Lake Mendocino offers something for everyone: Swimming, hiking, wildlife, cycling, boating, camping, RV spaces, and even new friendships if you play your cards right! If you plan on camping, Lake Mendocino offers a safe and family-friendly campground environment with kind park rangers to answer questions if needed. Be sure to bring the entire family's bicycles for hours and hours of fun! Good to know: When camping next to large groups, expect to hear music, laughter, and good times being had late into the evening hours. read more

My first time here, went with family members that come here to fish & hike and meet up with local friends. I was SHOCKED by the water level! I mean I have been born & raised in California so why on earth would I be shocked by drought conditions?! Well... We just came out of a drought and it's still early in the year w/o enough rain or snowpack but DAMN I really didn't expect it to be soooooo bad! Saying that I follow the news very closely so I have heard it is Lakes Mendicino, Sonoma and Folsom are drying up fast. Along with most of our reservoirs... I cannot comment on how beautiful this lake would be when full, I can't wait to come back in a few years after this drought and see this place in its glory! I do know people are still catching fish and enjoying the beauty of nature here. We met a couple of very friendly geese and an old fisherman who lived near here and shared fishing stories as well as facts about the lake and some of the rocks I was finding... All in all it was a nice stop on our roadtrip! read more

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Lake Mendocino and Coyote Dam is one of the main reservoirs of the Russian river and provides water for Mendocino, Sonoma and points south. This large year around recreational area for the communities that surround the lake, was created with the building of Coyote Dam in 1958 by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The reservoir covers almost 2000 square acres when at capacity and provides ample room for boaters, swimmers and fishers during the open periods. Also overnight camping and picnic day use areas are available at this lake, and it even has a disc golf course. This lake being a Corps of Engineers project it has several gate controlled areas that are closed usually between sunset and sunrise. Also the overnight camping areas have a campground manager on site. There are public boat ramps at a couple locations and a huge parking area at the Coyote Dam lower ramp area. Another unique feature at this lake is the Coyote Dam Steelhead Egg Collection Facility, it collects eggs from the Steelhead Trout but does not hatch them on site. The collected eggs are then fertilized at Lake Mendocino then sent to the the Fish Hatchery at Lake Sonoma to hatch. They are raised for a year at the Lake Sonoma facility and are then brought back to Lake Mendocino and put into one of the eight raceways. They spend about 30 days in the raceways to imprint (learning the smell of the water so they know where to return) then released into the Russian River. These fish will return in three to five years to spawn. According to the Corps of Engineers website. I grew up on this lake and have lived on and all around it in years past. It is and was a very cool place to come and enjoy an afternoon on the water or even to take a lunch break. A place to hike the trails and be in nature, a spot to meet up with friends before a day of boating and swimming. There are a lot of things to do on and around the lake and its been a part of the greater Ukiah area for over sixty years. 4.5 Stars - rounded up for all the things you can do and enjoy at this great recreational area. 00674 read more

This review is only for the Shakota Trail that goes along the northwest side of the lake, which was a great overall experience. We parked right next to the trailhead, there were serviced bathrooms (critical!) that were open and we got on with the trail. End-to-end the trail was 3 miles (~6miles out and back) and had moderate changes in elevation. There was never sustained elevation gain for more than about a minute or so of walking so I wouldn't describe it as difficult but you can definitely work up a sweat if you are walking fast. There are a few different paths but they all lead to the same place so you can choose to go down whichever you want. Dogs are allowed on-leash only and we ran into a park ranger when we were there so I would recommend sticking to this (though we also ran into two off-leash dogs so there's that...). Also, this trail would make for a great run - not too hard but challenging enough to feel good about it. Overall a good experience - there's not many views except one nice opening that overlooks the water but there are also numerous points for "beach" access if that's your thing. We stuck to the trail. Did the way out and back in about 1.5-2h and we were done. Would come back if in the area again. read more

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We pass thru the area a lot. We decided to stop and let the kids swim today and play at the playground. It was so horrible. There was a belligerent drunk lady shouting and cussing about sucking dick, then barfing. There was garbage EVERYWHERE. We could not escape it. The cans were overflowing and it was just everywhere. Tried to go to the bathroom, near the playground and it was locked. I had to whack my way from the playground to the bathroom thru all the bushes and overgrown grass. And there were webs EVERYWHERE. Spider or silk worm or something, but we couldn't walk anywhere without them all over us. Went down to the water and it smelled like crap. Dead fish everywhere. Kids took their shoes off and we found a FISH HOOK! Then a 6 inch fillet knife. Just left on the ground for the kids to find. Right by the playground. Never again. read more

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The recent drought(s) have certainly taken a toll on my once beloved childhood hangs. The water level is scary ass low. And the once proud Lake Mendocino which was the centerpiece for outdoor activities is a shell of it's former self. But after a morning stroll my feelings about the lake have been brightened. A bald eagle sighting. Yes, you heard right. This elusive raptor can be spotted flying gloriously over the deep blue water in search of food. Sure, the water is semi-gross and the recreation area is not that appealing. But any place that houses our national bird is worth checking out. read more

I had never heard of this lake until somebody invited me to spend a weekend camping and wakeboarding. It doesn't seem to be too well-known, but it is a real gem. It's not too far from San Francisco. It's really good for watersports like wakeboarding, waterskiing, tubing, and kayaking. The lake is clean. The camping sites are convenient and have bathrooms nearby. People seem to be nice to others. There's a lot of space to hang out and have a nice time. read more

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So my lady & I got the highest bid at the Rocket Dog Rescue benefit for a dog-friendly cabin in Mendocino County. Honestly, all we saw was "dog-friendly" & "Mendocino." Really, what more could you want? (a flushing toilet for one...) Next step we choose a weekend and invite a few friends and we are SOOO excited to go to Mendocino. Wait.... Read a little more closely and see that the cabin address is in Willits. Which is IN Mendocino County Willits? What the cricky is in Willits? Turns out...not much. But we don't need much, so forget about Willits. All we wanted was someplace where we could swim along with our pooches. The closest body of water was Lake Mendocino, about a half hour from our cabin in the woods. First of all, there's no charge to go in! We were pleasantly surprised as most parks charge a fee and usually more to bring in dogs. There are three designating swimming areas, with one designated for dogs! How freakin' cool is that! The water was low, so there's plenty of beach, and we just walked a little ways away from the main area and we had all three of our dogs off leash. The water was warm and clean, and in no time we had our dogs swimming like they'd been water dogs their whole lives. In reality, it was our cattle dog Sydney's first time swimming, and our GSD Boris was not too crazy about it either. Our foster dog, Mae Phoon (a Katrina rescue, her names means Gently Wind in Chinese) wouldn't swim, but she had her fill of fun splashing in the wake and stealing Boris & Sydney's sticks when they got near her. They both had the times of their lives, and we had so much fun watching them. On the way in, we saw they had tons of camping and a ramp for boats, it definitely looked like a place we would enjoy returning to with our pups for some car camping. That area is so beautiful, and it's like Napa was 15 years ago; lots of vineyards, free wine tastings, and not too many folks. We only saw a little of this lake, but I'm looking forward to returning. read more

My friend and I decided at the last minute to pack up our camping equipment and get outta Dodge. We figured Mendocino National Forest would have last minute spots available, but we called ahead (a couple minutes before we left, that is) just to be sure. We were told to go to Lake Salisbury, which we did, but on the way in and way out we passed by Lake Mendocino, which was not only waaay closer than Lake Salisbury (*and* you don't have to brave unpaved, washboard roads over large hills to get there), but also much more fun to swim in (read: less mucky, less weed-y, and less crowded). According to lakemendocino.com and reserveusa.com, it has a bunch of non-reservable sites for last-minute folks like us. We went swimming there this morning (I took Monday off of work) and there was hardly anyone there. It looked like it would be the perfect place for families, with lots of space. We weren't charged a thing for day use, a nice plus. The lake is calm and seems perfect for canoeing/kayaking, which a few were doing, and although they do allow speed boats, it's definitely big enough for everyone. I highly recommend it. I know I'll be going back soon! read more

Bu Shay Campground. The campground is very large. Most sites do not have a view of the lake. The campground map makes it seem like there are water front campsites, but there are not. We stayed in sites 86 and 88. There is a huge cliff between the campsite and the lake. The sites were large and very level. The bathrooms are clean and have free hot showers. The lake was warm, but there was a large number of dead fish on the beach and in the water. The dead fish created an unpleasant smell and no one wants to swim with dead fish surrounding them. We asked the ranger about the dead fish, he said that around May- June the carps spawn and die and that it is healthy for the lake. read more

Lake Mendocino - View from site 86 - Lakes Near Me - Ukiah, California

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I thought this lake was beautiful! The water was so clear and I am definitely not used to that. I would love to eventually go boating here. I didn't like the abundance of rocks at the shore though. It was hard to find a place to lay down on my towel to relax because all of the rocks were poking me and the dirt got everywhere. read more

I love running on the trails at Lake Mendo. Some are more shady that others so in the winter I like the sun on the east side of the lake. In the summer the cooler trails on the west side are great and lead to a cool destination called "the winery" or "vinegar point" it's a great motivator for an out and back especially if you go on a hike with kiddos read more

Great Clean place. I loved it. The drive was nice and pleasant - not congested with traffic. I recommend it to those who are looking for a good weekend get away and fishing. It's great for bass and crappie fishing :) read more

I lovely area for such a big puddle. There's a wonderful dam to hold back a huge lake, but alas with the drought, the lake is low, low, low. It's still cool and relaxing to sit on the shore feel the breeze coming through on a beautiful spring day and here on a weekday it is very, very, empty. The birds are here waiting on the shore, and I think somewhere longingly waiting for more water to appear. The bird variety incresases if you are in a quit space and observant. The American Goldfinch I saw was brilliant! This is a good place for a picnic, a popular place for walks, especially along the dam, and all in all this is what a lake is for. Bring your boat and back way down the ramp, way down that ramp to enjoy a day at the lake I just love sitting on the shore and watching the wind blow by, the birds fly by and snoozing a bit. Bring a picnic it's a good stop. read more

Lake Mendocino - Lovely Lake - Water is Way Down - Lakes Near Me - Ukiah, California

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Great campsite. Don't let a few bad reviews scare you away. We found a quiet comfortable campsite in the trees, relatively clean bathrooms nearby with excellent water pressure in the showers. The showers lock individually which I like because it makes me feel safer. Would definitely stay here again! Also, you need to reserve your campsite on recreation.gov or by calling the 1-800 number they have posted at the campground. We did this after we found a spot, I just went online on my phone, made sure the site was not reserved for the evening, paid the $25 via credit card and we were all set. read more

Things I've Done at Lake Mendocino, aka "A la Recherche du Temps Perdu," the Memory of Which Has Been Brought on by Tasting Impotable Lake Water: 1. Swallowed lake water while trying to learn to swim. Subsequently barfed (don't worry; not in the lake). 2. Learned to skip rocks. 3. Attended countless birthday parties, family gatherings, excuses to drink with friends. 4. Gone fishing. 5. Gone boating. 6. Gone hiking. 7. Barbecued. 8. Partied. Subsequently barfed (again, not in the lake). 9. Rafted to "Anarchy Island," or whatever the young people call it now. In conclusion, most of my best memories involve Lake Mendocino. Therefore, it is the best place ever. read more

Just came back since I was 17 which was 13 years ago and man what a horrific scene. I was so embarrassed to show my wife and kids this lake. I talked about a lot and all the good memories. But know wtf Lake Mendocino nasty crap every where. Please someone take back this park and lake and re do it again... read more

We had a beautiful campsite amidst oaks, pines and firs with a view of Lake Mendocino near Ukiah. It was a little difficult to find the Bu-Shay campground but the volunteer rangers were nice and helpful. Restrooms and showers- better than most! read more

My kids and I spent two day's hiking and swimming at Lake Mendocino. We were staying at a resort on the clear Lake, but this lake is full of algae. We decided to drive the 38 miles to lake Mendocino and we're surprised by the warm clean water. We parked it Pomo lot C, which is where the dog beaches is located. At the end of this lot is a gravel service road, which runs along the lake shore. It eventually leads to a hiking/mountain biking trail. We hiked for about an hour, until we found a private secluded cove with a nice sandy beach. We spent the day swimming and fishing here. Not a soul to be found, but plenty deer and bear tracks on the beach. This cove was well worth the hike. read more

Amazing place for an encounter with God . To be around nature and to enjoy it with your family.

We stayed at the Bu-Shay campground and while our campsite itself wasn't bad everything else about our stay was subpar. They said the restrooms were cleaned twice daily but were consistently gross. There were a few groups who decided include the entire campground in their arguments/celebrations in the wee hours of the morning. The lake was muddy and gross to walk into. To be fair it was a holiday (July 4) weekend maybe it's not always like that. Unfortunately I won't be going back to find out. read more

I like going to the lake. I love going to the dam. It's one of the few things to do if you live in Ukiah, but by no means worth a drive from the bay area. But dammit (see what I did there) it's not yosemite or the grand canyon. Those places deserve five stars. I still love you though, Lake Mendocino! Please don't dry up on me again just because of my honesty! read more

It is 1130pm on a Friday. Our first night. There are 17 people next to us staying in 7 tents, not exaggerating. What happened to 8 people maximum? Their dog is running wild no leash, no verble control. All we here is them talking loud and the occasional yell of "perro". It would be nice if the park ranger would drive thru before they closed the gates at 10pm. And a truck just drove by so evidently they do not lock the gate because they are now setting up camp across the way. Nice area not so nice campers. No respect for others. This review was written real time at Bu-Shay camp #59. Update it is 1:10am and the noise and rudeness continues. read more

Just getting around to writing this after living less than a mile away in Redwood Valley last summer. I loved the beauty of the area with its scenic hillsides and redwood trees. I would go park there sometimes when I wanted to just chill with natural things. Unlike at nearby Clearlake, I saw people swimming, waterboarding and skiing. Cool uncitified stuff that relaxes your nerves. Great place to picnic and chat. Hurry up and go there. read more

We drove up to Lake Mendocino from Santa Rosa ,Ca ( 62 miles away)on 4/13/2016. We were checking out the camping sites & hoping to make a camp reservation online for 2 weeks.We had a extended talk with the onsite Lake camp managers. They repeatedly warned to stay away. She stated bathrooms have not been cleaned for a month and junkies were shooting up in the restrooms. She stated there was only one day time ranger to control (issue tickets)to a vast area of campsites .She stated she had worked with the camping service for 18+ years and had never experienced such gross , uncaring upper level management.They stated they were leaving in 1 week . Stay away read more

We stayed at the Bu-shay campground this past weekend. I would probably rate this campsite a 2.5 stars. Pros: * Bathrooms were generally clean. * Free hot showers that were generally clean. * Pretty view of the lake if you walked to the cliff. * Nice flat level sites (66, 68, 70 and 71) * We saw deer and other wildlife. * Some kids were pulling fish -- small and big mouth bass and crappies -- out of the water like nobody's business (my 4 year old didn't catch any) * There's a playground at the campsite for kids * campsites were spacious, not so packed in if you go the outer loop. The inner loops seems to be kind of closer together. * 2-3 bar mobile phone service for AT&T. No service for t-mobile. Cons: * This is NOT right by Lake Mendocino -- we had to drive to the Kyen campground and pomo day use area to get access to the lake. * Lake Mendocino is pretty gross -- it was 98% full but it was still full of algae and there was some ground covering weed around the lake that smelled like rotten mary jane. And the picnic areas by the lake (the Pomo Day Use Areas) were overrun with aggressive swarms of hornets or whatever those bees are that are attracted to meat are called. You could seriously just swat your hand through the air and hit 5 of them with one swipe. * It was HOT AS SH*T at the campground so beware if you are going during the summer. Decent shade but there was NO BREEZE. * This seems to be the party out place for people and the camp host was not present to quiet down the partiers at midnight. * There were some jackholes driving around in a pickup truck with an American flag in the back screaming pro-trump slogans and chanting "build that wall" around the campsite during the day and the camp host didn't seem to be doing anything about that either. Overall, we had a pleasant time camping with our group, but I don't think we'll be going back to Bu-shay. We'll leave the campground to the partiers and ignorant racist hicks. There are better options both for lakeside/oceanside camping and friendly family camping. read more

WE use to love to camp there, life changes. My Son that lives in Rohnert Park, Ca. said it dried up a few years ago.. How is it today,1 / 25/17 ? read more

All summer of 2010 some of the boat ramps and campsites were closed. Much of it flooded, some of it just being repaired. I have no idea about the upcoming summer, but if you are traveling a distance check first. !!!! read more