Jenks Lake,located in the scenic San Bernardino National Forrest is a terrific getaway for the entire family! Conveniently located just 40 minutes from downtown Redlands,California and nearby I-10 freeway- Jenks Lake offers beautiful mountain vistas,a clear lake view and trails,piknik areas and is the entrance to back country travels and hiking! They also stock the lake with trout if you enjoy casting a fishing line! Highly recommended for a family day of relaxing, mountain and lake adventures! read more

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First time at Jenks was last year, 2025, been here twice this year. We bring the whole family out, and have a fun time. My 4year old has a great time catching fish off the pier. The atmosphere is nice and calm, restrooms are for the most part clean, for a park, the picnic area is a plus. There's an older gentleman by the name of Hugh, who patrols the park, cool guy to spark up a conversation with, Drives around in a golf cart, patrols the park, lets you know an hour before closing, helpful when you're not staring at your phone/watch. Jenks lake is becoming our regular escape from the city. read more

Jenks Lake - Lakes Near Me - Mentone, California

Jenks lake is an easy 1.5 hour loop hike that takes you around Jenks lake. I heard the lake is more impressive when it's full and unfortunately we've not had enough rain. The hike was still nice. The trail is very well marked and signage abounds. It's hard to get lost, but I am directionally challenged and did not start out on the right path. I soon corrected and found the trail was very easy. Very little elevation gain but the views are beautiful. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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I've been here twice so far and the older Gentleman that patrols the lake is so rude. First time he was ultimately rude to the point I asked him if he was ok? He seemed drunk and slurring his words. 2nd time I had showed him I have an adventure pass so I won't pay for parking & all he said was "whatever". I don't know what agency takes care of this lake.... Possibly Forest service ? Y'all gotta get check this older man out. I won't return if this man is there. read more

Great Fishing Spot Near Barton Flats This lake is just a quick 5-minute drive from Barton Flats, making it super convenient if you're camping nearby. While there aren't any shaded areas, my husband absolutely loved this location for fishing. Using PowerBait, he was able to catch two trout early in our trip. Then, on our last day of camp, the lake was restocked--and he ended up catching and releasing 11 more! It was such a fun and rewarding experience for him. If you're looking for an easy-to-access fishing spot with a good chance of catching trout, this lake is definitely worth checking out. Just bring sun protection if you're planning to stay a while! read more

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Beautiful man made lake. A nice place to picnic at, hike to and fish at. Each person is able to take 5 fish. On this day in October, lots of folks were successfully catching rainbow trout. So pretty! Other fish species here include: bass, catfish, and bluegill. There is a dock with benches where you can fish comfortably. Plentiful parking above. You walk down stairs and down a short path to the lake. Good news...there are bathrooms. Bad news...they are smelly, fly ridden and disgusting. It was tempting for many to do just do their business outside in the wilderness. It was that gross. read more

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I've been to this lake twice and both times the attendant working there had a very bad attitude. He smelled like marijuana and he treated us as if we invaded his private space. I'm never going back there again. read more

This little man-made lake is easy to get to unless there is a road closure. The road that was most direct was closed. One part of the road was not paved. It was muddy so they closed it. We had to go around the lake to get to the entrance. Get here early when they open. The dock is the best spot to fish in the summer. It can get pretty full. There is no shade though. We started fishing out on one of the beach areas where we also launched our kayaks. Unfortunately, there are way too many reeds along the shore of the lake. We moved to the dock and wormed our way into a spot. Everyone is super nice and helpful. No one was territorial. Someone even gave us fresh worm bait. From the dock, you can see the fish swimming all around. People were catching fish of many sizes. We must have had the wrong hooks because everyone around caught a fish. We had some nibbles on the worm, but that was it. Overall, the $5 fee was worth it. The lake is pretty. The sound echos though so you hear lots of people talking or shouting. The bathrooms are rustic and dirty. I like that kayaks are allowed. I didn't know paddleboard were not. It is worth the short, windy drive if you don't want to go all the way to Big Bear. read more

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I came here with my family, and as we were pulling up and paying, a creep in a golf cart approached us and said we couldn't use the app to pay, only cash. He said we could just hand the cash to him. It felt suspicious. He was speaking to us in an unfriendly way, as well. We ended up just leaving because it felt weird and we didn't want to hike with that man around. Very unfortunate. Nicer people should be employed to greet guests. Personally, I think he wanted us to pay with cash so he could pocket it. He needs to be looked into. He is up to something. read more

Jenks Lake was still my favorite winter hike (view my previous post for the specific details of the hike). After 2-3 days of rain, it was the perfect opportunity to do a snow hike. Depending on how fast the snow melts, you may need snow shoes or micro spikes. Overall, a fun and easy hike in the low 30°F. Short video of the hike for those interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isD9qvLiZaM read more

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Fun place to fish at, can be a walk sometimes if main gates are closed. But definitely the spot to be at. With beautiful scenery read more

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This is a very pretty lake, especially early mornings when it's still quiet. While there is the peace you find in the outdoors there were some cons I'd like to point out: -Fishing wasn't too good. I only caught one tiny fish while here, and others down the way also had the same experience. -The bathrooms are gross! There are no sinks to wash your hands at their facilities. -It kinda got crowded by 11am too. SO many people! -You gotta pay for parking (which is filled by lunchtime). I know it's common to pay, but, I still don't like it lol -The GPS took us to some "hills have eyes" type of spot in the mountain. Don't trust it! Follow the signs or directions other yelpers have called out. Despite my gripes, it's still an awesome place to catch some peace for a while. It's also a nice area to hike. I need to find out the best time of year to catch some good sized fishies. I'll be back once I got that figured out. read more

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Wow! Where do I start. It's absolutley beautiful! We came to visit during our winter camping. It is a winter wonderland here! They have a few trails. Now we hiked from another camp ground to get to the lake. The lake is so big and looks amazing frozen. There are so many beautiful photo opportunities. The family loved it. We can't wait to visit again. read more

Jenks Lake - Lakes Near Me - Mentone, California

Jenks lake was still closed mid-March, similar to many other national forests and campgrounds in southern California at this time. While the road was closed, that didn't mean that we were unable to see the lake. We parked at the entrance and walked. The best view may not have even been of the lake; instead, it was of the snow-capped mountains in the distance from road heading down to the lake. We arrived at the lake to see that it was low. I would've thought that Spring would be its peak level, a time when snow was melting and filling the lake. However, it appeared low with little sign of rising water. Based on the rutted trails on the dry lakebed, it had probably been low for a long time. If not for the other pictures online of the lake that show the lake full up to the pine trees, I would expect the lake to be completely dry by the end of Summer. read more

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Nice little trip from where I live. I'm a catcher, not a Fisherman and I did catch a decent size rainbow trout. But get there early, there's some people who have no idea whatsoever what fishing etiquette means and it makes it difficult to do your thing. And these fees? At least clean up the area, police the fishing spots a little more to keep people somewhat compliant. read more

A beautiful little lake nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains. Jenks Lake is also a hiking trail from the Barton Flats Campground and roughly two miles to get too. We hiked to Jenks Lake from Barton Flats Campground and would not have done it any other way. The lake has a rim trail you are also able to walk around which we did. The lake has picnic tables and lots of shade. For those that are not able to hike to the lake you may also park in the parking lot for a small fee and a short walking distance. read more

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Very pretty and serene lake. They have a shop and restaurant near the lake too. It was very nice and family friendly.

Hi, I want to visit this trail this Saturday but I am not sure if it's open with the fires? Can someone let me know if it's open please

We camped at Barton Flats and walked the trail from there. You cross the street which is a little tricky with smaller children The trail was a switchback going back and forth with an nice incline some shady area I found the trail here on yelp pretty accurate information they said it was like 2 miles and it was We took a three year old to 50ish and in between we had one in a back pack. There is a little bridge to cross for the kids they thought it was great. Keep the kids in the middle of the trail the edges are soft and unstable The littles got tired but once we got to the lake they got lunch The lake was super crowded my husband went earlier like 7 :30 in the morning to fish in his float tub there was already like 24 people in the lake although he didn't catch any keeper others did as he enjoyed his fly fishing and meeting other fishermen floating around about 9ish the lake was full of people canoes floaters blow up boats By the time we got there 11 ish it was crowded the doc was crowded the shore was crowded the parking was crowded in fact there was a line people waiting to park way to crowded. If there is space it's a Nice place for a picnic take chairs blankets there is some benches in the shade down side is dirty smelly pit potty read more

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Lots and lots of ppl on weekends . Great place when quiet. Lots of people come to fish.

You have to check this lake out. It has the most beautiful wooden dock and hiking there is so worth it!

First thing first, before you head to Jenks Lake Use this coordinate on your GPS N 34°09.927' W116°53.052' Or go to this website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/recarea/?recid=26537 The address that's listed on some search engine display as 34701 Mill Creek Rd. Mentone Ca. or Yucaipa Ca. is incorrect. Following this route will end at a Ranger Station House. You're here no problem. One of the helpful friendly Ranger will direct you to the correct destination and provide you with traditional paper map. Can't read the old fashion paper map ? Follow this direction: From the Ranger Station parking lot take a Right , continue on highway 38 for another 25 miles, make a Right into Jenks Lake West . Drive another 2 miles to the parking lot . Parking Fee is $5 per car, or $20 per bus, CASH ONLY. Parking lot to picnic site /lake, there are 32 steps of stairs before you head to your destination . Or take the cement paved road down a slight hill . Restroom is a hole in the ground with a raised toilet seat, toilet paper provided, no sink or running water. Bring your own soap and water to wash your hands. The attending Ranger on Sunday May 15, 2016 maintained the restroom fairly clean. He was friendly and informative. Picknic sites with tables and grill, charcoal only or propane stove. No fire wood. Hiking trail is pretty easy around the lake. My three girls 4-6 yrs. & puppy did half way. Going to Jenks Lake trail some sections are tough , some path can be rough step 80° incline. Watch your kids and pets going off track can be a very steep drop off. Fishing , no license required for kids 16 years and younger. ( Not sure if an adult need fishing license if they don't plan to fish, accompanying kids 16 or younger) . California Department of Fish and Wild life offers two free fishing days each year. Free fishing days for 2016 are July 2 and September 3. www.wildlife.ca.gov Rainbow Trout 5 per person , unfortunately my boys didn't have any luck . Can fish near the river or on the newly build dock. Hand powered small boats are welcome in the water . No motorized boats allowed. No swimming , you probably wouldn't want to, water looks murky. read more

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Good place to fish.. fun for all. This is the place they filmed fri the 13th. Early morning, the lake is like Glass. No swimming, to many fish hooks. Bbq and tables... pick up your Trash. The Forest is not your mommy. Pack out what you pack in. Respect the forest. Make it beautiful for all... read more

I proposed to my wife here. You don't really get much better of a review than that. I wish the water level was a little higher nowadays but that's just the perks you get living in California. I love Jenks lake and it will always be a part of me. read more

Jenks Lake has beautiful views as the pictures show. We tried fishing from the shoreline but became challenging because of the algea. We decide to move to the dock and try fishing there. After several hours, we decide to call it a day after seeing other also with no luck We didnt catch anything but had fun anyways. FYI- No swimming aloud and dogs need be on leashes. 3stars for algea over growth and low stock. Would come again with family for picnic and hiking. read more

Jenks Lake - Lakes Near Me - Mentone, California

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This is a great place to checkout. Our family went this past weekend and we had a great time. They do charge a fee of $5 which is well worth it. Fishing is so much fun for the kiddos and the hubby. They caught lots of Bass and Blue Gill. Trout where biting but we didn't catch any that day. It has a trail and so much to see. Amazing views. They have picnic areas and overall just so clean. Even the restrooms where clean but the tp wasn't the easiest to maneuver (so I would suggest bringing your own). Totally worth going. Stephanie was a nice person that worked there. read more

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We had 6 wonderful days here last week...what a sweet surprise! Took an RV, hiked, cooked, played games, repeat. Camp hosts were MOST helpful and wonderful, helped us change our site from 31 to 32 because 32 has lovely shade. 31 is lovely but not shaded. Spotty cell coverage was perfect for family engagement, yet could still check in. Clean bathrooms, showers, and grounds. The hosts even rake the dirt on the site grounds between families! Mostly families and full of nice people. The dogs loved it, too. We are checking out Hanna Flats next month, but definitely will be back to Jenks. read more

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This place it great for the whole family! Plenty of fish for everyone! They have stocked trout, bass and blue gill!

We visited this lake just after checking out of Barton Flats campground, literally just a few minutes away in your car, or a cool little hike. The lake host who lives on site was filled with a ton of great info, if you get the chance have a chat w/her and she will give you the skinny on the lake. Plenty of blue gill action off the little pier, a small single hook and earth worm chunks and the wife and kiddo were reeling them in, trout was not happening, to be expected due to the heat. Next visit, will bring the bait caster in search of large mouth bass, they are down there for sure. This is a really small lake, great walk around, picnic tables and shade available to spend a afternoon. We were here on a Saturday late morning, and it was not very crowded at all, cool little lake tucked away in the mountains. read more

Jenks Lake - Ruths first catch with the new pole... tons of blue gill! - Lakes Near Me - Mentone, California

Whatever you do DO NOT USE WAZE to try to get here. It took us to a completely incorrect location 30mins past the lake. The lake is near Barton Flats campground about 30mins up the hill coming from the Yucaipa area. read more

This lake is very pretty! It's quite small but makes for a nice day at the lake. We didn't have any problems getting here using google maps. Only $5 for day use. The only complaints that I would have is that it's not a great lake if you will be fishing from shore, lots of algae and plant growth around shore and not too many spots to set up off the trail around the lake. Other complaint would be the stairs leading from the parking lot to the lake, to my knowledge it's the only way to the lake from the parking lot and may be a bit annoying when trying to carry a bunch of stuff or a kayak. I did not use the restrooms while I was here so I can't say anything about that, nor did we hike. I would definitely come back here with our kayaks and try to fish and/or for a little day picnic use. The lake did get pretty crowded around 10:30, 11:00ish and it looked like most parking had filled up by the time we left. Also looked like if you are shore fishing, there's a little area that jets out over the lake where you could get away from algae and plant growth but it gets packed out there, there were maybe 10-12 people on it trying to fish off of it. Overall nice little foresty lake to spend the day!! read more

Jenks Lake - Our little fishing spot - Lakes Near Me - Mentone, California

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Jenks Lake is a pretty lake up in the San Bernardino mountains, about halfway up to Big Bear City. I went up last weekend and spent it relaxing and fishing. Its a lovely little lake surrounded by mountains, beatiful pine trees, etc. There are Mallard Ducks floating and flying around. People often float tube or kayak. The fishing was pretty good, flies, lures, and power bait seemed the way to go. I got two trout that were 3/4lb and lost like five. The DFG stock the lake on every month or so with rainbow trout. I will defintely go back. The area is gorgeous, there is plenty of camping, and a little town called Angeles Oaks is 15 miles down the road and has gas, food, housing, bait, etc. I would reccommend filling up before you go up the mountain as the price of gas in that town is $5.10+ O_o. Its also the ONLY gas in a 30 mile+radius of the lake. BTW the restauraunt there is in the country style, and has good chili, and steak sammiches. The vegetable soup is yummy as well. There are cabins up there for about 70-75$ a night. If you pay cash, I understand that you get a 10% discount. From the Web: Jenks Lake is a small mountain lake of 10 surface acres. It is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. There are picnic tables, hiking trails and a swim beach for the kids. Parking is $5 per vehicle. There are restrooms but no consessions. Nearest supplies are in Angelus Oaks. There and numerous campgrounds located along Jenks Lake Rd. There is No Smoking allowed anywhere around the lake. Also, this an active bear area. Please use caution and do not disturb the wildlife. Directions: Jenks Lake is located in the beautiful San Bernadino mountains, near the city of Redlands. From I-10 at Redlands exit on Orange St. and go North to Lugonia St. Turn Right on Lugonia, it turns into Mentone and then turns into Hwy 38 into the mountains towards Big Bear. When you pass the town of Angelus Oaks, travel approx. 5.5 miles to Jenks Lake Rd - W. Turn Right and travel 2.3 miles. Turn left at the entrance to the lake. read more

I had some time to kill before picking up my nephew at the local BS Camp so I drove to the lake to check it out, never been before. I was greeted by a woman in a ranger uniform and told the parking lot was "closed" but I could hike in from the road. No worries. Until... I asked about fishing the morning and evening hatch. She had not a clue what I was asking. She was utterly confounded so tried to keep it simple by saying the best time for fishing is at sunrise and sunset. I told her how I'd like to do just that at some time in the future and asked about other regs like night fishing (night fishing is sometimes prohibited in various places and nothing unusual). She became a bit indignant and dismissive in telling me that, "People catch fish here all day long...", continuing on to inform me that the rangers would arrest me for fishing at anytime other than during the day. I ended our conversation and exited. I have run into more than a few rangers south of the Sierras that seem less than knowledgeable about the outdoor activities they regulate. Some even try to misrepresent the regulations based on their personal beliefs on a particular regulation. One instance actually involved several phone calls in order to clarify a particular regulation, "Well, yes you're allowed, but we try to discourage it." That led to a letter to the Forest Supervisor. I feel like I still don't know the truth about fishing Jenks Lake. read more

What do I say about a lake. ..... Lets start with the drive up the mountain. Its a beautiful drive and not too far up the mountain. about the time you start to say "Where the heck is Jenks Lake Road" it shows up. There is a little shack and you pay your five bucks and then find a parking spot. The guy we talked to at the shack was super nice. He shared that the lake was stocked a few days prior and he also shared what the bass and trout were biting. If you have a lot of stuff or a lot of kids I would suggest a wagon. They have a steps leading to the lake as well as a ramp. So a wagon is perfect to get to your spot. The lake isn't huge but it is a nice size so if you want to walk to the far side of the lake with a bunch of stuff in your arms you might be grumpy when you find your spot. After fishing for a few hours on the shore we moved to the newly remodeled pier. It was crowded on the pier with a lot of know it alls but if you can ignore them then it will be fun to fish off the pier. the pier is beautiful and the wood smells wonderful. The facilities are ok. its basically a glorified port o potty. at least they have a place to pee. All in all its beautiful up there. you dont have to deal with Big Bear its, close to Redlands and the air is fresh and in May there was still a little snow on the mountain peaks. Its a great place to get away for the afternoon. read more

My two friends and I went to Jenks Lake today and we have found that it lives up to it's generous reputation. In two hours we caught our limit of beautiful, delicious, pan-sized trout and oh man, we are happy as fishermen can be. We used "Power Bait" peach-colored, on a weighed line, with 4 lb. test leader to keep the rig light. I definitely recommend Jenks Lake to all my friends. Fish and be happy...... read more

Went fishing today (second time in two weeks) the first day 0 bites. Many fish with bait here, but I normally just use lures. Today both my hubby and I caught probably 20 fish EACH. All small bass, the trout didn't seem to be biting. We were both using spinners, they were very interested in my bright green/yellow spoon. Great place to relax and fish. It hasn't been stocked in quite some time, but they're hoping to have it stocked again by Labor Day. Happy fishing! read more

I've been coming here for a while. It's a great place, very relaxing. The only issue is the yellow jackets. They're everywhere when you're trying to bbq and eat! The most recent time I went, I did a hike from the visitor center to the lake, it was fantastic. It was less than 1.5 miles one way - very shady and not steep at all. Pretty flat and easy. It was great! read more

This Lake gets stocked with trout and if you know what you're doing you'll definitely catch. It's a nice Lake with nice views and fresh air. The only bfsf pay the I can imagen people complain about is that you need a fishing license and pay a $5 fee at the parking lot entrance. Other than that I love this place. read more

Jenks Lake - snow up on the mountains - Lakes Near Me - Mentone, California

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Nice little lake to take kids fishing. Only $5 entrance fee (per car), and other than the usually required CA fishing license, it was an added bonus to find that there are no additional fees to fish. There are quite a few picnic tables under the trees on one side of the lake which many families were taking advantage of while some of their group fished. There is also have a cool little dock you can fish off of. A bald eagle resides in the area, and it was a treat to have the privilege to see it on each of our visits so far. Jenks lake is a nice place for a relaxing daytrip, picnic place or fishing day with th kids. read more

*This review is purely in a fishing standpoint. Overall, I think Jenks Lake is a great fishing spot. Its generally fairly secluded and there are some nice fish in the lake. Last time I fished the lake, I caught 1 nice rainbow trout and a few little trout that I let go. Standing on the little pier like platform, you can clearly see there are plenty of good size fish in the water, some of which are actually quite large. They are difficult to catch though. You need to be sneaky with how you attempt to catch them or they wont take the bait. The main downside in my opinion as a fisherman is that the lake can get very crowded, At least the last time I was there. There appeared to be some kind of youth camp going on and there were about 10 canoes filled with kids sailing around. While this didn't really bother me much, some may find it frustrating as it can get quite loud. Not sure if this was a once in awhile thing or a frequent occurrence but I could see some not taking to kindly to this kind of thing Over 4/5, good spot to fish just wish it was a little more less known (I prefer to fish with as few people around as possible). I've had to most luck with spinners in this particular lake. Bait fishing didn't seem to yield any bites over the course of 4-5 hours and many different spots but when I put the spinner on, I had 3 fish within the hour. It also seems, at least while I was there, a sizable amount of fish hang out around the pier platform. I had no luck anywhere else but there however that's not to say that's how it always is. read more