PG&E Recreational Areas

Visit the great outdoors

From the Pit River country in the Cascade Range to the King's River region in the southern Sierra Nevada, our recreational facilities are ready for you to enjoy. Locations such as Lake Almanor, Lake Spaulding and Lake Britton, are engineered to create clean energy through our hydroelectric system. These sites feature campgrounds and picnic areas. Most of the lakes also offer fishing, swimming and boating.

Learn about our hydroelectric system

Learn about hydropower and water safety

2020 season notices

Wildfire risk reduction
In an effort to reduce the risk of wildfire, PG&E will prohibit and/or restrict certain recreation activities during times when our Fire Index Rating is elevated.
- When the Fire Index Rating is R4 (Very High): Use of charcoal grills will be prohibited.
- When the Fire Index Rating is R5 (Extreme): All fires will be prohibited smoking will only be allowed within vehicles/RVs
- When the Fire Index Rating is R5-PLUS (Extreme Plus): All fires and flames will be prohibited, including petroleum and LPG devices. The following activities will be restricted to within vehicles/RVs: smoking, use of generators, use of battery powered devices with motors, extension cords, devices with power cords.

Additional wildfire risk mitigations and prohibitions that aren't tied to the Fire Index Rating are posted in our Frequently Asked Questions.

Situation at Kilarc Reservoir
Due to damage sustained during the winter and spring storms, the Kilarc Canal is not operable. After extensive repairs were not successful Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has made the decision to suspend operations at Kilarc Powerhouse. Kilarc Powerhouse is fed by the Kilarc Canal and Kilarc Reservoir. The suspended operations of Kilarc Powerhouse will include draining the remaining water in Kilarc Reservoir.

During the winter months the Kilarc Reservoir Recreation Area will remain closed. Additionally, during the winter PG&E will be exploring options that may allow the Recreation site to be reopened in the Summer of 2020 excluding the reservoir.

For additional updates, please revisit

www.pge.com/recreation
Lodgepole
Lodgepole will be closed for the entire 2020 and season in support of a dam repair project. Normal camping schedule is expected to resume in 2021.
Lake Spaulding and Boat Launch CLOSED for the 2020 season
Lake Spaulding Campground and Boat Launch will be closed through the 2020 recreation season due to a maintenance project at the dam. Normal camping schedule is expected to resume in 2021.
Grace Lake and Nora Lake
Grace Lake and Nora Lake in eastern Shasta County are closed to the public until about Sept. 15, 2020, while Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) repairs and improves the reservoirs' dams to protect against muskrat burrowing.

Other lakes in the region will be open and stocked with fish, including Lake McCumber and North Battle Creek Reservoir.

The parking lots and picnic areas at Grace Lake and Nora Lake will not be accessible at this time to ensure public safety during construction activity.

The work will involve excavating dam berms to remediate existing burrows and installing chain link and riprap (loose stone) on inboard slopes to deter muskrat burrowing.

PG&E posted signs at Grace Lake and Nora Lake in advance of the closure to advise the public.
Grizzly Forebay Recreation Area
Grizzly Forebay Recreation Area (parking lot and car-top launch) will be closed through most of the 2020 recreation season due to a maintenance project at the dam. Public vehicles will not be allowed down Grizzly Forebay Road (road closure). Visitors may still reach (walk-in only access) the reservoir from Grizzly Power House Access Road (east end of reservoir). Reopening is expected in November 2020. Bucks Penstock Road will experience heavy truck traffic during this time so visitors should use caution and obey any Plumas National Forest Closure Orders/Notices and or posted road closures.
Lower Bucks Lake Recreation Area
Area will be closed through the 2020 recreation season due to a maintenance project at the dam. The Lower Bucks Lake work requires PG&E to drain the reservoir and close public access to the lake from May 1 to sometime in November. Public campgrounds and lake access operated by the US Forest Service on Lower Bucks Lake will be closed for the project duration. To ensure public safety, Bucks Penstock Road (U.S. Forest Service Route 24N34) and Three Lakes Road (USFS Route 24N24) will be closed leading to and around the lake so PG&E contractors can work safely with large trucks and heavy equipment. Lower Bucks Lake will be off limits to the public as the lake bottom will have soft mud that may be dangerous for foot traffic. The Forest Service has issued a Forest Closure Order for the area.
Highway 70 closure
PG&E's Belden Day Use Area in the Feather River Canyon along Hwy 70 will be closed to public access beginning March 15, 2018 to approximately December 31, 2020 due to a highway project by Caltrans that proposes to reconstruct the Hwy 70 bridge over Yellow Creek. The PG&E day use facility will be used as a construction staging area by Caltrans for this project and will be closed to public use during the term of the project. Caltrans will provide alternate recreation parking and portable toilets during the project at a site across the Belden Bridge in Belden. This temporary day use parking site will be located on PG&E property along Howells Rd and is intended to allow for continued public use of area trails and stream/river reaches during the project. Caltrans will provide signage in the area directing users to the alternate recreation parking site as well as how to access area trails around the construction closure. For highway project information please contact Denise Yergensen, Caltrans Public Information Officer at 530-225-3260.
Camping season
Most of our campgrounds are at higher elevations and therefore are not open year-round. Typically, they open in the spring soon after snow melt and they generally close in the fall when temperatures drop and camper use decreases. The actual opening and closing dates for each campground is dependent on the elevation and weather so our estimated dates are subject to change.
Reservation season
Some of our campgrounds offer reservations in addition to first come first serve camping. At these campgrounds, since weather and snow melt are so unpredictable, our reservation season is shorter than our camping season. For example, at a particular campground we may plan to open the gates to first come first serve campers on May 1st but we may not begin our reservation season at that campground until May 20th. We're trying to minimize the chances that we'll have to cancel a reservation you made due to weather conditions or snow melt. Where possible, our typical reservation season starts the Monday before Memorial weekend and closes a week after Labor Day weekend.

Choose a recreational facility that's close to home or plan a longer trip. Our facilities are located all across the state, and range from sea-level elevations to 8,200 feet. Whether you drive, boat or hike in, the natural beauty is yours to enjoy. We've outlined some ideas for your next trip in this section.

Visit the Pecho Coast and Point Buchon trails

Through our Land Stewardship Program, PG&E preserved areas near the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Enjoy the natural beauty and ocean vistas along the Central Coast. Find out more about the program and area.

Visit the Pecho Coast Trail and Point Buchon Trail