Alpine Lake, reservoir in Marin County, California
Lake Alpine is a mountain reservoir in California at over 7,200 feet elevation, surrounded by red fir and lodgepole pine trees. The clear water covers about 180 acres and is 2 miles east of Bear Valley, offering swimming, boating, hiking, and fishing.
The lake formed in 1892 when a mining company built a dam across Silver Creek to store water for operations. A supply cabin at Dynan's Cove became the first lodge in the late 1920s, destroyed by heavy snow in 1932, then rebuilt in simpler form.
The lake carries its name from its location in the high mountains. Today, visitors use it for fishing and relaxation, while modest cabins and a small lodge shape the character of a mountain community.
Boat rentals are available at the lake, and hiking and biking trails run through the area, with a 2-mile paved trail wheelchair-accessible. Visitors should bring their own drinking water as none is available on site, and must follow signs regarding parking and camping restrictions.
The lake once served as a stopping point on historic stagecoach routes that connected mountain valleys. A stone house at Dynan's Cove, originally built as a supply cabin during the dam construction, still stands today and marks the area's early human settlement.
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