Spending two days out here has been a breathtaking experience. One thing I noticed was there were more tents up with people camping versus RVs. The boat rentals were ridiculous for the day. They were booked up by 9:30 AM, but we had such a wonderful relaxing 2 days. We left with a total of five bass. Everyone at the lake was very nice and talkative. I was able to sit back and get some good reading in while my husband went back to fishing. This will be a return trip with more family members. I absolutely loved that the showers and bathroom were clean every time I went in. Bravo to the employees and the campers. read more

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This place has decent camp grounds. The lake is beautiful but is for fishing and boating, not swimming or water sports. There is at least one hiking trail that leads here, but no trail around the lake or in the camping areas. There is a boat rental place, a restaurant with burgers and sandwiches, a bait shop, and a boat launch ramp. Costs $10 for the day to get in. The workers are friendly. Nice place to get a meal and enjoy the view or go fishing or rent a boat to go on the lake. Boats a bit run down and selection small. Most people seemed to bring their own. Not sure how the camping experience is but it looked just ok. read more

On my way out from Solvang to head home, I drove on highway 154 to save myself some little time. I have taken this road a few times in the past. It's always nice to drive by Cachuma Lake that is along Hwy 154 especially during the daytime. However, I probably would skip Hwy 154 and stick with US 101 northbound during nighttime. Anyway, Cachuma Lake is quite beautiful from a far. I'll have to one day come back to admire this lake closer up. Btw, it turns out that this lake is a domestic water supply, hence, swimming, water skiing, windsurfing, stand-up paddleboarding, or any other body contact with the water is prohibited. read more

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Driving into Solvang/Los Olivos on Route 154 over the years for wine tasting trips and seeing Lake Cachuma full and looking majestic always brings a smile to my face. Usually I just admire it from a distance as I drive by, however, this go-around I took the time to stop and take it in. It does cost $10 to enter into the campground, however, it's worth it and I know it's going to a good cause. The campground it pretty expansive and their are many different lots you can book (even Yurts). Quite a few people there just for the day by the looks of it BBQ-ing, fishing, boating, and enjoying the surroundings. Inside there is a convenient store, bathrooms, restaurant (Hook'd Bar & Grill) plus boat rentals. While there doesn't appear to be much by the way of trails surrounding the lake, there are some vista point areas just off the 154 where you can take in some panormamic views of the lake and also some small and pretty easy (just wear some shoes that have some grip for rockier downhill section) trails which take you down to the shoreline. read more

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Wow! Water! July 2023 is a great year to get outside! There are tent sites and cabins ... and the water level is high! Glorious! Check out camping and hiking. read more

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Nice overall place to fish and camp. We went primitive style. No issues whatsoever. Enjoyed read more

This lake/property could have been nice but it was not maintained properly. While the property we can tolerate, the whole place is a BLOCK PARTY. LOUD mariachi/banda noise playing in every turn. It even turned to a truck rev-fest at one point. The whole barrio was "turned up" until 3am disturbing the peace. I get it, people will do what they do. It's really up to park management/rangers to keep the peace. Which they didn't. Loud and filthy behaviors were allowed. It was our first time and thankfully, our last. Coming from Pico Rivera, it's not worth the 5 hour traffic one way. It's a night market with filthy restrooms. Come and check for yourselves. read more

Beautiful park with overnight camping option in tents, RVs, or yurts. Boat rentals, general store, bar/grill (restaurant), and gas station on site! Disc golf course with frisbee rentals available! read more

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I really enjoy boating, all the more so when it's not on the open ocean; that made our recent outing on Cachuma Lake a very pleasant one :-) The lake is big enough that it takes just about two hours to explore in a rental boat; there aren't a lot of boats on it. Parts of the lake's shoreline are quite lovely - there's lots of grass and quite a number of oat trees.  Elsewhere around the lake isn't very scenic; there are sections that have been recently defoliated, with no trees and the muddy, ugly ground exposed.  On the upside, even in these areas I saw lots of birds and even a few deer. Tip: Swimming isn't permitted in the late, as the water is intended for drinking. On a clear day (which is what we had when we were boating here) it's exceeding pleasant to simply turn off the boat's motor and listen to the sounds of Mother Nature :-) read more

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After years of low water, andseeing the shoreline keep dropping, the spillway is overflowing and things are looking up! Enjoy the drive by the lake and be sure to stop at the dam on one end and the vista point on the other. I am so thankful for all the reain and the beauty! read more

Sister-in-law rented 5 cabins for the Family to celebrate nephews Birthday. It was our first time at the lake we had driven by it many times on our way to Solvang. She booked the cabins for 1 night arriving on presidents day and leaving on Tuesday. When we First arrived there was some confusion and the gentleman at check in was not very happy (a little rude). We finally got on the same page and everyone went about their day :) Driving in was beautiful (everyone leaving from their 3 day weekend) yay...and GREEN grass was sprouting everywhere. Check in to the cabins was 3pm, so we decided on renting a camping site right across one of them. Not many ppl camping,so there was plenty available sites. The kids ran around , rode their bikes beautiful scenery and were as happy as can be. The guys went off fishing by the pier (didn't catch anything) but we will try boats next time. High winds so no boats to rent. The Cabins got sterilized 2 times (COVID). So we walked in to Super clean cabins. They are very spacious and will definitely come back to them. Check out was 11am the next day. we decided on renting out the same camp site for the rest of the day. very easy to jump on the site to book. We are so happy and In love with this lake, very peaceful and Great getaway! read more

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It's a nice picnic place. Has an entry fee of $10 and lots of place to spend time overlooking nature, mountains and the lake. Try going deeper (ahead) in the park for a better view and experience. read more

What a lovely spectacle of nature out there just about 100 miles from Los Angeles. Beautiful ride and a short mountain ride to reach the Lake. The place looks like very much crowded by campers in a generous area around the lake. The restrooms near the Lake Store was very clean not something I expected in places like these. The boating has several options but most of them are rentals, if you do not want to rent and ride by yourself, then there were two rides one at 10a.m and one at 2p.m where they will take you around the lake in a small boat. I will initially hesitant to rent a boat by myself because it was my first time and I was not comfortable with having kids over the boat and not used to docking it etc. The person at the rental shop was very helpful, he clearly mentioned that the 10, 12, 14, 16 person boats are usually very easy to maneuver and control compared to the 6 person one. We were a party of 6 and we rented a 10 person covered boat. All the staff near the docking area etc were very very friendly, patient and helpful. They clearly explained all the instructions on how to operate the boat etc. In just about few minutes, you will be super comfortable and realize how easy it is to manage the boat and ride around. We had a phenomenal time. $120 for a 2 hour rental is just perfect time for us to go around the beautiful lake. When we went it was sunny as well as windy. Even the kids were able to easily drive the boat. The lake itself is very beautiful and this boating experience is definitely a great add on. There were so many people who rent the boats for fishing. Dont miss it.... read more

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Stopped in here for just a quick photo shoot by the lake and damn was it worth it. We pulled up and talked to the guard, paid the half day fee and then went exploring. He gave us a map and told us the best spots. We discovered so many campsites and places for the kids to play. We will totally be back for camping. We followed his route and found a ton of beautiful picture spots all around the lake It also has a general store and a food place but we didn't try those places. That's for the next visit! read more

Cachuma Lake - Lakes Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Rangers are bullies. Launched our kayaks from shore and they banned us from lake during our week stay. We were lake front , prime. Water at camp level. We camp regularly during week when no one is here! Excited about end of drought and full lake. Never again!!! Won't be back! Will not contribute to a campground that ruins precious vacations. We live 15 minutes away!!! Better off at home. Look out! Stay away. read more

Are jetboats allowed in the lake? Can you have fun boating it looks like a big lake Funnn!

Fun campground getaway close to the city but far enough to feel like you are away from it all. Some campsites have lake views and are well worth the extra cash. If you want to come mid-week, the campground is empty but on most weekends there are open campsites available. Definitely worth a trip up on the weekend to enjoy the lake while it is still here. If you'd just like to visit for the day, you can do that too. Fully stocked, fair priced store, gas, nature center, pool in summer, boat rentals. read more

A pretty lake to check out if you're driving by. Close to Solvang, Santa Barbara area. Super clean and relaxing. This review is based only on the lake view. More deets on my Cachuma Lake Recreation Area review. read more

Been camping at Lake Cachuma for the past 25+ years and never has been dispointing. Great spots with plenty of shade and plenty to do. It was a great weekend and looking forward to booking again read more

Why camp at a lake if you can't even swim in it. Didn't find out til we arrived. Also you have to pay to swim in the pool and pay to use the showers. This place sucks. Will not be coming here again. read more

- [ ] My handicap wife and I had to plead with the guy that wanted to charge us $60 for our Jeep because I am not hooked up and being towed ? Drive around, hook up, come in and unhook to fit into out site, Why? Should have been $40, $10 a night for 4 nights. I did the math in my head. He allowed me in but I had to go back to the end of the line. The silver lining is I felt like I was in middle school again. 30 amp max, No Wii Fi, No Cable TV, weeds everywhere no site maintenance whatsoever. Nothing to dry your hands in restrooms, 4 quarters for 3 minutes in a 3x3 shower. Don't forget your shower sandals. Laundry closed at 4:00pm, No shower available for pre pool access. 97 degrees today, Just come as you are and jump in. Do not touch the water in in lake! No swimming, waterskiing or dangling your feet read more

Absolutely gorgeous trails! Beautiful scenery! Easy to moderate level of difficulty for a hike. Make sure you take water with you on the Sweetwater Trail. read more

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Love this place. First came here about 15 years ago and have since been back many times. They have boat rentals and cute campsites with a bbq pit. There is a good amount of space in between campsites but there is a long walk to any bathroom which can be problematic in the middle of the night. The lake is nice and they have boat rentals which is awesome. Can't wait to come back here!! read more

So beautiful ! Drove past on my way to Los Alamos. Worth the scenic drive. Hope to go back to camp// hike in the future. read more

Cachuma Lake - View - Lakes Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Bass were jumping out of the shallow side of the lake. Use some Texas rigs or carolina rigs for the Bass if you are using stick bait. Husky Jerks, Artificial Worms and spinner baits work well by the bank. Went during summer and water levels were very low. read more

Cachuma Lake - Lakes Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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It's been about 6 years that I came over to camp at this lake and the reason why because the lake was really low it was like 34% full now look at this beautiful lake water is up and just beautiful once again if you ever come here make sure you get site 438 great shade closed to showers and restroom stuff are nice and friendly. read more

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We were so lucky to get a beautiful RV spot with a view on the lake and the sunsets were absolutely stunning with an orange hue lingering - just gorgeous. We got to go and rent a Kayak for the day and the prices were amazing and so affordable - we literally rented the 2 single kayaks for the entire day. After our kayaking we stopped off at the Hook'd Burger place right on site - OMG, this was probably the best burger I have had in forever, it was so juicy and yummy - the onion rings were HUGE. We also went to Hook'd for a breakfast burrito which my hubby and I split, it too was simply delicious!! Staff was very welcoming and nice and we had an overall wonderful time just relaxing and enjoying nature. Oh Oh, we had the joy of seeing to beautiful owl perched on the tree in front of our RV site, they were so pretty and I was so happy to have seen them. read more

What a beautiful place. We came stopping by and wanted to check the views. The ranger station had some nice fellas who were kind enough to give us a FReE 30 min pass to the camp grounds. I think normally it was like 15$-20$ a vehicle a day to camp. The camp grounds were really clean and nicely spaced. We didn't camp, but the amenities were avail and seemed like a quiet camp site. We stopped over on the back side and walked up to the water. I guess it's Forbidden to touch, swim or fish in the water. Because it's some towns drinking water. Pretty interesting. But you can visit the dam and the water lines have beautiful views. Some camp sites even offer some type cabin/hut for a couple extra dollars for a real nice experience. We got some gorgeous pictures and got to see some of California's great hidden gems. read more

Cachuma Lake - Water lines. Shiny rocks - Lakes Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

One star because it wasn't cleaned and we didn't get the correct rooms we were 10 people and they gave us 1 small hunt where only 4 people can sleep. I'm also allergic to mosquitoes so there were mosquitoes in the hunt there was mosquitoes everywhere it's not safe at all. I asked to get my money back they didn't give it read more

We were supposed to stay only for 4 nights and ended up staying a full 7 nights! The plan was to stay 4 nights and head down to Gaviota State Park for 3 nights. So after staying our 4 nights we headed to Gaviota only to go back to Cachuma Lake due to the severe wind conditions there. My kids 4 and 6yr old loved this place so much that they told me we should go back, so we did.:) I like it here, especially when it's a weekday... less people. The general store is awesome as well! Perfect for little stuff you need for your camping needs. The grounds are not grassy or soft, so bring an air mattress, trust me we learned the hard way. The only downside is that there's a beautiful lake that you CAN'T swim in (that's why 4 stars)! although they do have pools you can pay to swim in. Scenery is great. We'll definitely come back for sure. read more

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Yurt camping! A fun and unique way to camp at Lake Cachuma. I had reservations over Veterans day weekend, long before I was evacuated because of the Woolsey Fire. I kept the reservation, figuring I was out anyway - and enjoyed the beauty and relatively smoke free air! The lake is very low since the California draught. However it's striking to see wildlife, including various birds, living, scour aging, singing, and swimming in the lake. The sunrise is beautiful too. Enjoyed my solitude here in my small Pine yurt - will bring friends along next time! And get a larger yurt too!! read more

This was a great area to explore and hike. We were visiting Solvang and decided last minute to swing out to the damn and check it out. I'm very glad that we did as there was lots of wildlife to see along with the most unexpected find of all - a tarantula hiking along the trail. The water level in the lake was extremely low and clearly illustrated that a drought is in full force. Even so, this is a great stop to hike or have a picnic as there are benches / tables under some shade oaks just waiting to be used. read more

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A great place. Nothing can be more beautiful than living nature. A very beautiful lake with live water. On the way to the Casino and Solvang I always come here. It is unfortunate that the drought adversely affects the lake. A great place to relax on the road. Everything is arranged. Tables, benches, under the shade of trees.We must protect nature! read more

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We went there fishing for a day trip and it was pretty disappointing. We don't have a boat and the off shore fishing wasn't that great.

Boat rentals are a joke. Not kid friendly, boats are rented out for the day starting at 6:30 woman at the front said they are rented out before seven and they get to rent the boat until 5 o'clock in the evening, they don't have enough boat rentals so if you come anytime after that your shit out of luck. Asked if they would do a reservation for the following day and they said they don't do that. I'm really disappointed in this place. read more

Really big lake with lots to do. You can't swim in the water which is fine by me. It's about $10 for a day use parking pass. There are lots of places to fish on this lake with no coverage so bring your umbrellas, etc. The fish cleaning station was nice and made it so easy to dispose of the unwanted parts before returning to camp. There is also a nature center which is fun to explore. Bring your own ice for your fish as the store does not always have the smaller ice bag. Plus it's more expensive then in town which is not in close proximity to the lake. The day use areas have a lot of flies and bees. I tried to grill here for lunch while my husband fished. It was so bad I had to leave and I came back for him later. There are showers here at the lake. The ones closer to the store are MUCH warmer then the ones in the campground. We came twice on our week stay. The second time the women's shower took my money and wouldn't work. I had soap all over me and shampoo in my hair. I wrapped myself in a towel and went into the men's showers since no one was there except for my husband and my boys. There are 2 stalls without doors in the shower section. And I will say that the showers on the men's side lasted much longer than on the women's side. read more

So, I've heard of this lake ... but have never been here in the 40 years I've lived in Southern California. You'd think I was living under a rock, in a cave, in the middle of Mojave! :) I'm not. I've been to Solvang and I've been to Santa Barbara - just not here. Weird? You decide. Anyway, it's a pretty nice lake, not much different from some of the other man-made reservoirs nestled in the foothills of many a So Cal location. Based on the once was a shoreline here, the lake is VERY low. I have no idea, but maybe 50+ feet? It's pretty sad that we've been in such drought conditions for so long as most all of the large reservoirs are low like this. It was pretty windy during the past 3 days, which was nice because it kept the bugs away ... mainly gnats and mosquitoes. We had some really, really small bugs get into the camper at night - maybe no see ums? If so, we saw them! Came back with a few bug bites, but I guess that's normal when you are around water that has some very stagnant areas. We'll be back again sometime knowing that it will be pretty nice out here in the winter. Anyway, during the late spring/early summer, it gets pretty hot out here. Most of the grassier areas are now brown and the only green you see if from scrub oak and oak trees. Still it is pretty when the sky is blue and the hills are tan and the lake is aquamarine. The water temp was 75 they said so any trout in this lake are way down at least 50 feet to stay cool. Bass fishing time I guess. I didn't get a chance to fish here, but will bring all my gear in the late fall or early spring. Speaking of water, since you'll be drinking this water sometime in the future, there is NO swimming at all in this lake. Although it could be quite tempting as hot as it gets out here! Splash! read more

Beautiful lake and greenery. Wildlife all around makes the atmosphere amazing. There are lots of walking paths on the northern part and water areas to fish and observe at in the southern part. Great place for a photoshoot too! read more

This place showed up when we were searching for tourist places around Santa Barbara. We visited this place on the way to Solvang. This is a nice lake. As this place is facing drought, we understood that water level is much less than otherwise. There are boat and kayak rentals here. We were a group of 12 and we ended up renting a boat (14 seat capacity). It was fun to drive it around the lake. There are some hiking trails but, we didn't hike though. Friendly staff at the counter. Don't plan for this place exclusively but if you are on the way, this place would be a nice stop over for an hour or two. read more

Peaceful and romantic lake. Very clean facility. HOWEVER, the only complaint I had was the restroom. It was really dark and I couldn't turn on the lights. :/ Hopefully someone will fix that... read more