UNDER THE TREESCAMP CONNELL · CALIFORNIACheck availability ↗Five lakes. Five ways to spend the day.
Easy beach days, big-water adventures, and quiet paddles through granite country. Bring your BBQ, paddleboard, and a great book for a relaxing day by the lake. Find your water, then come home to the trees.
Drive times are planning estimates from the cabin. High-country access depends on snow and seasonal road openings.
Get your bearings
Map loading. You can also use the directions linked with each lake below.
Numbered markers show approximate lake locations; New Melones is marked at Glory Hole Recreation Area. Camp Connell is an area reference, not the cabin’s exact address. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.
01 / About 15 minutes
The easygoing choice for a family lake day near Arnold: pine-shaded picnic spots, small beaches, a playground, and calm water for kayaking or paddleboarding. Pair a swim with a visit to the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum or a walk on the Arnold Rim Trail, then head home for dinner.
Non-motorized lake. Bring your own picnic and check current park rules before visiting. No overnight camping.
02 / About 45 minutes
Trade alpine pines for sunlit Gold Country foothills at this expansive reservoir near Angels Camp. New Melones is a destination for boating, fishing, and warm-weather water adventures, with shoreline trails for those who prefer dry land. Start at Glory Hole Recreation Area and build a full day around the water.
Launch rules include invasive-mussel prevention requirements; check current quarantine/decontamination procedures and marina rentals before bringing a boat. Water levels and ramp availability vary.
03 / About 30–45 minutes
A classic High Sierra day out, just beyond Bear Valley. Granite shores, mountain views, and clear water make Lake Alpine a beautiful setting for paddling, fishing, or a lakeside picnic. Add a shoreline walk or a climb toward Inspiration Point, with seasonal food and rentals available around the lake.
High-elevation water stays cold. Summer access, rentals, and facilities depend on snow and opening dates; check current Highway 4 conditions. Low-speed boating.
04 / About 50–65 minutes
For a quieter paddle, follow Spicer Reservoir Road into a landscape of smooth granite, forested coves, and little islands. Utica is particularly suited to kayaks and canoes, with only non-motorized boating permitted. Pack a picnic, bring your supplies, and spend an unhurried day exploring the shoreline from the water.
Non-motorized boats only. Seasonal forest-road access; bring drinking water and all supplies. Check USFS conditions before leaving, particularly in spring and late autumn.
05 / About 50–65 minutes
Utica’s neighboring reservoir offers another peaceful way to enjoy the Sierra’s granite-and-pine scenery. Set out with a canoe or kayak, cast a fishing line, or find a shoreline spot for a slow afternoon. Its rustic setting rewards visitors who arrive prepared, with little in the way of nearby services.
Seasonal forest-road access. Bring water, food, and supplies; check current USFS road, fire, and boating rules. This is a remote high-country outing.
A little planning, a better day
Pack drinking water, food, sun protection, layers, and life jackets. Remote reservoirs have limited services.
Consult Caltrans and Forest Service alerts. A lake that is easy to reach in summer can be inaccessible by road in winter.
White Pines keeps it simple. Lake Alpine adds mountain scenery. Utica and Union suit a quiet paddle. New Melones offers a larger boating outing.
A home base for all of it
Mountain days. Quiet nights. Your own little corner of the Sierra.
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