the lake.

Anglers will enjoy testing their luck on Clear Lake, known as the "Bass Capital of the West." Largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill, and rainbow trout can be found in the county's lakes. Fishing boats can be rented, and many stores and facilities around the lake specialize in fishing equipment. Numerous fishing tournaments and derbies are held through the year.

Parks

Clear Lake State Park - Clear Lake State Park is on the shores of California’s largest freshwater lake. The area is popular for all kinds of water recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating and water-skiing. Anglers can catch large mouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish.

Anderson Marsh State Historic Park - Anderson Marsh State Historic Park contains 1,065 acres of oak woodland, grass-covered hills, and tule marsh. One of the largest groups of people in prehistoric California, the Southeastern Pomo, knew this land as home. Today, descendants of those people still live nearby.

Nearby Cities

San Francisco - San Francisco is one of the few North American cities to achieve the legendary status of such places as Paris or London. It is a city defined by collisions: of Mexican, Asian, and American cultures, of the cold north Pacific ocean with the sunny California mainland, of 18th century Spanish missions with 21st century financial skyscrapers. Whether you’re in sight of landmarks like Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge makes no difference: San Francisco’s tangible character is enough to tell you where you are.

Sacramento - Sacramento is California’s state capitol, located in the middle of the central Sacramento Valley. Founded in the heat of the California Gold Rush, the city managed to survive by becoming the state capitol and its convenient central location to northern California’s cities, attractions, and roads. Today, Sacramento is a rapidly expanding metropolitan area that is still forging its cultural identity.

Current Events

For a Lake County California Calendar of Events, click here.