Lopez Lake

Right now it’s Lopez Puddle.
Got great sites– Squirrel 3 & 4. Walking distance to the restrooms (walked the nieces and nephew a number of times) but far enough away. «Complimentary» (cold) shower– didn’t see anyone taking money nor did I desire to see them.
No (AT&T) cell nor wifi service unless you bring your own hotspot. (which someone did) But if you’re going to go camping, why would you need that sort of thing?
Camped next to a family whose kid found joy in pounding the log next to our car with a metal rod and staring at us. To each his own I guess. The swear words from the family adjacent to us got old quickly. We had kids– they had MORE KIDS. Four letter phrases kept on coming… can’t let other folks spoil your trip though!
If you consider locking your bike up to a picnic table to be «bike parking» then sure, they’ve got it. Great to see my family, but that’s about all this place has going for it in my book.

One of my favorite camping areas in the Central Valley. Every few years we camp here. This year the water level has dramatically lowered. Its surreal to see the change and look at to empty parts of the lake. Someone in my party even said the water doesnt look health. The staff and other campers are always cool. The bonus is the water slid, ziplines and obstacle courses. I loved it, the kids went crazy for it! Lots of wild life, from the Roscoe the raccoon (my son gave him that name) in the Escondido campsite to deers and bears. Very cool place. Until next time LL!

Didn’t even stick around 5 minutes, 10 $ for day use but what they forgot to mention about the lake is that it’s totally EMPTY! Yes empty how are you going to not let folks know that this lake dry? Even the boat launch was like 5ft high like wtf!!! Didn’t even stay long enough to take a pic my fishing trip was kind of a bust after I traveled here from Fresno just to check out the fishing situation, other words blah and whatever! I been here before and it was nice but I guess the drought raped up this lake really good this year, Memorial Day 2016. So ok I decided to add after somebody from lake Lopez messaged me and said «DRY»?? Ok not completely dry ONLY 75% freakin dry!!! Saddest lake I’ve ever seen! Avocado lake was a 5 star lake compared to this dry wasteland!

We went camping at Lake Lopez, and although we had a great time I couldn’t help but notice how much they Nickel and dime you there! $ 1 for 3 min at the showers, $ 20 for and extra car, $ 20 per person at the water park, $ 2 for access to phone service (available only at the marina)…and of course the lot fee $ 96 for 3 nights.
The campsites are are all in a slope and it’s difficult to ride a bicycle because the roads are full of potholes, but all of the do have access to water with in a short walking distance. They can definitely use more restrooms and keep the ones they have better serviced, and more presence of park rangers or law enforcement. **NO cell phone service in the entire lake and campsite area***
Overall, I give it 2 stars, and probably will not return.

I am not a frequent camper so I don’t have a lot to compare to for other campgrounds but I’ve gone for the last two years for an annual trip and have really enjoyed my time here.
My husband and I go with a very large group of people that span over a few campsites and the site that we have stayed at has always been very clean as well as the restrooms near by and never heard of any issues from the group that we go with. The one thing that is a downer is that there is only two bathroom areas that have hot water showers (that costs $ 1 for 5 mins so bring quarters) all the others are cold water only.
They have the marina store onsite that also has a small restaurant and bar with a pool table and small arcade for kids or adults if you feel so inclined. The store has your basic essentials if you forget something and of course you will pay a little more for the convenience. They also have a small water park, zip line, obstacle course and playground a little further into the grounds.
The scenery is great but the lake has been pretty barren for the last couple of years due to the drought unfortunately. We have seen a lot of wild turkeys (that love to gobble at the wee hours of the morning) amongst the deer, raccoons, and bears. There was a bear last year that raided a near camp of our group that got into their food tent so always be aware and be safe! I am a native San Diegan so it’s definitely a far drive but if I did live closer I would be here at least a few times more a year.

Over the weekend my boyfriend and I decided to go camping. We had a great time riding bikes, everything was great except for the really gross woman restrooms In the restaurant. I can understand a mess at the campgrounds but in a restaurant? Gross. Also the park rangers didn’t do a great job of getting surrounding campers to lower their music. Which explains the 3 stars. All in all we still had a great time except for those few things, we’ll be back soon.

We went tent camping there recently for 3 days and all went well. We had the campsite at the Cougar area it was just fine. You need to be very aware that only half the sites in this section had any shade so make sure to bring your own. We were fortunate enough to catch sight of several deer near our ten as well as half a dozen wild turkeys. There were enough toilets and the showers worked perfectly, there was a working water faucet near the campsite and the trash and restrooms were taken care of every day. They have a small water park here which is rather nice, although a little pricey. Overall we had a fun time.

Would come to Lopez Lake every summer as a child, my parents still go, and this past year I decided to make a trip back. Although I know we are in a drought it was surreal to see the beautiful huge lake I was used to completely dried out :(No more swim area, marina is down so low, you have to drive out to the lake in areas that used to be filled with water. Just the saddest… I really hope we get rain soon!
Anyway, despite the drought Lopez Lake still has some water. Enough to swim, boat and fish. There are tons of campgrounds with many options. Lots of large private spaces. Bathrooms are clean and easily accessible. Tons of hiking trails.
They also have a tiny water park with a few slides, which I used to frequent as a child, and a new zip line. You can rent boats and paddle boards for a couple hours or the full day.
Lots of animals around… I’ve seen snakes, deer, turkeys, lizards and most recently BEARS! Due to the drought the bears now have to come down to the lake since their water sources that were higher up in the mountains are no longer available. Again sad, but oh my gosh the baby cub I saw was the cutest!!!
This is a perfect little weekend retreat. No phone service makes Lopez Lake a good place to unwind and be one with nature.
Enjoy!

The location couldn’t be better. The water level is, well a bit lower than anyone could call optimal. The campground is a bit dusty and no views of the lake. The lodge was perfect. Pool, video games, ping pong and air hockey. The menu was limited to bar type food but they had a good selection of beer.
The fishing was poor. The water was dirty. Sour grapes here. The restaurant, docks and boat ramp were more than adequate. I wouldn’t camp here but I’m a bit of a snob. There were deer to be seen and all types of bird life along the shore.
See photos!

Highly recommend camping out in Lopez lake we were out there two weekends ago it was absolutely amazing beautiful weather surrounded by deer and other wildlife. I highly recommend looking into the conejo site it is a little higher in the hill so you have a beautiful view. Tip as soon as it starts starts to get dark definitely put all your food away and lock it up really well. we had a night where a raccoon took off with a bag of hamburger buns. it was a funny sight but definitely don’t want the little animals eating food and making them sick.

We’ve been coming to Lopez Lake for the past 5 years and love it! The staff is friendly, the campground clean and peaceful. This year the water level at the lake was very low but fishing was still allowed.

How I want to give Lopez Lake five stars-it’s not their fault the lake is drying up. But it is, the swimming area is completely gone. The marina is pathetic. It’s sad.
Yet… kids swam near the marina (scary because people are fishing there and I’m a safety freak-​they all looked like they were having a blast-​even while picking off the lake bugs stuck on them. There were also a few boats and floats on the water. We decided NOT to kayak even though we paid a week’s of worth of fees. This was OUR choice and does not count against the review.
It’s not their fault some of the animals had to flee (turkeys, for instance).
Yet… we had deer, raccoon, and quail come on our campsite. They were amazing and docile; nature at its best.
Speaking of campsite, I loved ours and all the sites I got to see for myself. No complaints. The bathrooms are fine — we ARE camping. They are well stocked and I see people come in and clean. Very simple and primitive but perfect for here.
Movie night was a fiasco for me-​I love movies while camping, but because even two hours before the month-​in advanced-​planned movie at the outdoor nature center no one at the marina or registration could tell me what’s playing-​my fellow campers vetoed going. I didn’t mark down for my bad luck but I did for lack of organization, communication, or both.
There’s a water park that is quite simple with only three attractions, suited best for preteens who can be minimally watched and can actually enjoy each attraction because if you’re over 4 feet, you won’t get to be in any pool for longer than 30 seconds and if you’re under 4 feet, you need someone to take you on two of the three attractions. Really a bummer for a parent who can’t ride the slides due to fear of themselves or a child-​$ 20 to watch everyone and never get wet once. Please someone-there’s no swimming place at the lake (free of debris), make a place we can enjoy a dip (pool or tiny lazy river maybe?).
The adventure park of zip-​lining and obstacle-​course-​like play is amazing and affordable, including the option for a «buffet of play.» There’s a course and zip line for both beginners and bigger adventurers.
Love love love hiking and biking. What can I say, you can’t improve perfection. Great trails that are well made and some that are off the badly-​beaten path.
Fossils-it’s hard to believe these are real and not planted. A ton of fossils to be found.
I could write more-​but I’m busy camping.

This is the best campground I’ve been to thus far! I love the environment and views. Wild turkeys roam everywhere. Small deer walk right up to you or into your campsite with no problem. There are plenty of bathrooms and several pay showers as well. There’s a convenience store at the top of the hill which sells food, camp items, and has games.
I used to go with a large group of family/​friends. We’d reserve the large Campobello (?) site every March. There was plenty of shade trees to set tents and living areas under. This site had full use of electricity, a close bathroom, and we always brought our own music, spotlights, and other necessary items. Kids would roast hot dogs and marshmallows for s’mores on the provided pit. There is also a nearby pathway where we and the kids could walk to the store and see the water. Beware to cover all food and leave no leftovers or trash out overnight. The raccoons scavenge late at night. Alcohol is also permitted so indulge!
If you’re into water activities, there are all types of boats and jet skis for rent. We always took our own skis and walked to the dock when ready to ride. If you like more basic camp areas, there are plenty of other sites available with no electricity, water, or views of the water. I can’t wait to restock camp gear and go again.

We have been camping and windsurfing in Lopez Lake since 2000. We are there almost all summer weekends and even parked our RV there to save on gas.
We enjoyed the camps and the lake and are sad to see how low the water level is but there’s nothing we can do about that.
We brought a large group of relatives for our annual camping trip 28 in all and we were so dissapointed to find out most bathrooms and toilet facilities were closed. Portable toilets were put in place.
We were camped for 3 days and not once were the portables cleaned. They were disgusting!
The few toilets that were open were all overflowing and even more disgusting.
What made it more frustrating was there were no notices on line or even when we checked in. No announcements. No one informed us of the conditions.
It felt like they were trying to hide something and hoped no one would complain.
Very dissapointed to say the least.
This will be our last trip to Lopez Lake. There are so many other camp sites and lakes in California. We will not put up with this kind facility.

Amazing place to spend time with the family. I got some paddle boards and spent the day in the sun. Sucks the water problems in the world today soon there will be no water :(

We stayed at Lopez lake during Easter break. We stayed 4 nights and had a wonderful time. It was a very busy weekend and the campground was always clean and tidy. The bathrooms were always clean and well maintain. The trash cans were clean and well picked up. For a holiday weekend we thought they did a great job of keeping everything clean and in working order. The marina was a lot fun too. The best campground we have been to so far! I highly recommend it! We will be back soon.

Campsite is nice and organized. Check-​in went smoothly, and finding the campsite was easy. It was breath-​taking to see the families of deer that would appear in the early morning and early evenings to graze in the fields.
Most importantly the restrooms/​showers were well-​maintained, especially for a campsite, and the water stayed warm the entire time!
There were to be a lot of amenities (lake, water park, general store, restaurant) and activities to do here, which we did not get the chance to take advantage of. Would definitely come back here.

Been coming here for several years now for our annual family trip on Labor Day weekend. This year was unfortunately our last year coming up on Labor Day weekend. SO PACKED, loud people coming at 130 in the morning, dirty disrespectful people in the bathroom, people that let their dogs roam without leashes, and crappy reservations set up.
The things I love about Lopez is when there are barely any people there. It’s so peaceful and quiet and you have a clean restroom, no wait times to get in the shower, you can walk your dogs without worrying about other dogs running up to you. We always stay in Quail and it’s been great. But, this year it was so crowded and so many cars parked and it felt like trailers were over crowding the tents and it just made it absolutely miserable for the tent campers.
As far as the lake goes, it’s a great lake for boating, jet skiing, swimming, and people watching the launch ramp (it’s great entertainment… trust me!). They do have a great general store too with everything that you need… PLUS, it’s only a 15 minute drive to AG if you need to get other things or if you just want to go into town for dinner or lunch.
The reservation system is kind of wack. Lots of fees and if you cancel your reservation within the «refund» time limit… you actually don’t get a refund. You get a credit towards another time at Lopez… hmmmm not sure I like that part. So basically if you make a reservation, make sure you are going to Lopez.
All in all, the best time to go is NOT on a holiday weekend. If you want the full «camping» experience, go during the week. It’s so beautiful and wish trashy people wouldn’t ruin it for everyone else.

Annual fambam trip to Lopez Lake and I can’t believe I have never written a review about this place.
We have been going here for over 15 years. So many great childhood memories and now memories us being adults and continuing the tradition. About 20 – 30 of our family members go for about 3 – 4 days.
So beautiful. The deer, fish, beautiful birds and we even saw a bear this year!
Clean restrooms and bathing area $ 1.00 for 5 minutes in the shower.
There is a huge water slide which is great for the kiddos.
They have a store and a place you can rent kayaks, jet skis, paddle boards and anything else you can think of that you may need for the water. My uncle has a boat and takes us rafting on the lake.
We have such an amazing time here. Memories we will continue to make for years and years.

We camp here several times a year as we have family that live in Pismo Beach and really like camping here instead of at the beach.
We like to camp in Mallard, Quail and Bluejay. Also if you have pets you can buy an annual pet pass which saves money if you frequent this place.
We don’t use them but people we camp with say the restrooms are kept stocked and clean.
There are a large amount of camp hosts so maybe that is why it seems to be a pretty quiet campground for how large it is at night. We’ve never had any louds camped near us like we’ve experienced at other places.
Starting at Spring break their water slide opens for the summer which is fun for the family.
The campsites I’ve mentioned are full hookups 30 amp, water, sewer and no cable. Lots of trees and the wildlife is amazing, deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, skunks, quail, raccoons, woodpeckers and we were notified that a mountain lion was spotted. So at night you must throw your trash in the dumpster or you will be animal central!
If you are looking for a nice campground and possible good fishing this is your place. We didn’t do well in the fishing dept. but everyone else we talked to did ok but Ca. is in a drought.
I give this place a big thumbs up!!!