Mokelumne: A river full of fun, adventure
The Mokelumne River is the lifeblood of the Lodi area. Not only does it form Lodi’s northern boundary, it is more than 100 miles long stretching from sea level in the Delta to 7,800 feet high at Caples Lake northeast of Lodi.
The river affords all sorts of recreation activities including boating, kayaking, fishing, hiking, picnicking, watching fish hatch eggs and bird watching.
Locally, the river flows through Clements and downstream on the north side of Lockeford and Lodi before meeting the Cosumnes River in Thornton. The Mokelumne then flows through the Delta and into San Francisco Bay.
Lodi Lake is the nearest location to take advantage of what the Mokelumne has to offer. The 58-acre nature area is marked with trails, riparian forests, a discovery center and a beach area to wade in the water. The entrance is on Turner Road in the northern part of Lodi.
River access is also available nearby from Woodbridge Regional Park, downstream from Lodi Lake, Cosumnes River Preserve north of Thornton, Tower Park Marina in the Delta west of Lodi and Stillman Magee Park in Clements, east of Lodi.
Woodbridge Regional Park, a 17-acre park on the river’s south side, can be reached through a residential area in the River Meadows subdivision off Woodbridge Road. The park has dirt trails, but it is otherwise undeveloped.
The Cosumnes River Preserve, near the location where the Cosumnes and Mokelumne rivers come together, has a visitors center describing the many animals to be found in the area.
The preserve, located on Franklin Boulevard east of Interstate 5 and south of Twin Cities Road, offers level hiking trails and the viewing of birds, lizards, frogs, toads, snakes, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, river otters, minks, deer and bats — yes, bats.
The Cosumnes River Preserve — particularly along the Mokelumne River — is home to a large bat colony during the spring and summer.
The preserve is one of the best places to do some bird watching, with the best time to see the famed sandhill cranes is between April and October.
The visitors center is open most weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tower Park Marina, 13 miles west of downtown Lodi on Highway 12, offers group gatherings, a swimming pool, boating, a night club and other activities.
The Tower Park DeltaFest and Boat Show, which draws more than 10,000 visitors to ride boats, listen to live music from several bands and watch fashion shows, is held each May.
In Clements, located in San Joaquin County just west of the Amador and Calaveras county lines, is the 20-acre Stillman Magee Park, which offers picnicking, fishing and rafting. It can be reached by taking Mackville Road north from Highway 12/88 in Clements.
Just east of Clements, one can find the Mokelumne River Day Use Area at the base of Camanche Dam. Also known as John Van Assen Park, the 47-acre region offers picnicking, hiking, fishing, rafting, swimming and camping. Some 20,000 to 25,000 people visit the park annually.
The lake covers 12 square miles, is 150 feet deep and has 53 miles of shoreline.
The south shore has a trout pond that is appropriate for rookie anglers, including children.
Camanche Dam is an impressive site. Lake Camanche — yes, that is the correct spelling — is a popular fishing site for trout and bass. It also includes fishing boat rentals, berthing, and a launch ramp. Water skiing is allowed.
The Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery, located at the base of Camanche Dam, was constructed by the East Bay Municipal Utility District in 1963 to offset the loss of fish spawning habitat when Camanche Dam was constructed. The hatchery, operated by the California Department of Fish and Game, produces Chinook salmon and steelhead trout.
You can reach the fish hatchery by going north on McIntyre Road off Highway 12. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week.
Camanche’s bass population includes; small mouth, Alabama spotted and both Northern and Florida-strain large mouth bass. Other species include catfish, crappie and bluegill.
The reservoir covers 12 square miles, is 150 feet deep, and has 53 miles of shoreline when full.
Gates open at the north and south shores at 5 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. year round.
Upstream, the Mokelumne River flows past Jackson and Mokelumne Hill, where kayaks, canoes and inner tubing are popular on a 3-mile stretch of the river off Highway 49 to Electra Road in Jackson.
Pardee Lake, almost 40 miles northeast of Lodi on Highway 88, has 37 miles of shoreline and 2,257 acres of water. Its elevation is 568 feet.
Pardee is another location to go fishing, camping, picnicking and boating. However, because water from Pardee is used for drinking water in the East Bay, swimming, water skiing and wading are prohibited.
Silver Lake is located 52 miles east of Jackson on Highway 88. It includes 97 camp units, water, boat rental and launching and a picnic area.
Caples Lake is a lot greener than Camanche and Pardee, and that’s because it is located 60 miles east of Jackson and has an elevation of 7,800 feet.
Located 4 miles west of Carson Pass, Caples Lake is open is open year round except for April, May and November. Brook, brown, rainbow and lake trout have been known to find fishing poles at Caples.
Boating, canoeing and hiking are also available.