Lake Valley Reservoir’s calm water and peaceful
atmosphere offer a premium paddling experience
amid a towering forest and boulder-lined
shoreline. The refreshing cool mountain air
awakens your senses and provides an invigorating
paddle with impressive sights throughout its
eight miles of shoreline. The restriction of
motorized boats and the reservoir’s remoteness
provides a tranquil paddle.
The boat traffic during the weekends in the
summer rarely exceeds fifteen boats, which
consist of sailboats, windsurf boards, and
fishing boats with electric motors.The
rutted gravel access road and parking lot
are not suitable for motor homes or vehicles
pulling trailers and can be treacherous for
any vehicle after a recent rain. The only
other drawback to this pretty reservoir is
the afternoon winds, which can come on
without any warning and ruin a perfect
paddling excursion.
The campground is located a short distance
from the reservoir on the opposite side of
the launch area. The 35 tent and RV
campsites are on a first-come, first-served
basis, but good luck getting your RV here.
A canopy of conifers hugging the rocky
shoreline provides an abundance of shady
pullout access locations. Paddlers can
explore the numerous private inlets and two
s
mall
islands interspersed throughout the
reservoir. At daybreak, the colorful
vegetation provides mirror-like reflections
on the water’s surface. Due to Lake Valley
Reservoir’s remote location, it is advisable
to paddle this reservoir with a companion.
