Lake Mendocino, reservoir in Mendocino County, California, United States

Lake Mendocino is a 1,922-acre reservoir northeast of Ukiah, California, held back by the 160-foot-high, 3,560-foot-long earthen Coyote Valley Dam on the East Fork Russian River. The water surface carries a single dark post near its center, with a low shoreline in the distance. The lake has two boat ramps, at its north and south ends, and more than 300 campsites.

Coyote Valley Dam, an earthen structure 160 ft high and 3,560 ft long, was completed in 1957 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, forming the lake on the East Fork Russian River. Building it required relocating Coyote Valley residents and a short stretch of State Route 20. A fallout shelter with a radioactive symbol remains in the dam from the Cold War. The City of Ukiah built the Mendocino Hydro Plant in 1986.

The lake's name comes from Mendocino County, not from the Pomo people. The Pomo language is used for the names of three groups of campsites around the reservoir, a trace of the Native people of this part of California.

Bring sun protection, water, and sturdy shoes for your visit, as campsites fill quickly during peak seasons. Boat rentals are available on-site, and arriving early in the day helps you avoid crowds and enjoy calmer waters.

The Coyote Valley Dam holds a Cold War fallout shelter that still exists today, marked with a radioactive symbol. The Mendocino Hydro Plant, built by the City of Ukiah in 1986, is controlled remotely by the Northern California Power Agency.