Lake Almanor is a large PG&E hydroelectric lake in Plumas County, at the southern end of Lassen National Forest. It offers fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, camping and picnicking, with Forest Service sites on the west shore and PG&E campgrounds and day-use areas around the lake. The paved Lake Almanor Recreation Trail runs about 11 miles along the west shore. Checked October 29, 2026 on the operator’s own pages.
From Chico: about 1 hr 45 min (typical, without traffic)
Plan It in Three Lines
- Get thereFrom Chico: about 1 hr 45 min, typical, without traffic.
- WhenAlmanor Beach and Almanor Boat Launch: day use only, 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.
- CostAlmanor Campground single site: $18 per night, paid on arrival.
Key Facts
- The Forest Service calls Lake Almanor one of the largest man-made lakes in California at 75 square miles.[1]
- The Almanor Campground page describes it as a 28,000-acre lake, which does not match the 75-square-mile figure on the district page.[2]
- PG&E says Lake Almanor is engineered to create clean energy through its hydroelectric system.[11]
- Lake activities include fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, camping and picnicking.[1]
- Anglers find trout, bass, salmon and catfish, among other species.[2]
- The Lake Almanor Recreation Trail stretches about 11 miles along the west shore and is open to all non-motorized activity.[2]
- A Forest Order in effect from June 26, 2026 to June 26, 2028 bans motor vehicles, including e-bikes, and saddle, pack and draft animals on the trail except at designated crossings.[5]
- Another Forest Order bans camping in the Lake Almanor Overnight Use Closure Area outside developed recreation areas, through June 26, 2028.[6]
- Almanor Campground sits on the west shore at 4,540 feet and is generally open Memorial Day to Labor Day; single sites are $18 per night.[2]
- PG&E's Rocky Point Campground on Highway 89 near Canyon Dam has many shoreline sites; some can be reserved online and others are first-come, first-served.[8]
- PG&E lists Last Chance Creek Campground, where Last Chance Creek empties into the lake, as closed indefinitely due to fire damage.[10]
- PG&E camping reservations run from 2 to 14 nights and cannot be made within 3 days of arrival; dogs are welcome but must be under physical control.[8]
Areas Inside Lake Almanor
Almanor Campground (USFS)
West-shore campground with a north, south and group area; Almanor South plans to reopen as early as July 2026 after hazard-tree work.[2]
Almanor Beach (USFS)
Large day-use beach with a swimming area next to Almanor North Campground, generally open June-September.[3]
Almanor Boat Launch (USFS)
Two-lane launch with a courtesy dock next to Almanor North Campground; day use 6 am-10 pm.[4]
Lake Almanor Recreation Trail (USFS)
Paved, non-motorized trail of about 11 miles along the west shore, reachable from Almanor Campground.[2]
Rocky Point Campground (PG&E)
PG&E campground on State Highway 89 at Canyon Dam with lake and Mount Lassen views; some sites reservable, others first-come, first-served.[8]
Almanor Scenic Overlook (PG&E)
Day-use area with a view of Lake Almanor and Lassen Peak from the parking lot, with restrooms.[9]
Canyon Dam Day Use Area (PG&E)
Day-use area with 10 picnic tables, restrooms and a swimming beach area.[9]
East Shore Picnic Area (PG&E)
East-shore picnic site with 10 picnic tables among pines and restrooms.[9]
Last Chance Creek Campground (PG&E)
Campground near where Last Chance Creek enters the lake, off Hwy 36 near Chester; closed indefinitely due to fire damage.[10]
Plan Your Visit
| What | As the operator states it |
|---|---|
| Run by | PG&E (lake and PG&E recreation sites); USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District (Forest Service sites) |
| Drive from Chico | About 1 hr 45 min, typical, without traffic (Google Maps, plus 10 minutes, rounded) |
| Hours | Almanor Beach and Almanor Boat Launch: day use only, 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.[3] |
| Season | Almanor Campground is generally open Memorial Day to Labor Day; Almanor Beach is generally open June-September.[2] |
| Fees | Almanor Campground single site: $18 per night, paid on arrival.[2] |
| Parking | Limited paved parking at Almanor Beach; extra parking may be available at the Almanor Boat Launch.[3] |
| Dogs | Dogs must stay on leash at Almanor Campground and the boat launch; no animals at Almanor Beach.[2] |
| Restrooms | Almanor Beach has flush and vault toilets; at the boat launch the flush toilets are closed for repairs and vault toilets are open.[4] |
| Accessibility | Almanor Campground has accessible vault toilets.[2] |
| Camping | Forest Service Almanor Campground (north, south and group areas) and PG&E campgrounds such as Rocky Point; camping outside developed sites is banned in the Overnight Use Closure Area.[2] |
| Boating | Almanor Boat Launch has two lanes and a courtesy dock; dock is for launching and loading only.[4] |
| Swimming | Almanor Beach is a large day-use beach with a swimming area.[3] |
| Reservations | Almanor South and Almanor Group campgrounds reserve on Recreation.gov; PG&E sites reserve at recreation.pge.com.[2] |
| Phone | Almanor Ranger District (530) 258-2141[2] |
| Official page | PG&E (lake and PG&E recreation sites); USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District (Forest Service sites) |
Hours at a Glance
Season, as printed: Almanor Campground is generally open Memorial Day to Labor Day; Almanor Beach is generally open June-September.
Bars are drawn from the hours printed in Plan Your Visit below; a faded or dashed bar means the page prints sunrise or sunset, not a clock time. Today is outlined.
Costs
As the operator prints it: Almanor Campground single site: $18 per night, paid on arrival.
Dogs
Dogs must stay on leash at Almanor Campground and the boat launch; no animals at Almanor Beach.
Map of Lake Almanor
Around Lake Almanor
- Chester: 7.7 miles northwest
- Feather River Canyon on Highway 70: 18.0 miles southwest
- Paradise Lake: 36.5 miles southwest
The yellow dot is this place. Rings are spaced so close places do not pile up, and a numbered badge may sit slightly off its true spot (a thin line ends at the true spot). Distances are straight-line miles worked out from the map points each page prints; they are not drive times or walking routes.
What We Could Not Verify
These items were not on an official page we could open on October 29, 2026, or two official pages disagree. Check with the operator before you rely on them.
- Not confirmedLake surface area (USFS pages conflict: 75 square miles vs 28,000 acres)
- Not confirmedAlmanor Boat Launch season (same page says mid-April through October and June to October)
- Not confirmedRocky Point coordinates on the USFS page (prints 34.47, -118.03, far from the lake; PG&E prints 40.1913, -121.1087)
- Not confirmedRocky Point number of campsites and fees
- Not confirmedPrattville and Almanor West facilities from an official page
- Not confirmedPG&E day-use descriptions still carry old 2021-2022 closure notes; current status not confirmed
- Not confirmedPlumas County government page on Lake Almanor (none found)
- Not confirmedLake level and water conditions
More in Lake Almanor & The Feather River
Coming Up in Lake Almanor & The Feather River
Nothing on our calendar for Lake Almanor & The Feather River from today on yet. We only list a date once we have read it on the organizer’s own page, so here is what comes next. See every upcoming event.
Country Pumpkins: October Farm Season
Runs Oct 1 to Oct 31, 2026
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Country Pumpkins, Orland
Price: Free admission; corn maze $5, haunted maze $15
Open daily in October with pumpkins, a petting zoo, hay pyramid and slide, and a daytime corn maze (last entry 5:30 PM). The Haunted Maze runs 7 to 10 PM on select nights, last night Friday, October 30; the farm is closed Halloween.
Checked Oct 30, 2026 · Source for Country Pumpkins: October Farm Season (opens in a new tab)October Movies in The Park: Hocus Pocus 2
5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
DeGarmo Park, Chico
Price: Free
Halloween movie night with a costume parade at 6:15 PM, food trucks and free popcorn; the film starts at dusk. Bring blankets and lawn chairs.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for October Movies in the Park: Hocus Pocus 2 (opens in a new tab)Costumed Dog Parade (Corning)
5:30 PM
Yaya's Tacos, Corning
Price: Free
Dog costume parade right after Trick or Treat Street.
Checked Oct 29, 2026 · Source for Costumed Dog Parade (Corning) (opens in a new tab)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Lake Almanor Recreation Trail?
About 11 miles along the west shore. It is non-motorized; e-bikes and horses are banned on it under a Forest Order through June 2028.[2]
Where can I swim at Lake Almanor?
Almanor Beach next to Almanor North Campground is a day-use beach with a swimming area, open 6 am to 10 pm and generally June-September.[3]
Can I reserve a campsite at Lake Almanor?
Yes for some sites. Almanor South and Almanor Group reserve on Recreation.gov; PG&E's Rocky Point has some reservable sites at recreation.pge.com.[2]
Sources
- Lassen National Forest | Almanor Ranger District | Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Lassen National Forest | Almanor Campground | Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Lassen National Forest | Almanor Beach | Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Lassen National Forest | Almanor Boat Launch | Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Lake Almanor Recreational Trail Restriction (Forest Order 06-26-03), USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Lake Almanor Area Camping Restriction (Forest Order 06-26-04), USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- Lassen National Forest | Rocky Point | Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Lassen National Forest. Read October 29, 2026.
- PG&E Recreation – Camping, Pacific Gas and Electric. Read October 29, 2026.
- PG&E Recreation – Day Use & Picnics, Pacific Gas and Electric. Read October 29, 2026.
- PG&E Recreation (reservations home, closures and fire restrictions), Pacific Gas and Electric. Read October 29, 2026.
- Recreational Areas | PG&E, Pacific Gas and Electric. Read October 29, 2026.
Cite this page: “Lake Almanor.” It’s Chico, checked October 29, 2026. https://itschico.com/lake-almanor-feather-river/lake-almanor/
Coming Up Here
No dated event at Lake Almanor is on our calendar right now. We list a date only after reading it on the organizer’s own page, so an empty list means not listed yet, not that nothing is happening. See every upcoming event.