Round Valley Reservoir

I haven't taken too many pictures at Round Valley- some that are good enough to share are Here.

I wish there were more pictures from Round Valley that I could post but usually when I paddle here I just want to keep moving. The lake is approximately 3 miles from end to end and has about an 8.8 mile perimeter if you stay fairly close to shore. You should be careful if the lake is low as there are quite a few rocks along the shoreline. The lake can be a bit hazardous if you paddle at the wrong times. There's been 25 people who've drown at the lake- 6 of whom have never been found.

At three different points along the lake there are lights which start flashing when the wind speed exceeds 25 miles an hour. When the lights start flashing every boater should go ashore. The danger is due to the 3 mile length of the lake- when the wind is really blowing the waves at the East end of the lake become huge (by flat water standards), and if you are inexperienced at paddling in rough conditions it is easy to capsize. This is the only lake I've been on where they require you to wear your lifejacket.

What I like most about Round Valley is the clarity of the water- the water is almost crystal clear which is rather unusual in a lake nowadays. I believe the clarity is due to the depth of the water- approximately 180' and the lack of houses with their septic systems along the shoreline. About the only downside to the lake is they allow power boats. Well almost powerboats- the motors are limited to 10hp so they're not too much of a nuisance. Jet skis are not permitted.

If you like camping there are "wilderness campsites" at the East end of the lake- the only access to them is either by water or by foot.

There's a short video of paddling the reservoir on a windy day here.