Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
State Park · Hesperia, California
Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area sits high in the San Bernardino Mountains beside Highway 138, between the Mojave Desert side of Cajon Pass and the resort towns of the range. The lake is a reservoir of the State Water Project (confirm), so its level rises and falls with water deliveries and the shoreline can look bare in a dry year. It is a mountain lake for people from the Inland Empire and Los Angeles basin: boating, fishing, swimming at a beach (confirm), picnicking and camping. A paved bike trail follows part of the shore (confirm length) and the Pacific Crest Trail passes nearby (confirm its current route). Summer brings heat, afternoon wind that roughens the water, and capacity limits at the gate on busy weekends. Wildfire has closed the area before, so check status first. It is a day trip, not a wilderness: expect crowds on holiday weekends, paid day use, and quiet mornings and weekdays outside summer. Confirm facilities, rules and fees with State Parks before you drive up.
1416 State Hwy 138, Hesperia, California, 92345, United States
Silverwood Lake is a day-use recreation area with a staffed entrance, and its hours are longer in summer and shorter in winter, so confirm the current opening and closing times with California State Parks before you drive up. On busy summer weekends and holidays the park can reach capacity and turn cars away at the gate, which means early arrival matters more than any posted time. The marina, boat rentals, concessions and any ranger-led tours keep their own seasons and are often limited or closed outside summer and on weekdays. Campground check-in and check-out follow reservation rules. Fire, smoke, storms and low water can close the whole area or parts of it with little notice.
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