Lake San Antonio reopens for recreation thanks to winter rains

Watch with us at 6 p.m. as we bring you the latest coverage on Lake San Antonio, now reopened thanks to the significant rise in rainfall in Monterey County over winter. The boost in water levels has reached approximately 50 percent and can now accommodate recreation.

The lake will reopen in phases. The first phase will be an initial ‘soft’ opening of South Shore on weekends only, which will allow staff to monitor the systems which have been dormant for several years.

On Friday, April 14th, South Shore gates will open at 7:00 a.m. and close on Sunday, April 16th, at 8:00 p.m. During this soft opening period, April 14th through May 14, the following hours of operation will be in effect and facilities will be available:

The South Shore gates will open weekends only Friday mornings at 7:00 a.m. and closing Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m.

The boat launch ramp at Harris Creek will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Camping will be available at Harris Creek, Loops A through D, and Redonda Vista, Loops A through D. During this period, these campsites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, filling each campground one at a time. No reservations will be accepted during the soft opening.

Redonda Vista Loop E will be available for group camping only with a minimum of five paid sites per group to reserve. Lodging units at Lynch will be available, from two-bedroom/one-bath units to three-bedroom/three-bath units.

The General Store at Lynch will be open. While there is no on-water fuel available, land-based fuel will be available near the General Store at Lynch.

There will be no lifeguards at the beaches. Swimming and boating will be “at your own risk.” The second phase will begin May 19. The South Shore park and lake will open seven days a week. At this time, the Lynch Launch Ramp and Campgrounds, Loops A though D will also open and campsite reservations will be accepted.

And finally, on June 9, the North Shore park for camping and boating will open, including the very popular lakeside camping and all the lake’s launch ramps will be open.

It is extremely important that all vessels are screened at the Entry Gate for mussels. Owners of vessels caught without a current inspection certificate will be fined $2,000.

Questions? E-mail mlrcreservations@calparksco.com

For additional information visit the Monterey County Parks Department at http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/parks/ or Lake San Antonio Resort at www.lakesanantonioresort.com