Heading to Lake Oroville in a Couple Weeks
 

Heading to Oroville for the first time (a long trek from So Cal) to try it out. We're staying in Paradise and coming out of Lime Saddle. Questions: Is the shoreline good to set up ez ups and chairs to chill out? Best spots to surf? Any obstacles I should know about? Restaurants.

Thanks

Oroville is an awesome lake. Staying in Paradise, and launching at Lime Saddle I'm assuming that you are not houseboating?

Lime saddle is the narrower and imho less busy end of the lake, not that the other end is usually all that busy. Mornings are amazing up there with great water. Water levels this year are pretty high compared to other years but not as high as other lakes due to dam repairs.

Two major marinas on the lake, Lime Saddle and Bidwell. Lime saddle has a convenience store, Bidwell has a bar and grill. Pretty much zero other restaurants on the water.

Shoreline is generally steep and hard to find a decently flat spot for easy ups, chairs and such, but it can be found. Be sure to check out all the houseboats as this lake has some cool ones due to no length limit like other Northern CA lakes.

Oroville Dam's 'green spot' causes concern that it could be leaking

http://dailym.ai/2u4KNk9


Get there before the dam breaks.

Not much in shoreline day use, maybe when the lake is completely full, there are a couple of spots. there are a few places on the north end.

Lime Saddle is our home marina and we are looking forward to seeing you.

Oroville is glass in the mornings, usually can get some wind in the early afternoon, and then it is gorgeous usually from around 4-5pm until you call it for darkness. You can surf all the way to 8:30pm easy.

Weekdays are the best, but weekends are not bad compared to other lakes, Oroville is under used because you have Folsom to the south, Berryessa to the west, Shasta to the north, and Tahoe and the mountains to the east. Also, the locals (other than the fisherman) are kinda late risers. You can get out on a Saturday at 8am and have great water til noon, sometimes later, even in July or August. That is why we live here.

If you have the slip, best is probably to get up early and get some breakfast, surf the glass in the AM and then come in and get some lunch in town and take a nap, come back and hit it again til dark, which is the best time, especially in August. Then we can treat you to a local diner in paradise that we always hit that is open to 11pm or so, and they don't mind if you are wearing wet trunks. ;-) Its not the best food, but its hot, and they have pie.

Thanks for the info alll!

If you get bored drive up 70 above Oroville, its a fun/scenic drive with the railroad tracks one side of canyon, the river in the middle, and highway the other. There is good fishing at the heads of the little reservoirs along Hwy70 too. Also Chico has some good places to eat. Have fun Orvoille is a great lake!!!

Cheers,
DC

Floating campsite or Houseboat is the best way to see Oroville. Camping is far from the lake and the shoreline is steep. Beautiful place.

Best place to surf is right out in the middle of the biggest bay.

^yup. You really shouldn't be looking to steal the borders butter. Just my opinion.

LOL

sounds like a fun trip!