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Lake Information for Isabella Lake
Lake Isabella is a man-made earthen reservoir in Kern County, California that consists of a main and auxiliary dam. It was formed in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Kern River at the junction of its two forks at Whiskey Flat. At 11,000 acres (45 km²), it is one of the largest reservoirs in California. The area is in the southern end of the Sierra Nevada range and the lake itself is located in low mountains at an elevation of approximately 2,500 feet (760 m) where summer temperatures reach over 100 degrees (°F) but low enough to avoid winter snows on the surrounding ridges. Lake Isabella is located about 40 miles (65 km) northeast of Bakersfield, and is the main water supply for that city.
Land Sports:
* Camping - 30 campgrounds within the nearby Sequoia National Forest
Information available from Lake Visitor Center on southwest corner of the lake - (760) 379-5646
* Fishing - trout, bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish
* Golf - at a public golf course near the north end of the reservoir near Kernville
* Hiking - 1,000 miles of hiking trails in surrounding mountains of Sequoia National Forest
* Motocross Driving - on track at Cyrus Canyon
* Photography - of wildflowers and wildlife (particularly at the South Fork Wildlife Area)
* Snow Skiing - at nearby Shirley Meadows and Sugar Loaf Peak
Water Sports:
* On Lake Isabella: boating, sailing, water skiing, jet-skiing, windsurfing, and fishing
* On the Kern River (preserved by Congress as Wild and Scenic): whitewater rafting, kayaking, and fishing
Lake Isabella can be reached by car from Bakersfield via state Highway 178 and from Delano via Highway 155.
Businesses Located Nearby
Boat Rental
- Jerry's Boat Center
- 6350 Lake Isabella Blvd - Lake Isabella, CA
- (760) 379-2839
- Valley Boats
- 7431 Rosedale Hwy - Bakersfield, CA
- (661) 588-9252
- Central Valley Sportsmens Boat
- 6716 Cherrywood Ave - Bakersfield, CA
- (661) 399-3345
Vacation Rental
- Golden Eagle Vacation Rental
- 2536 Golden Eagle Dr - Wofford Heights, CA
- (818) 779-0544
- Lake Isabella Motel
- 400 Highway 155 - Lake Isabella, CA
- (760) 379-2800
- Forest Service
- 4875 Ponderosa Dr - Lake Isabella, CA
- (760) 379-5646
Bar and Restaurant
- Nelda's Diner
- 5128 Lake Isabella Blvd - Lake Isabella, CA
- (760) 379-8448
- Frank's Diner
- 5901 Wofford Hgts Blvd - Wofford Heights, CA
- (760) 376-8646
- Elephant Bar & Restaurant
- 10100 Stockdale Hwy - Bakersfield, CA
- (661) 663-3020