The holidays and family visits are over, so I am back on the road and beginning to blog again. I am headed south and then east to warmer places in Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico over the next three months, so will try to post more regularly.
This is one of my favorite campground. Not much to do here, other than walking and doing some kayaking if you have your own equipment--no rentals here. The important thing to me is that it is scenic and almost always mostly empty. During the four days I spent here, there were only about 4-8 other camper units, and most were spread out, so the place was very quiet.
Why is this place not more busy? Probably mostly because the lake level in the past has been very low, so boating and swimming has not been very good in the past. When I first started coming here about 11 years ago, the Corps of Engineers had drained the reservoir to repair the outtake tower. Right after that, California had that big drought, so for a few years it was just a puddle. It is also quite a ways off the 99 freeway that goes north and south on the east side of the California southern valley.
However, for me it was perfect, as I don't boat, fish, swim, or kayak, and I like a quiet place. Here are some photos of the drive to the campground and some of the campsites. There is about a 20 mile drive from CA99 to Hensley Lake, passing a lot of nut and fruit tree plantations on the way. As you get closer into the foothills of the Sierras, however, it becomes more hilly and rocky, so most of the land is just pasture for cattle.
As you can see, not much traffic.
A glimpse of snow-covered mountains in the distance.
Grasslands are intermingled with scrub and a few trees. It is hot here in the summer, by the way.
My campsite. About half of the sites here have electric and a few have water. The rest are mainly for tents, but nearly all have great views.
I had this site for one day when I first arrived, but then switched to Site 31, which was more level and less of a chance of rolling down a steep incline if my brakes failed. I did put a couple of my wheel chocks out, just in case. Made me sleep better. The covered picnic table was down a set of stairs, but directly in front of the site was a very steep slope, and those tiny cement bumpers would not have stopped much of anything from rolling downhill.
I don't know why these exposed rocks were so smooth. I don't think the glaciers came this far south, but these rocks were certainly very old and very dense.
The lake is slowly filling after the recent rains, but it is still only 20% of what they call "full pool." It was 75% of full pool last summer so the rangers said the campground was a lot busier.
There are three boat launch ramps around this lake. The biggest one, on the campground side of the lake is sticking out of the water, so the few boaters have to use the one shown here across the lake.
You can see where the water should be if the lake were full. Interesting houses on the slope also.
A view of the mountains in the distance.
My rig is on the top level on the left, but you can see how curvy the road is with two rigs on a lower level.
This site is a bit dull, but it is very long. It would be hard to put your slides out in this site, however.
Recent rains have caused the grass to get green in several areas around the campground.
My last view of the distant Sierras as I drive out.
