Lake Lahontan State Recreation Area

Nevada State Recreation Area On Lahontan Reservoir, Formed By Lahontan Dam (1915) On The Carson River · Fallon, Nevada

Lake Lahontan State Recreation Area is a Nevada state park on Lahontan Reservoir, the lake formed by Lahontan Dam, completed in 1915 on the Carson River between Silver Springs and Fallon. The dam was built as part of the federal Newlands Project to irrigate the farms of the Lahontan Valley, and the lake still exists first for irrigation: it fills in spring with snowmelt and water diverted from the Truckee River, then drains through the summer, so by late summer or autumn the shoreline can retreat a long way and some boat ramps can sit high and dry. For northern Nevadans from Reno, Carson City, Fernley and Fallon it is a busy summer lake: people camp right on the beaches, launch ski boats and jet skis, and fish for walleye, white bass and catfish. White pelicans, herons and grebes work the shallows, and the old cottonwoods by the dam give rare shade. It is a local recreation area rather than a destination - hot, windy in the afternoons and bare of trees along most shores - but it pairs well with Fort Churchill nearby, and Fallon and Silver Springs have fuel, food and beds.

16799 Lahontan Dam Road, Fallon, Nevada, 89406, United States

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: Lake Lahontan State Recreation Area is open all year, with day use usually from around sunrise to sunset and campers staying overnight; the entrance station and ranger office keep shorter daytime hours and may be unstaffed off season, with self-pay envelopes instead. The traps that ruin a day are towing a boat out in late summer to find the ramps dry, arriving late on a holiday weekend when the good beaches are full, planning to buy ice, food or a fishing licence at the lake, going out on the water in the windy afternoon, and lighting a fire during a summer ban. Confirm current hours and fees before relying on them.

Lake Lahontan State Recreation Area on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos