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    Big Bar Launch

    4.0 (1 review)

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    3 years ago

    Helpful 22
    Thanks 5
    Love this 23
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    Lake Camanche

    Lake Camanche

    3.7
    (405 reviews)
    12.9 mi

    I had such a great experience at Lake Camanche, and I wanted to give a special shout-out to Aryan…read moreand Madi! I had to stop by the front gate twice during my trip, and both times they were incredibly friendly, patient, and helpful. They answered all of my questions, made the check-in process easy, and genuinely made me feel welcome. Aryan especially went above and beyond. Great customer service can be hard to find these days, and he deserves to be recognized for how kind, professional, and helpful he was. Madi was just as wonderful--both of them really set the tone for a great camping trip. Thank you both for making my visit such a positive experience. Employees like Aryan and Madi are a huge asset to Lake Camanche, and I hope they get the recognition they deserve. I'll definitely be back!

    If you're coming here to relax and have fun, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. This place has become…read moreoverwhelmed with rules and restrictions, and the rangers seem more focused on policing campers than creating a welcoming experience. I used to come here every year, but after this trip, we'll never be back. Don't try to sneak alcohol, they do check and they will walk around your campsite every 10 mins. The rangers constantly patrol campsites and frequently show up unannounced, making it hard to enjoy your stay. We were kicked out of our campsite because they found a beer on our table. (Yes, we were aware no alcohol, but cmon we're camping)! Then we were told to be out by 8:00 AM the next morning. We were already packed up and actively loading our vehicle when a ranger approached us at 8:01 AM and immediately accused us of trespassing. Instead of handling the situation professionally, he told us to "hurry up and pack your stuff, and get the fuck out" and stop "lollygagging." We were literally in the process of leaving. These american rangers were on a power trip, super entitled, thinking they're above the law and talking to us like we were animals, if not worse. So in other words, they must really love their jobs, or they're unhappy with their lives. The entire experience felt unnecessarily hostile and aggressive. Being nice will go a long way. We were super nice and respectful and didn't argue back. Wish we got the same energy back. There are plenty of other campgrounds where visitors are treated with respect.

    Photos
    Watershed trail
    Watershed trail
    Outdoor movie theater
    Outdoor movie theater
    Lake Camanche

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    Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park

    Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park

    4.3
    (10 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    Love the view at the top of the hill. Amazing history and a wonderful dog park. Plenty of area to…read morerun if you have 2 or 4 legs, vehicle accessible and bathrooms.

    I was just bebopping around the Sierra foothills on a lazy weekend day this past summer. I was in…read moreJackson, CA, driving around. I happen to drove out to the Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park. Admission and parking is FREE. The park is created around the remains of the Kennedy Mine's Tailing wheels. The city even threw in a section for a dog park, but that area is a sad dirt patch with no shade. The main attraction of the park is the glass enclosed tailing wheel #4. It's 68 feet in diameter with 178 buckets. Quite an impressive sight. The Kennedy gold mine operations ran from mid 1850s through 1942 (the government shut down the operations to focus on due WW II efforts). The original wheels were located up the hill closer to the mine operations and moved to the park for display. The whelks were reassembled and laid out in reverse order. Wheel #4 is the only wheel restored. A portion of the financial assistance came from the local community. Awesome. Wheels 1 and 2 are across the street on the Kennedy mine property, not much of it is left. The Kennedy mine is now a tourist attraction. You can walk across the street to view wheels 1 and 2. They're viewable from afar behind the fence. Not much to look at though, just crumbled aged pieces of wood. Wheel #3 is near wheel #4. That wheel is also in disrepair and falling apart, but somewhat better condition than 1&2. Behind wheel #4 is Indian Gulch. That's the area where the mine waste carried from the tailing wheels ended up. In 1914, a dam was built so the mine waste was impounded to the dam basin. Another thing is the park is not flat and has slight elevation, and the strolling paths are not paved and have steps. The sights are viewable from the pave sidewalk/roadway. Amenities: restroom, picnic benches, strolling path shaded in areas by old Oak trees, and dog park.

    Photos
    Wheel 4
    Wheel 4
    Impound Dam- area where it once operated. This
    Impound Dam- area where it once operated. This
    Wheel 4

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    Wheel 4

    Big Bar Launch - parks - Updated August 2026

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