Bass Lake Recreation Area
Oakhurst, California · on Bass Lake · Sierra National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $32
- SEASON
- May
About Bass Lake Recreation Area
Bass Lake Recreation Area is a warm, 4.5-mile-long reservoir in the Sierra National Forest above Oakhurst, California, formed in 1901 by the Crane Valley Dam on Willow Creek. A long-established swimming hole as well as a boating and camping destination, it is managed by the USFS Bass Lake Ranger District and has a federally designated swim beach at Recreation Point. It is an easy, warm lake to swim in.
The lake sits at about 3,400 feet elevation, nestled in pine forest roughly 14 miles south of Yosemite National Park and a 1.5-hour drive north of Fresno via Highway 41. Shoreline development includes resorts (Ducey's Lodge, The Pines Resort), marinas, and several USFS campgrounds and picnic areas ringing the water.
Swimming at Bass Lake Recreation Area
Recreation.gov lists a formal designated swim area with a public beach and boat ramp at the Recreation Point day-use/campground site. Water is described by local tourism sources as warm and clean, reaching 70-78F in summer (average 76F), cooling to 60-65F in spring/fall and 50-55F in winter; the lake reaches 98 feet deep with most areas 40-60 feet, so swimmers should expect a mix of shallow beach entry and deep open water.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Oakhurst, Bass Lake is reached via Highway 41; Recreation Point campground and its designated swim beach are at 39900 Road 222, Bass Lake, CA, on the lake's shoreline.
Parking: Day-use parking fees apply at Recreation Point; per Recreation.gov, having a campsite reservation does not guarantee beach or shoreline parking access.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up lake swim area: Recreation Point campground and its designated beach sit directly on the Bass Lake shoreline off Road 222, reached by car with a short walk from the parking lot to the water's edge. No trail or hike is involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Recreation Point has a federally designated swim beach (buoyed off from the boat channel per Recreation.gov), giving young kids a controlled shallow-entry area to start from. However, Bass Lake is a busy multi-use reservoir with pontoon boats, ski boats, and jet skis operating nearby, and depth drops to 40-98 ft not far from shore, so supervision is needed once kids move past the immediate beach area.
Parking
Paid
Day-use vehicle parking fee collected at the Recreation Point day-use/beach lot; Recreation.gov notes a campsite reservation does not guarantee beach or shoreline parking access, so lot space is limited on busy days. Exact fee amount was not published on the sources checked.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush-toilet restrooms serve the Recreation Point campground and its designated swim beach, per Recreation.gov.
Water clarity
Mostly clear
The local tourism bureau describes Bass Lake as warm and clean and among the cleaner lakes in the region; no independent visitor commentary on clarity could be found, so this rating rests on that promotional claim rather than crowd-sourced confirmation.
On the water
Restrictions: All motorized boats require a Bass Lake Pollution Control Permit ($32 for 0-50 HP, $50 for 51-250 HP, $63 for 250+ HP, $50 for PWC per basslakeca.com); no boating license required for rentals. No no-wake-only or electric-only restriction was found, the lake supports water-skiing and personal watercraft lake-wide, with the Recreation Point swim area buoyed off separately from the open-water boating zone.
Bass Lake is a full multi-use reservoir (fs.usda.gov lists boating, water-skiing, and personal watercraft riding alongside non-motorized paddling and paddleboarding), so it's one of the more boat-heavy swim spots in this dataset.
Rentals nearby
Pontoon boats, wake/ski boats, jet skis, fishing boats, kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards
Prices: Pontoon boats from $199, wake boats from $399, jet skis from $99, fishing boats from $99, kayaks/canoes/SUPs from $42
54406 Rd 432, Bass Lake, CA 93604 (north shore of the lake)
Patio (pontoon) boats, wakeboard boats, surf boats, Sea-Doo jet skis, fishing boats, paddleboards, and kayaks
37976 Road 222, Wishon - Bass Lake, CA 93669 · Seasonal: 2026 summer season March 27 - September 27
Backstory
Bass Lake was created in 1901 when Crane Valley Dam was built on Willow Creek. The area was originally inhabited by the Mono people, then developed for logging starting in 1854 (including the Sugar Pine Lumber Company in the 1920s with a rail line to Central Camp) before becoming a hydroelectric and recreational site. It has hosted an Independence Day fireworks show since the 1930s and triathlons since the 1980s.
Bass Lake Recreation Area: FAQ
Does Bass Lake Recreation Area charge a fee?
Day-use parking fees apply at swim/beach areas. Boaters need a Pollution Control Permit ($32 for 0-50 HP, $50 for 51-250 HP, $63 for 250+ HP, $50 for PWC per basslakeca.com); no boating license required for rentals.
Is Bass Lake Recreation Area kid friendly?
Recreation Point has a federally designated swim beach (buoyed off from the boat channel per Recreation.gov), giving young kids a controlled shallow-entry area to start from. However, Bass Lake is a busy multi-use reservoir with pontoon boats, ski boats, and jet skis operating nearby, and depth drops to 40-98 ft not far from shore, so supervision is needed once kids move past the immediate beach area.
Do I need to hike to reach Bass Lake Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Bass Lake Recreation Area?
Day-use vehicle parking fee collected at the Recreation Point day-use/beach lot; Recreation.gov notes a campsite reservation does not guarantee beach or shoreline parking access, so lot space is limited on busy days. Exact fee amount was not published on the sources checked.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Bass Lake Recreation Area?
Bass Lake is a full multi-use reservoir (fs.usda.gov lists boating, water-skiing, and personal watercraft riding alongside non-motorized paddling and paddleboarding), so it's one of the more boat-heavy swim spots in this dataset.
When is the best time to visit Bass Lake Recreation Area?
May through September, per basslakeca.com, when the lake is full and average temperatures reach about 85F with water temps of 70-78F.
What are the rules at Bass Lake Recreation Area?
No open fires permitted on beaches. At Recreation Point campground: automobiles only (no RVs), pet limit of 2 per site on a 6-foot leash, fire restrictions may apply in dry weather, and food must be kept in approved bear-proof containers or locked in vehicles.
What water body is Bass Lake Recreation Area on?
Bass Lake Recreation Area is on Bass Lake, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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