New Melones Lake, Reservoir in Sierra Nevada foothills, California, US
New Melones Lake is a reservoir in the California Sierra Nevada foothills, covering roughly 50 square kilometers of water surface between Sonora and Angels Camp along Highway 49. The winding shoreline measures over 160 kilometers and is bordered by dry hills and scattered oaks.
The dam was completed in the late 1970s and submerged the old mining settlement of Melones, which had grown during the California Gold Rush. This dam replaced an earlier, smaller facility built in 1926.
The name Melones comes from the Gold Rush era, when miners discovered large gold nuggets that resembled melons. Today, families and anglers use the shoreline for picnicking, while boats cross the water.
Two recreation areas offer over three hundred campsites with fire rings, picnic tables, and shared water taps. You can reach the entry points from Highway 49 or narrow side roads that branch off the main route.
The Archie Stevenot Bridge, completed in 1976, spans the lake and connects Calaveras County with Tuolumne County via Highway 49. When water levels drop, foundations of old Gold Rush-era bridges sometimes reappear.
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