7 miles from Auburn Courthouse. Easy-steep options. MAP
Man-made Lake Clementine was built by the Army Corps Of Engineers in 1935 to collect debris coming down the North Fork of the American river. The Lake level is set by the dam height so it doesn’t vary much except during high flows. The waterfall made by the dam is always a favorite backdrop for photos.
Today the lake is supervised by the ASRA for recreation. Fees are collected at both the Upper and Lower Clementine access roads. The Upper road is popular for swimming and recreation, sun bathing and hanging out. It has a rocky shore-line beach and river flows into the lake there. It also offers a take out for rafters who put in at either Ponderosa or Yankee Jim’s bridges upstream.
The Lower road is where the boat ramp is and a large parking lot for boat trailers. The lake also has a boat-in camping and floating toilets for boaters. Pooping in the lake is discouraged.
Directions: Take 1-80 east 3 miles to Auburn Ravine exit, go 3.5 miles to Lower Clementine Road or 6 miles to Upper Clementine Road.
The trails include the very popular Lake Clementine trail that connects the confluence area downstream to the Lower Clementine road (2 easy miles, and free from the confluence), the firebreak road/trail that goes from Lower road to the Culvert trail and Lakeview connector (also free), and the little known primitive fisherman’s trail that goes from the boat ramp along the shore for about 2 miles. There is also the Doc Gordon road that goes from the beginning of the Upper road all the way down to the mid area of the lake (steep but free).
Get Off Your Gass 