Our Mission The mission of State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological State Recreation Area diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities Millerton Lake State for high-quality outdoor recreation. Recreation Area lies in the center of California’s heartland, covering California State Parks supports equal access. an area rich in historic Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at importance. (559) 822-2332. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact [email protected] or (916) 654-2249.

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Millerton Lake State Recreation Area 5290 Millerton Road Friant, CA 93626 (559) 822-2332

© 2002 California State Parks (Rev. 2014) M illerton Lake State Recreation Area deer, quail and other game. The Yokuts Valley Project to manage water for is located in the heart of California, near were especially skilled at fishing for salmon, control, drinking water and the southernmost end of the Mother Lode which they dried and stored for winter use. irrigation. California State Parks has an gold region. Here, where the San Joaquin The lives of the Yokuts were altered operating agreement with the Bureau River flows out of the foothills by the intrusion of settlers who brought of Reclamation for the management of and into the Central Valley, the 319-foot- diseases to which they had no immunity, Millerton Lake. tall Friant was built across the river depleted their food sources, and caused canyon in 1944 to form Millerton Lake. One them to be displaced from their villages. WILDLIFE of the most popular recreation areas in the Conflicts with the new arrivals ultimately led Millerton Lake , the lake’s 47 miles of to the Mariposa Indian War, which ended in has the largest shoreline are a magnet for families seeking 1851 with the signing of a peace treaty at the population high-quality recreational opportunities. U.S. military encampment known as Camp of wintering Barbour. An envoy had negotiated treaties bald eagles PARK HISTORY with several California Indian groups, but in the San For thousands of years, several groups of Congress failed to ratify the treaties. Joaquin Valley, Northern Foothill Yokuts lived in the rolling Camp Barbour, now beneath the lake’s most having grasslands and woodlands of the region. surface, was built in 1850. A tent city called migrated more The women crafted beautiful Rootville, than 1,600 miles from baskets used for both utilitarian later changed summer breeding grounds in Canada. The and ceremonial purposes. The to Millerton, San Joaquin drainage and other nearby men harvested acorns and hunted sprang up lakes have several year-round nesting and quickly bald eagle pairs, sometimes spotted in prospered. It the summer. served as the Other wildlife-watching opportunities Fresno County include resident golden eagles, waterfowl, and both indigenous and migratory bird Millerton Courthouse in the spring seat from 1856 to 1874. The species that travel to and from the higher area’s only courthouse was built in 1867. portions of the Sierra Nevada. Larger In 1941 the courthouse was dismantled mammals such as deer, bobcats, coyotes and reconstructed on its present site at and mountain lions inhabit the area. Mariner’s Point to protect it from rising Smaller animals include foxes, badgers, floodwaters. The courthouse has been skunks, raccoons, opossums, cottontail restored to look much as it did more than a rabbits and ground squirrels. century ago. PLANT COMMUNITIES Today the U.S. Department of the The first fall rains turn the hills green, Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation maintains and wildflowers reach their peak in April. as part of the federal Central Picnicking – Picnic areas with barbecue grills and restrooms surround the lake. Groups of up to 100 may choose to reserve one of two Grange Grove picnic areas. South Bass Finegold — reachable by car and boat — has tables, wood occasionally scheduled through special stoves and a shade ramada that events permits. A valid California fishing can accommodate 150. license is required. Boating – Millerton’s shoreline Camping – The north shore has 148 has three launch ramps with developed sites among oak and gray pine parking nearby. Snacks, woodlands, 27 with electricity hookups. Friant Dam beverages, bait and gas are Each site has a table, fire ring, and access During the summer, stately blue oak and available at Millerton live oak trees dot the dry brown hills. Lake Marina. Local boating groups Up the river canyon, oaks and gray pine stage sailboat races and regattas in combine with manzanita, ceanothus and June and July. other chaparral to form a denser forest. Hiking and Bicycling – Trails Vernal pools above the upper river canyon range from level hiking areas provide a vital habitat for the short life to challenging mountain bike cycles of frogs, toads, tiny fairy shrimp, trails. Markers along a ¼-mile prehistoric-looking tadpole shrimp, and interpretive trail at Fort Miller specially adapted plants. campground explain the natural and cultural resources. The RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES strenuous, hiking-only Buzzard’s Summer temperatures can pass 100 Roost Trail at the north shore degrees, so hikers should always carry offers lake views. On the south drinking water. October brings a pleasant shore, Blue Oak Trail provides a 50 to 80 degrees. In the spring, when level, two-mile hike to Winchell sailing regattas and Cove. An 11-mile trail follows the Lake view campsite water skiers start river canyon from South Finegold to the to fill the lake, Bureau of Land Management’s rustic to drinking water. Two group campgrounds temperatures range Squaw Leap campground. can accommodate from 45 to 75 people. from 40 to 65 degrees. Fishing – The shoreline habitat provides Boat Camping – Temperance Flat has hiding places for an abundance of bass two dozen first-come, first-served sites and catfish. Fishing tournaments are reachable by boat. North Finegold can hold 15 fully-contained boats. Register ACCESSIBLE FEATURES in advance at the south shore park • Family campsites, restrooms and entrance during park hours. Read the boat picnic sites camping information sheet for details on • Level group sites; four picnic tables, shore campsites, registration, marinas, restrooms. Terrain around all campsites safety requirements, and self-contained is not level. sanitation devices. Boaters should Accessible conditions are continually complete a boating safety course before improving. For updates, visit operating their boats at Millerton. http://access.parks.ca.gov.

DAM AND LAKE FACTS Type of structure: concrete gravity Dam height: 319 feet Lake width: from one to three miles surface elevation: 471 feet to 578 feet above sea level View of Big Bend area and backcountry Reservoir total capacity at 578 feet: 520,500 acre-feet (642,036,750 cubic meters) PLEASE REMEMBER Water surface: 4,900 acres when lake is full • All natural and cultural features are Main purposes: reclamation, flood control, protected by law and may not be irrigation, and recreation disturbed or removed. Outlets: Friant-Kern , , • Be alert for rattlesnakes, mountain and the lions and poison oak. Maintained by: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation • Lifeguards are on duty only during Channel boaters Operated by: California State Parks summer. Park staff recommend that children wear approved life jackets. INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS • Alcohol consumption is prohibited • Summer campfire programs on the beaches. Operating a boat • Junior Ranger programs under the influence of alcohol or • School groups can tour the Courthouse. drugs is against the law. Call (559) 822-2332 for appointments. • Vessels with non-conformant two- • Group boat tours to view the bald and stroke engines may not launch or golden eagles around the lake from use the lake. For details, see December to February. Call the park in http://www.dbw.parks.ca.gov/PDF/ November for cost and reservations. MillertonLakeTSNotice.pdf. 1000 Yosemite Fork h 2000 r Millerton Lake Lakes rt Rd ive o R n N ui 1000 K oq State Recreation Area E a Rd N J O’Neals n Hensley 1500 N a E S ey Lake Auberry D ll 41 Y a T m A S 0 Prather 2000 40 B d L a Millerton Lake SRA E o R 145 168 NOR TH SHORE Friant Squaw Buz M Rd Leap zard’s Roost Trail Madera ill AREA erton Rd (BLM) 41 1500 Rd

Road 36 Buzzard’s Rd Avenue 12 1000 Roost C Auberryr e 1000 t e 2000 n k ia r House No 145 99 F Toll rth 1000 Sh or e Herndon Ave 168 re Trail Tr 1000 Sho ai orth l N 1000 Shaw Ave Clovis

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Strand Ave Clovis Madera Ave Fresno 75-84 Kings Canyon Rd S an J Crook Mtn o a 2006ft q u 610m i Dumna n 2000 Fort Miller Valley Oak R Cove i 0 v

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Park Entrance Millerton Lake Boat Legend 578ft Ramp#6 176m Paved Road

Hulbert Mtn Unpaved Road 1000 Trail: Hike Berry Hill Multi-Use Trail 922ft NORTH (Hike/Bike/Horse) 280m FINEGOLD No Ski Area 1500 1500 AREA E Restricted Boating Area G D I 2000 Accessible Feature R B Finegold I N G O Bay Boating T T A R 500 B L E k E Boat Ramp L e e M O L r U N C T I No Ski Area A I 1000 N M Campground

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Campsite Numbers r A Pincushion Mtn e v 1582ft i see R V 1 481m Locked Gate 1 North Shore 2 detail map d O E H I L a T L above C Y Marina o A

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R in Strand u M q c Parking a K E Road 5 1000 o E 14 J N Z E Valley an I E T A B L Dumna S B Cove Oak Picnic Area

U Rocky Fort No Ski Area Restrooms 1000 S k A Point Miller y H Roa a d Mono rb Marshall Hill 5 14 o RV Sanitation Station 4 r 1566ft 5 1 R 476m d Meadows Park Swimming Entrance MILLERTON LAKE 1500 Hillis M T d Viewpoint Cove O A a STATE o U B R N L E No Bicycles on Trail East RECREATION T Marshall to Bay A Rd ry Station Madera AREA I er No Horses on Trail b N u Millerton Lake A 578ft 500 176m McKenzie Willow Point Cove B lue Oak Trail

Willow No No Boating Zone Rattlesnake Cove Winchell Millerton Lake Boating Island Zone 500 McKenzie Bay 578ft Point 176m Friant South South Bay 1500 Rattlesnake No Winchell Bay North Fork Rd Dam Island Boating Zone Cove Millerton ek South hell re Millerton c C Courthouse Bay in 1500 Boat Courthouse W Crow’s Ramp #1 1000 Nest Winchell Cove Rd P Miller al ton Rd an C

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SOUTH SHORE Millerton Rd AREA © 2011 California State Parks (Rev. 2014) to Fresno Map by Eureka Cartography, Berkeley, CA