This beautiful lake straddles the California-Nevada border. Boaters love this high-altitude lake for its great swimming, fishing, and stunning scenery. Perhaps best of all, Topaz Lake in Northern California is not nearly as crowded as other lakes, even on major warm weather holidays.

Lake Topaz is actually a man-made reservoir. It was created in the 1920s due to diverting the waters of the West Walker River.
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It’s a fairly large lake measuring about 3.5 miles by 1.5 miles. At its deepest, it is around 92 feet deep.
Located south of Lake Tahoe, Topaz Lake is a high-elevation body of water.
Jeff Sullivan/Google Images
At around 5,000 feet in elevation, the lake sometimes gets icy in the winter. Despite this, Topaz Lake is open year-round.
Boaters love Topaz Lake because of its clear waters and beautiful scenery.
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There are two boat launching sites on the Nevada side of the lake. Also on this side is a campground with full RV hookups. There is an RV park on the California side of the lake, too. Topaz Lake RV Park is open from May through October.

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Topaz Lake is also a prime spot for fishing.
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The lake is stocked full of small and largemouth bass, plus several types of trout. Fishing season is from mid-May through the end of February. Fishers need to have a fishing license from either California or Nevada.
The beaches are rocky, but people also enjoy swimming in Topaz Lake.
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The lake’s waters are chilly, but it gets up to around 67 degrees in the hot summer months.
Before visiting Topaz Lake, be sure to check road conditions and if there are any fires in the region.
Connie G./Google Images
Due to the rains in 2023, some of the roads to Topaz Lake have become impassable. In the past few years, there have also been several fires near Topaz Lake, so always plan ahead to make sure conditions are safe.

Did you know California has more than 3,000 lakes? Everyone loves Lake Tahoe, of course, but there is also Lake Almanor, Shasta Lake, and Mono Lake. Lesser-known Northern California lakes include Lake Siskiyou, Lake Oroville, and Clear Lake.

What is your favorite Northern California lake?

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