Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake is located along Interstate I-5 in the Angeles and Los Padres National Forest on Piru Creek. The lake is 17 miles south of Frazier Park California and 20 miles north of Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Valencia California. Exit on Vista Del Lago.
Pyramid Lake offers camping, picnicking, boating, waterskiing, and swimming. Fishing is a popular sport at Pyramid Lake, where you can catch fish such as large and small mouth striped bass, trout, catfish, blue gill, and crappie.
Emigrant Landing boat launch is reached via Smokey Bear exit from Interstate 5. It has a marina, a boat ramp, beach, and picnic areas. Family and group campsites are also available at Los Alamos Campground in lower Hungry Valley.
Hard Luck Campground on Piru Creek also has family camping units when open. Beaches and picnic sites at Spanish Point, Bear Trap, Yellowbar (when open), and Serrano are reachable only by boat.
Recreation
Vaquero
Vaquero Beach offers a wide sandy beach for swimming and fishing. There are two beaches open during the summer season located at Emigrant Landing and Vaquero Day Use Area.
Emigrant Landing – Boat Ramp
Emigrant Landing offers picnic areas, swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and water skiing. This includes 3 unique day use sites only accessible by boat. There are courtesy docks and a ramp leading from Parking Lot A to an accessible fishing site. Open for day use only. Hours vary through the season. For season hours please call: (661) 295-7155.
Each day, the L.A. County Sheriff's office sets a maximum number of boats that can be safely launched on Pyramid Lake at any one time. These limits are typically 50 jet skis and 150 boats, though these limits vary based on a number of conditions. Once these lake limits are hit, which can occur very early on busy weekends, boats and jet skis will only be allowed to enter Emigrants Landing when one leaves. For current updates please call: (661) 295-7155.
Los Alamos Campground – by Vehicle
This is the closest campground to Pyramid Lake and has 93 family sites, bathrooms with flush toilets, potable water and dump station free to overnight guests, RV back in sites, tents and there are several very popular pull through sites as well. There are three group campsites for up to 40 people that are available by reservation only.
Reservation and first come/first serve sites are available. To reserve a site please call: (877) 444-6777.
Spanish Point, Tin Cup, Bear Trap, Yellowbar, and Serrano Campgrounds – By Boat
These campgrounds offer beaches and picnic areas but are only reachable by boat which makes them very unique.
Fishing
Fishing is allowed from every location at Pyramid Lake. You can catch fish such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass, striped bass, blue gill, crappie, and some trout. Courtesy docks and a ramp leading from Parking Lot A to accessible fishing sites are available.
Boating & Waterskiing
Boating speed limits differ in parts of the lake. Canoes and Kayaks are often seen in the canyons where power boats are restricted to low speeds. Higher speeds for water-skiing are allowed on the main body of the lake.
For current information please call: (661) 295-7155.
Pyramid Lake History
In 1843, gold was discovered near Pyramid Lake and in the Santa Feliciana Canyon, just south of what is now Pyramid Dam. But the small find failed to trigger a rush to the mountainous countryside. Only Francisco Lopes, owner of Rancho Temescal, a Mexican land grant, and a handful of ranchers attempted to settle the region.
Pyramid Lake and Dam, completed in 1973, were named after a pyramid-shaped rock carved out by engineers building the Old Highway 99. Travelers between Los Angeles and Bakersfield christened the landmark “Pyramid Rock,” which still stands just adjacent to the dam.
Pyramid Lake is formed by Pyramid Dam on Piru Creek, near Castaic, California. The 180,000 acre-foot reservoir is in the southern portion of the Los Padres National Forest.
The 386 foot tall earth and rock dam was built by the California Department of Water Resources and was completed in 1973. Pyramid Lake is part of the California Aqueduct, which is part of the California State Water Project.
Downstream is Castaic Lake, which is the terminus of the west branch of the aqueduct. Pyramid and Castaic act as the upper and lower reservoirs for a 1,495 megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric plant.
Pyramid Lake is the deepest lake in the California Water Project system.
Visitor’s Center
Vista del Lago visitor’s center provides information about the SWP, Pyramid Lake, water conservation and many other topics of interest to Californians. It is open daily, free of charge to visitors who want to take a break from Interstate I-5 traffic to learn about water and view Pyramid Lake from the best vantage points.
The Pyramid Lake Vista del Lago Visitor’s Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The Center is located on Interstate I-5 between the cities of Gorman and Castaic. Exit the Vista del Lago off-ramp. For more information, call (661) 294-0219 or visit the Vista del Lago website.
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More Information
Pyramid Lake Recreation - Emigrant Landing Day Use Area and Boat Ramp.
661-295-7155
Lake Pyramid Concessionaire Web Site
To make reservations, get more information and to subscribe to the Camp One newsletter please visit: www.campone.com
Vaquero Beach Kiosk
661-295-1102
Los Alamos Campground Reservations
661-248-6725
Vista Del Lago Water Education Center
661-294-0219
