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Whiskeytown Lake is a premier paddling
destination. With 36 miles of shoreline, there
are many coves, islands, and open waters to
explore. Whiskeytown Lake i offers a choice of
outdoor recreational activities. Boulder Creek,
south of the Oak Bottom Boat Launch, will give
you some opportunities to spot one or more large
osprey nests. Following the shoreline until the
second inlet, the paddlers will find themselves
in the outflow of Boulder Creek. Another area to
paddle to is Davis Gulch, just to the east of
the Brandy Creek area.
Brandy Creek Beach, Oak Bottom Beach, and East
Beach have roped-off swimming areas and are
closed to boating. They have picnic tables and
grills for visitors to use. Brandy Creek and Oak
Bottom Beaches both have small
concession-operated stores open during the
summer where you can purchase snacks and pay
your day use entry fee.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area offers free
tours to explore the quiet coves of Whiskeytown
Lake with an interpretive park ranger. Or you
can try kayak fishing, hiking alongside rushing
creeks, or visiting the many waterfalls in the
park to appreciate all that Whiskeytown National
Recreation Area has to offer.
You may want to skip paddling the wide-open main
body of water on the south-eastern side of the
lake, which is prone to extremely gusty wind
conditions. Also, the numerous powerboats create
choppy waters to contend with. Fortunately, the
powerboat traffic tends to stay in the main body
of water. Instead, paddle throughout the
northwestern arm by Oak Bottom campground, where
you’ll find some unparalleled paddling opportun ities
on usually calm water.
Overall, if you’re looking for a great paddling
getaway, Whiskeytown Lake is one of the best
kayak and fishing destinations in Northern
California.
Map of Whiskeytown Reservoir
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