Lake Oroville SRA

State Recreation Area

Near the City of Oroville this man-made lake was formed by the tallest earth-filled dam (770 feet above the stream bed of the Feather River) in the country.

The lake offers a wide variety of outdoor activities including camping, picnicking, horseback riding, hiking, sail and power boating, water-skiing, fishing, swimming, boat-in camping, floating campsites and horse camping.

Lake Oroville Visitor Center has a museum, exhibits, videos and a store. The view from the 47-foot tower, with two high-powered telescopes, is a spectacular panoramic view of the lake, Sierra Nevadas, valley, foothills, and the Sutter Buttes mountain range (smallest in the world).

The area includes the Feather River Fish Hatchery, built by the Department of Water Resources to replace lost spawning areas for salmon and steelhead. Displays on the State Water Project and the area’s natural and cultural history are featured at the visitor’s center.

Bidwell Marina Mooring Cables and Hardware Repairs
A new concession contract for the operation of Bidwell Marina, Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, will go into effect starting December 2nd 2009. The new concessionaire, Forever Resorts, will be repairing and replacing mooring cables and hardware as needed to provide for safety to the boat mooring.

Location-Directions
From Highway 70, go east on Highway 162 (Oroville Dam Blvd.). Continue on Oroville Dam Blvd., turning right at Olive Hwy. (Highway 162), proceed approximately 6 miles on Olive Highway to Kelly Ridge Road. Turn left and Kelly Ridge Road ends in the Visitor Center parking lot.

Lake Oroville, CA Latitude/Longitude: 39.5389 / -121.4844

Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing
The Lake Oroville area has four very distinct seasons; a Mediterranean-type climate.

Winter months are cool to cold, seldom freezing temperatures, and some occasional fog. Temperatures run from mid to high 50s down to the 30s.

Springtime is beautiful with a vivid array of wildflowers and very pleasant temperatures, normally in the high 60s to 70s.

Summers are warm to extremely warm. The temperatures range from the low 80s up to the low 100s.

Fall season usually brings a little humidity, but not much. It cools off at night and the Northern California autumn sunsets are incredible!

Bring appropriate clothing to fit the season. Campers should bring sweatshirts during the summer months, because it can get somewhat cooler in the evenings and out on the water.

Summer and spring are warm; fall and winter can be cool. Layered clothing is advised.

Wi-Fi Service
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area now offers AT&T Wi-Fi Service!
This service enables park visitors with wireless enabled laptop computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) to access the Internet. You can access this service if you are within a 150 foot range base of the Rec Center. For more information about this service please see January 19, 2005, News Release.

January 19, 2005, News Release (pdf)

Other parks with WiFi access...