Location: County: Stanislaus. Nearest City: Turlock.
Campsites, facilities: There are 66 sites for tents
or RVs up to 27 feet long. Piped water, fire grills, and picnic
tables are provided. Flush toilets, showers, and a boat ramp
are available. The boat facilities are wheelchair accessible.
Leashed pets are permitted.
Reservations, fees: Reserve by phoning 1-800-444-PARK/7275
($7.50 reservation fee); $14-$16 per night, $1 pet fee.
Contact: Phone the park at 1-209-874-2008, 1-209-874-2056,
or 1-209-826-1195, or fax 1-209-874-2611.
Turlock Lake SRA
22600 Lake Road
La Grange CA 95329
Operating hours, seasons: Open all year round; 8:00
am to sunset.
Directions: From Modesto, go east on Highway 132 for
14 miles to Waterford. Turn right (south) on Hickman Road and
drive one mile. Turn left (east) on Lake Road and drive 10 miles
to the park.
Weather, clothing: Summers are hot and dry, and winters
are cool, sometimes rainy winters. During the summer, day time
temperatures can top 100 degrees although mid-90's is typical.
Summer nights are generally in the high 60s to 70s.
Trip notes: Nestled in the rolling foothills of eastern
Stanislaus County, Turlock Lake State Recreation Area is an ideal
place for day- or week-long outings. Open all year and featuring
camping, picnicking, fishing, swimming, and clean country air,
the area offers visitors an opportunity see the wonderful variety
of native plant life that once flourished alongside the rivers
of the San Joaquin Valley. The mark of man can be seen dredger
tailings and agricultural developments that date from the turn
of century. Turlock Lake heats up like a big bathtub in the summer,
just right for boating and all water sports. It covers 3,500
acres with 26 miles of shoreline. A boat ramp and small marina
are available near the camp, making it ideal for boaters/campers.
Bass fishing is fair in the summer. In the late winter and spring,
the surprise here is that the water is quite cold, being fed
by snowmelt from the Tuolumne River, providing a once-a-year
chance for trout fishing. By early summer, forget trout and think
bass. If they don't bite, just give up and literally jump in
the lake.
© 2001, Miwok Lodge 439, Order of the
Arrow, Santa Clara County Council Inc., BSA
Revision 1.2
