Bass Lake - a Sierra Treasure
Bass Lake is one of California's great family vacation lakes, complete with all kinds of boating and water sports, beaches. Well maintained National Forest campgrounds attract visitors every summer, and a variety of resorts offer lodging from simple cabins to luxury accommodations. It's big enough for water skiing and personal watercraft and yet small enough to feel like a single community.
Bass Lake is located less than 20 miles south of Yosemite National Park and directly east of Merced. The lake is owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
Boating
Bass Lake is one of California's best small mountain lakes for boating. Free boat launch facilities are located at the south end of the lake at the Wishon Boat Launch. There is a fee charged for boating based on the horsepower of the watercraft.
Marinas
Bass Lake has several marinas which offer launch ramps, mooring, and boat rentals.
Fishing
Bass Lake has 16 different species of fish. Anglers most often head to the lake in search of Kokanee salmon, trout, bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish.
Campgrounds
Most of the land around Bass Lake is part of the Sierra National Forest. There are five campgrounds on the south side of the lake. There are also two group campsites.
Lodging
Bass Lake has several resorts, some which offer cabins, others which have luxury suites. Besides the resorts there a number of private vacation homes around the lake which may be rented. Most motels and bed and breakfasts are in nearby Oakhurst.
Scenery
Bass Lake is one of the most beautiful of California's leading recreation lakes. A dense pine forest surrounds the lake, while rows of picturesque mountains rise around it. Bass Lake has a special ambiance that can't be measured by the number of marinas or resorts. It's a place that people come to feel a part of, a place they return to year after year.
Nearby Communities
Less than ten miles away, Oakhurst is the only town close to Bass Lake. It has a Community Medical Center, stores, restaurants, and other small-town businesses. To the south are the little communities of North Fork and South Fork. Fresno is 50 miles to the south, while Yosemite Valley is about 45 miles to the north.
Recreation Opportunities Near Bass Lake
Bass Lake is only a short drive away from a number of attractions worthy of day-long outings.
- Yosemite National Park
- Sierra Meadows Golf Sierra Meadows Country Club
- Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, Sugar Pine Railroad
- Fresno Flats Historic Village and Park, Fresno Flats
- Children's Museum of the Sierra in Oakhurst, Children's Museum of the Sierra
