Trinity Lake, Reservoir in Trinity County, California

Trinity Lake is a reservoir in California covering a substantial water surface with hundreds of miles of shoreline winding through forested hills. The body of water sits within a protected recreation area and features multiple coves, rocky points, and inlets throughout its basin.

The reservoir was completed in 1961 as part of a major water management project serving agricultural needs across the region. Construction of the dam transformed the landscape and created a new water storage system for surrounding valleys.

The lake was renamed Clair Engle Lake in 1964, after the California senator died in office, but the change never gained popularity and the original name was restored in 1997. Three marinas serve boaters: Trinity Alps Marina by the dam, Cedar Stock on the Stuart Fork arm, and Trinity Center at the northern end.

The drive from Redding on Interstate 5 takes about 90 minutes along a winding mountain road off Highway 299. Three marinas serve the lake: Trinity Alps Marina at the southern end facing the dam, Cedar Stock Marina on the Stuart Fork arm to the west, and Trinity Center Marina at the northern end of the main arm. Black bears are common around campsites, so store food securely and dispose of garbage properly.

The lake holds landlocked populations of kokanee and king salmon, alongside largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout and catfish. Because the dams cut off spawning grounds on the Trinity River, the Trinity River Fish Hatchery below Lewiston Dam helps keep the fish supply up. The state health office issues a safe-eating advisory for fish caught here due to mercury and PCB levels.