Turlock LakeState Recreation Area With the river and

lake environments so

close to each other, this

recreation area provides

an ideal setting for

water-oriented outdoor

activities.

Turlock Lake State Recreation Area22600 Lake Road

La Grange, CA 95329(209) 874-2056

© 2005 California State Parks Printed on Recycled Paper

www.parks.ca.gov

California State Parks does not discriminateagainst individuals with disabilities. Prior toarrival, visitors with disabilities who needassistance should contact the park at the phonenumber below. To receive this publication in analternate format, write to the CommunicationsOffice at the following address.

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKSP. O. Box 942896

Sacramento, CA 94296-0001For information call: (800) 777-0369

(916) 653-6995, outside the U.S.711, TTY relay service

Our MissionThe mission of the California Department ofParks and Recreation is to provide for thehealth, inspiration and education of thepeople of California by helping to preservethe state’s extraordinary biological diversity,protecting its most valued natural andcultural resources, and creating opportunitiesfor high-quality outdoor recreation.

estled in a narrow, woodsy pocketbetween the Tuolumne River and TurlockLake in the rolling foothills of easternStanislaus County, Turlock Lake State Recre-ation Area (SRA) lures those seeking relax-ation and clean country air. Open all year withcamping, picnicking, fishing, swimming,boating and water skiing, this area offersvisitors an opportunity to see the variety ofnative plant life that once flourished along therivers of the San Joaquin Valley.

A warm, dry climate prevails in the CentralValley, with nighttime temperatures usuallydropping to the high 60s. Precipitation fallsmainly from October through April. Summertemperatures above 100 degrees are normal.Winter temperatures are well below freezing,but snow is very rare.

PARK HISTORY

Turlock Lake MiwoksFor thousands of years, the Central SierraMiwok hunter-gatherers who supplementedtheir main dietary staple of acorns with otherseeds, edible plants, fish, and large and smallgame, built seasonal villages of bark or tulereeds along the banks of rivers and streams.With the coming of Europeans, the essence oftheir existence—the vitality of the land, familylife, the seasonal cycle, ritual and socialinteraction—was soon destroyed, along withlarge numbers of Miwok who had no immunityto the diseases introduced by the Europeans.

Despite these drastic changes, descendentsof the Central Sierra Miwok

still live in the area, practicing ancient culturaltraditions and passing them on to the nextgeneration.

Gold MiningGold was found along the Tuolumne River inStanislaus County by French sailors in 1849.Their camp quickly grew into a settlementknown as French Bar or French Camp, andeventually became La Grange. The easilyobtained placer gold played out by 1856. Goldmining returned to the Tuolumne River whenthe La Grange Dredging Company formed in1905 to extract gold from an eight-mile sectionof the river, now part of the park. Severalmillion dollars in gold were extracted beforedredging operations ceased in 1952.

TURLOCK IRRIGATION DISTRICT

Just as the Tuolumne River furnished water formining, it also provided rich soil for agriculture,and by 1857 farms lined its banks. The farmersirrigated their crops with the springfloodwaters of the Tuolumne River, leavingthem vulnerable to periods of drought.

With the backing of farmers, in 1887Assemblyman C. C. Wright proposed a newkind of local government agency—an irrigationdistrict—to help deal with the problem of cropirrigation. The first district to be establishedunder the Wright Act was the Turlock IrrigationDistrict. To control water for irrigation, thisdistrict and the Modesto Irrigation Districttogether constructed La Grange Dam in 1893.Despite this the water needs of the farmerswere barely being met. To solve the problem,

the Turlock Irrigation District built a 3,500-acrereservoir between La Grange and Waterfordthat became known as Turlock Lake.

TURLOCK LAKE TODAY

In 1950 the Turlock Irrigation District leasedTurlock Lake, with its 26 miles of shorelineand 228 acres of foothill country, to the Stateof California to form Turlock Lake SRA.

From several lookout points, visitors canview the surrounding savannas and some ofthe cattle ranches and orchards nearby. LakeRoad, which separates the campground fromthe day-use area, offers an excellentperspective of the campground, the river andsloughs, and miles of dredger tailing piles,the by-product of a half century of goldmining.

WILDLIFE

The rich riparian habitat along the TuolumneRiver and adjacent sloughs with their forestedbanks and tangled underbrush provides ahaven for many birds and animals.

Over 115 species of birds have beenidentified along the river. Woodpeckers,hummingbirds, orioles, western bluebirdsand greenbacked goldfinches provide flashesof color along the riverbanks as meadowlarks,valley quail, bushtits, mourning doves andwestern mockingbirds fill the air with theirsongs. Hawks and turkey vultures dominatethe wide-open sky by day, and barn andscreech owls join in at night. On the water andalong the shore during fall and winter,mallards, canvasbacks, coots, white-fronted

N

geese, several kinds of herons, grebes, gullsand terns are common.

The riverbanks are home to the gray fox,beavers, muskrats, cottontails, wood rats,bullfrogs, and turtles, while coyotes, black-tailedjackrabbits, and an occasional deer wanderthrough the savannas surrounding the lake.

PLANT COMMUNITIES

Turlock Lake has a 26-mile shoreline, withhumpbacked islands and jutting peninsulas.Low, rolling, grassy foothills enfold thereservoir. Valley and blue oaks dot theundulating hillsides in small clusters. At thepicnic area, cottonwoods, westernsycamores and willows provide shade.

The Tuolumne River’s rich riparian habitatboasts some 190 species of flowers, herbs,shrubs and ferns. Many native trees, includinginterior live oaks, cottonwoods, white alders,elderberry, ash and buckeye grow along theriver’s banks, providing a thick canopy ofshade. The broader riparian shore features athick tangle of oak, willow and fig treesintertwined with wild grape,blackberry, toyon, elderberryand mock orange.

Wildflowers decorate thegrassland and hillsides withlupine, fuschias, sunflowers,monkeyflowers, larkspurs,wallflowers and Mariposa lilies.Woodwardia ferns grow inmoist places along the cliff,and a multitude of otherflowers, shrubs and ferns infusecolor throughout the area.

RECREATIONTurlock Lake SRA offers a wide range ofrecreational opportunities, including camp-ing, picnicking, fishing, swimming, boatingand water-skiing.

CampingWith a sheer bluff rising on its south boundaryand the Tuolumne River on the north, asecluded campground offers 60 campsitesabout one mile from the lake. Native treesprovide shade, and the heavy growth ofblackberries entice jam and pie fanciersfrom mid-July through October.

Each campsite has a stove, table and foodlocker, and piped drinking water is within ahundred feet. Hot showers and restrooms withflush toilets are nearby. Although no trailerhookups are available, trailers up to 27 feetcan be accommodated in the campsites.

Day useAlong the lakeshore are two formal picnic areas,lots of shade trees, and an irrigated grassyarea. Stationary barbecues are nearby. A boat

launching ramp and ampleparking for boat trailers and carsare also available. There are nolifeguards on duty, so swimmersshould use caution. Trout, blackbass, crappie, bluegill andcatfish in the lake and rivertest the skills of fishermen.

ACCESSIBLE FEATURES

Fishing on the lake

• Picnic area: Two accessiblepicnic tables are located atthe picnic area next to

Swim Beach and adjacent to designatedaccessible parking. Assistance may berequired getting to water faucets or grills.

• The restroom near the beachis accessible.

• Depending on water levels, the boat dockis navigable for persons who can self-transfer to boats.

NEARBY STATE PARKS• McConnell State Recreation Area, 5 miles

southeast of Delhi, (209) 394-7755• George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area,

28 miles west of Merced, (209) 632-1852• Great Valley Grasslands State Park, 5

miles east of Gustine, (209) 826-1197

PLEASE REMEMBER• Each campsite is limited to eight persons.• Dogs must be leashed at all times.

PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR PET.• Loud, disturbing noises and music are

prohibited at all times. Quiet hours arebetween 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

• Watch out for poison oak.• Do not gather dead wood. Firewood may

be purchased at the campground office.• Bicyclists under 18 must wear approved

helmets. Bicycles are not permitted onfootpaths and must be equipped withheadlamps and reflectors in compliancewith vehicle code regulations.

• Campsites are vulnerable to theft at anytime. Secure your valuables and equip-ment, and report any suspicious activity.

• Campground check-in time is 2:00 p.m.Checkout time is noon.