Indian Valley Reservoir
I set off on Saturday morning with a goal. I would get to Clear Lake, explore an off-road trail to Indian Valley Reservoir, then find a spot to camp on the east side of the lake, so that I could enjoy a wonderful view at sunset. And did all that to a T.
To get to the campsite, I had to drive two off-road trails from Clear Lake. The first is named Bartlett Springs Road.
Bartlett Springs Road is a 30 mile or so unpaved road that goes from Clear Lake to Indian Valley Reservoir. The first point of interest was a place called Pinnacle Rock, where I found an amazing camp spot less than 100 yards from the said rock. I was tempted to abandon the rest of the drive and camp at this spot, but I really wanted to see the sunset over the reservoir, so I kept on driving.
The second point of interest was Bartlett Springs, the burned down natural spring resort. I walked around the premise for a few minutes, but found it smashed, with only a few existing concrete stairs to mark where the buildings previously stood.
The last point of interest was the Indian Valley Reservoir. It was so empty—compared to the map, the reservoir must have only been 2/3 of it’s size. I saw campers close to the water, with trails on the lake bed looking like established trails, which meant that the water levels were low all winter.
I kept driving and turned on to the second off-road trail of the day, Walker Ridge Road. After about 20 minutes of driving—mostly up-hill—I found my camp spot in a hidden away alcove that I found by sheer luck. The site afforded me amazing views, so I setup camp, cooked dinner, and enjoyed the view.
This campsite is one I hope to return to someday, as I loved it. It’s almost everything I wanted in a campsite—has great privacy and views.
What I Learned:
Camping on the top of a mountain is great for views, but the price you pay is all the noise the tent makes as it flaps in the wind. I’m glad I carried ear plugs in the car.
This is the first time I really noticed how much better my truck drives dirt roads with a 32” tire versus the old 30”.
Chai tea has a lot of caffeine. Which I found out after wondering why I wasn’t sleepy at 2AM in the morning.
I didn’t tie down my water container and it sprung a leak. I should have and will tie down my gear better in the future.
Camp Review:
There are tons of camping spots along Bartlett Springs Road and Walker Ridge Road. While I enjoyed the view from above, if I had my kayak with me, I would have camped right next to the reservoir and would have gone for a morning ride.
With much of the landscape scarred by fire, I was surprised to see that campfires were allowed with a fire permit. Camp fire restrictions vary, so it’s best to check with the local BLM office.
I only had cell signal at a few places along the drive. Unsurprisingly, at Pinnacle Rock, and at my campsite (5G!)—the highest points of the drive. I didn’t use it much, but still, it was nice to have.