Millerton Lake

Our Mission Millerton Lake State Recreation Area The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Millerton Lake State Recreation Area lies in the center of California’s heartland, covering California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (559) 822-2332. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact interp@parks.ca.gov or (916) 654-2249. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369. (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.™ Millerton Lake State Recreation Area 5290 Millerton Road Friant, CA 93626 (559) 822-2332 © 2002 California State Parks (Rev. 2014) an area rich in historic importance. M deer, quail and other game. The Yokuts were especially skilled at fishing for salmon, which they dried and stored for winter use. The lives of the Yokuts were altered by the intrusion of settlers who brought diseases to which they had no immunity, depleted their food sources, and caused them to be displaced from their villages. Conflicts with the new arrivals ultimately led to the Mariposa Indian War, which ended in 1851 with the signing of a peace treaty at the U.S. military encampment known as Camp Barbour. An envoy had negotiated treaties PARK HISTORY with several California Indian groups, but For thousands of years, several groups of Congress failed to ratify the treaties. Northern Foothill Yokuts lived in the rolling Camp Barbour, now beneath the lake’s grasslands and woodlands of the region. surface, was built in 1850. A tent city called The women crafted beautiful Rootville, baskets used for both utilitarian later changed and ceremonial purposes. The to Millerton, men harvested acorns and hunted sprang up and quickly prospered. It served as the Fresno County seat from 1856 Millerton Courthouse in the spring to 1874. The area’s only courthouse was built in 1867. In 1941 the courthouse was dismantled and reconstructed on its present site at Mariner’s Point to protect it from rising floodwaters. The courthouse has been restored to look much as it did more than a century ago. Today the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation maintains Friant Dam as part of the federal Central illerton Lake State Recreation Area is located in the heart of California, near the southernmost end of the Mother Lode gold region. Here, where the San Joaquin River flows out of the Sierra Nevada foothills and into the Central Valley, the 319-foottall Friant Dam was built across the river canyon in 1944 to form Millerton Lake. One of the most popular recreation areas in the San Joaquin Valley, the lake’s 47 miles of shoreline are a magnet for families seeking high-quality recreational opportunities. Valley Project to manage water for flood control, drinking water and irrigation. California State Parks has an operating agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation for the management of Millerton Lake. WILDLIFE Millerton Lake has the largest population of wintering bald eagles in the San Joaquin Valley, most having migrated more than 1,600 miles from summer breeding grounds in Canada. The San Joaquin drainage and other nearby lakes have several year-round nesting bald eagle pairs, sometimes spotted in the summer. Other wildlife-watching opportunities include resident golden eagles, waterfowl, and both indigenous and migratory bird species that travel to and from the higher portions of the Sierra Nevada. Larger mammals such as deer, bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions inhabit the area. Smaller animals include foxes, badgers, skunks, raccoons, opossums, cottontail rabbits and ground squirrels. PLANT COMMUNITIES The first fall rains turn the hills green, and wildflowers reach their peak in April. During the summer, stately blue oak and live oak trees dot the dry brown hills. Up the river canyon, oaks and gray pine combine with manzanita, ceanothus and other chaparral to form a denser forest. Vernal pools above the upper river canyon provide a vital habitat for the short life cycles of frogs, toads, tiny fairy shrimp, prehistoric-looking tadpole shrimp, and specially adapted plants. RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Summer temperatures can pass 100 degrees, so hikers should always carry drinking water. October brings a pleasant 50 to 80 degrees. In the spring, when sailing regattas and water skiers start to fill the lake, temperatures range from 40 to 65 degrees. Picnicking – Picnic areas with barbecue grills and restrooms surround the lake. Groups of up to 100 may choose to reserve one of two Grange Grove picnic areas. South Finegold — reachable by car and boat — has tables, wood stoves and a shade ramada that can accommodate 150. Boating – Millerton’s shoreline has three launch ramps with parking nearby. Snacks, Friant Dam beverages, bait and gas are available at Millerton Lake Marina. Local boating groups stage sailboat races and regattas in June and July. Hiking and Bicycling – Trails range from level hiking areas to challenging mountain bike trails. Markers along a ¼-mile interpretive trail at Fort Miller campground explain the natural and cultural resources. The strenuous, hiking-only Buzzard’s Roost Trail at the north shore offers lake views. On the south shore, Blue Oak Trail provides a level, two-mile hike to Winchell Cove. An 11-mile trail follows the river canyon from South Finegold to the Bureau of Land Management’s rustic Squaw Leap campground. Fishing – The shoreline habitat provides hiding places for an abundance of bass and catfish. Fishing tournaments are Bass occasionally scheduled through special events permits. A valid California fishing license is required. Camping – The north shore has 148 developed sites among oak and gray pine woodlands, 27 with electricity hookups. Each site has a table, fire ring, and access Lake view campsite to drinking water. Two group campgrounds can accommodate from 45 to 75 people. Boat Camping – Temperance Flat has two dozen first-come, first-served sites reachable by boat. North Finegold can hold 15 fully-contained boats. Register in advance at the south shore park entrance during park hours. Read the boat camping information sheet for details on shore campsites, registration, marinas, safety requirements, and self-contained sanitation devices. Boaters should complete a boating safety course before operating their boats at Millerton. Channel boaters INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS • Summer campfire programs • Junior Ranger programs • School groups can tour the Courthouse. Call (559) 822-2332 for appointments. • Group boat tours to view the bald and golden eagles around the lake from December to February. Call the park in November for cost and reservations. ACCESSIBLE FEATURES • Family campsites, restrooms and picnic sites • Level group sites; four picnic tables, restrooms. Terrain around all campsites is not level. Accessible conditions are continually improving. For updates, visit http://access.parks.ca.gov. DAM AND LAKE FACTS Type of structure: concrete gravity Dam height: 319 feet Lake width: from one to three miles Reservoir surface elevation: 471 feet to 578 feet above sea level Reservoir total capacity at 578 feet: 520,500 acre-feet (642,036,750 cubic meters) Water surface: 4,900 acres when lake is full Main purposes: reclamation, flood control, irrigation, and recreation Outlets: Friant-Kern Canal, Madera Canal, and the San Joaquin River Maintained by: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Operated by: California State Parks View of Big Bend area and backcountry PLEASE REMEMBER • All natural and cultural features are protected by law and may not be disturbed or removed. • Be alert for rattlesnakes, mountain lions and poison oak. • Lifeguards are on duty only during summer. Park staff recommend that children wear approved life jackets. • Alcohol consumption is prohibited on the beaches. Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs is against the law. • Vessels with non-conformant twostroke engines may not launch or use the lake. For details, see http://www.dbw.parks.ca.gov/PDF/ MillertonLakeTSNotice.pdf. Sa Sm al l 00 1000 1500 1000 Rd Ro 20 e 00 us Squaw Leap (BLM) 10 Rd Road 36 Fria Ho Toll Rd 0 100 168 10 00 Clovis Clovis Ave Madera Ave E 1500 Sa n Kings Canyon Rd 10 2 qu i n ad Sk iA rea 2334ft 710m Temperance Flat Boat-In 15 S an Jo a Creek Ro Tra il i Area d gol No er 2000 Squaw Leap il Tra ne R iv No Sk d Fi a Ro Meadows 91-138 00 Rocky Point 1-21 River uin Valley Oak 85-90 aq 2006ft 610m Mono 22-37 150 Te m p e r a n c e F l a t Legend Boat Ramp#6 Millerton Lake 578ft 176m Paved Road Unpaved Road Hulbert Mtn 1000 Berry Hill 15 I D rea Restricted Boating Area I R T A L E Boat Ramp M O U N T A I N Campground 1500 a re Group Campground Y Du m n iA 0 Sk M B 100 No I L L Creek E Boating G T O N Finegold Bay a Accessible Feature 2000 B R 500 (Hike/Bike/Horse) 00 iA G E 00 Trail: Hike Multi-Use Trail Sk 15 N O RT H FINEGOLD AREA No 922ft 280m E Horse Campground Primitive Campground L L Trai l 1000 1000 South Finegold 00 re a Sa A V Y R E T A B L Parking Picnic Area U Ha rb RV Sanitation Station T A U Viewpoint N L T E A I N Millerton Lake Swimming No Bicycles on Trail B Ro O 00 M 15 M I L L E RT O N L A K E S TAT E R E C R E AT I O N AREA East Bay to Madera Restrooms Marshall Hill 1566ft 476m Rd Meadows Park Entrance Nature Trail R o c K E N Z I E E nJ Marina B u in aq M or 14 5 Sky Mono 14 5 Hillis Cove ad Fort Miller Rocky Point 0 Locked Gate A 10 Road Valley Oak Campsite Numbers iA Dumna Cove 100 0 Sk 5 14 Wellbarn Rd Ri v 150 Dumna Strand Au 1000 H I L L No be rry Rd Marshall Station No Horses on Trail 50 578ft 176m 0 McKenzie Point Willow Cove Bl u e McKenzie Point Bo ati ne Millerton Courthouse No Boating Zone 578ft 176m South Bay Winchell Cove South Bay nc h e ll Cr e ek 150 100 n Rd ll he Grange Grove Boat Ramps #2-5 Bl ry Rd 1000 500 Canal © 2011 California State Parks (Rev. 2014) Map by Eureka Cartography, Berkeley, CA La Playa Beach P Park Entrance SOUTH SHORE AREA to Fresno d 00 10 Rd Auber tR d r ian ve Fr Ri e Rd n Millerto n Rd ui n aq rto Jo Kern n Sa see South Shore detail map right ille Friant a M M Rd er Fr i a n t- ad Park Entrance Mc Ke nz ie kT r a il R ve Co Courtho us Oa Millerto l Boat Ramp #1 Crow’s Nest P c in na 0 0 1500 South Bay W Ca Millerton Courthouse ue rk Rd Rattlesnake Island Zo h Fo ng Friant Dam Trail No Boating Zone Rattlesnake Island Millerton Lake Winchell Bay W i 500 No Willow Cove O ak 00 R oa d I C T O E 1582ft 481m see North Shore detail map above 11 d2 Ro a T 500 C T A er Pincushion Mtn Nort 0 1000 Park Entrance 10 14 5 Jo Fort Miller 38-74 Rd 168 l l e r t o n Rd Crook Mtn Dumna Cove er BL Fresno R iv ey TA Ave uin Y Dumna Strand 75-84 Shaw oq ED il N 1000 Ave N il Herndon Au ry Ja 00 hore Tra eT ra nt r be n 20 r th S hor 12 99 145 Mi k No hS Avenue Friant 41 1500 Prather Millerton Lake SRA C ree Buzzard’s Roost 41 E Madera ’s Roost Trail N o rt 0 40 145 O’Neals Auberry K B uz z a rd ad rth 0 Hensley Lake N O RT H S H O R E AREA F Rd ork Yosemite Lakes 00 No 10 State Recreation Area 200 Millerton Lake Blue Oak d ton R Miller