Dodge Reservoir, Reservoir in Lassen County, California, United States

Dodge Reservoir is a large body of water set in California's high desert, covering about 480 acres and surrounded by gentle hills with sagebrush and scattered junipers. The water level changes seasonally, reaching its highest point in spring and early summer.

Dodge Reservoir was created in 1937 by the owners of the Dodge Ranch, who still hold the reservoir's water rights. The California Department of Fish and Game has historically stocked it with rainbow, Eagle Lake, brown and Lahontan cutthroat trout.

The reservoir sits on Dodge Ranch land, and the ranch family still holds its water rights, so the lake is a working piece of a cattle-and-hay operation rather than a public park. Anglers come for stocked rainbow, Eagle Lake, brown and Lahontan cutthroat trout, best in spring and early summer.

Access is via the unpaved County Road 506, which can be rough or muddy after rain and suits vehicles with trailers but remains dusty and uneven. Check water and road conditions with the Eagle Lake Field Office before visiting, as these change significantly with the seasons.

The Dodge Ranch, which created the reservoir in 1937, still holds its water rights, so no legal minimum level applies. The reservoir can therefore shrink well below its 491-acre full extent in dry years, a fluctuation that catches visitors expecting a stable lake.