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El Capitan Lake is not one of the prettiest lakes I’ve paddled. However, it was a memorable paddle due to getting stung by aggressive meat eating bees within moments upon arriving at this barren lake, located in the foothills of Lakeside, northeast of San Diego. Another notable feature about the lake is that the shoreline is soft in some areas. At least it was in the area where I pulled my kayak out onto the shore and sank up to my knees in smelly mud. Boating, fishing and kayaking are a popular pastime at El Capitan Lake. There’s a paved boat ramp conveniently located at the end of the lake. Once the lake reaches its watercraft capacity, the lake will stop allowing all water vessels access until 3pm. At 3pm, it will reopen and accommodate all available openings. El Capitan Lake is a fairly long and narrow body of water which presents the danger to paddlers of getting hit by a water vessel. The northern arm of the lake is closed off to skiers, offering calmer water for paddling. Unfortunately, during low water level conditions, this area diminishes in size and distance. Plus, you have to paddle the entire length of the lake to reach it. If you like to fish, El Capitan Lake is an excellent place to try your luck. The reservoir often saturated with kayak anglers and fishermen in motorboats trolling at a slow speed where the crappie is concentrated.
Map of El Capitan Lake
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