Topaz Lake, Unsung Jewel of The Eastern Sierra

A travel journal to Cape Tribulation by Bruce

Kids By CampfireMore Photos

Topaz Lake is a small unsung recreational lake on the California/Nevada border that can serve as a calming getaway that deserves mention.

  • 3 reviews
  • 5 photos
Night Boating is relatively unrestricted on Topaz
Boating

Watersking

Jetsking

Swiming

Fishing

Casino

Hiking

Fourwheeling

Camping

Relaxing

Relaxing

Relaxing,you get the idea!

Quick Tips:

The campground is the ticket here. It is ten dollars a night with electric hookups, right on the lake. Dry camp sites are eight dollars a night. Showers on site and campfires allowed.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take your own personal vehicle. Take your own water toys, as only 12 foot boats are rented.

Kids By Campfire
This is just a quiet little campground on Topaz Lake. Located just two miles east of US Highway 395 on the Nevada side of the lake. This facility sits on a quiet,calm lagoon which provides perfect anchor.

The campground is a little spartan with only a little grass in the center of the grounds. The rest of this facility centers on it's reason for being,Topaz Lake. This campground exists for boating in almost all it's forms. If you arrive on a weekday, you stand an excellent chance of getting beachfront property,a mere fifty feet from your boat that is. At Topaz Lake,you merely pull your boat up to the beach and tie it off. They have an excellent launch ramp and the charge for it's use can't be beat,$5.00 per stay. For $5.00 you can launch and retrieve your boat as many times as you like during a given visit. Many recreational lakes will charge you every time you use the ramp.

The Dry Camp sites have a reasonable amount of shade, but nobody who comes here seems to care, they come here to play in the sun. The shade on the RV section is more limited than in the Dry Camp section.

Fire rings are free and picked up near the entrance, firewood can be purchased there as well. We always bring our own as we like large campfires. What is really great here is that you can walk to your boat acchored just offshore about fifty feet away,and take a night cruise. If a nightcruise doesn't appeal to you,hop in your car and drive two miles and your at The Topaz Lodge and Casino,which overlooks the lake.

I'm certain that some specifics would be helpful at this point.

1.Topaz Lake is 120 miles north of Bishop on US HWY.395 just one half mile north of the California Border,in Nevada.

2.You can't make reservations,first come first served.

3.Sunday through Thursday are the best days to visit. On weekends the locals from Reno,Carson City,Gardnerville, ect.swoop down on this place.

4.The best months to visit are between late June to late August. The real boating season here lasts just two months. This is a desert lake sitting right on the edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Since Topaz is an irrigation lake the water level can be pretty low in late August. Furthermore,the little lagoon that serves as such good anchor in midsummer,can be nearly empty,making anchoring a boat difficult. Near the beginning of September,sudden Eastern Sierra weather patterns can be treacherous. Suddenly calm weather will turn to rowdy wind,causing people to scramble to get their boats out of the water, only to be able to put them back in within an hour.

5.There is a small store at Topaz Lodge,two miles west of the campground on US HWY.395. Here you can purchase gasoline,propane,camping fuel,fishing supplies and they have a modest supply of groceries.

If you have a boat and live within a reasonable distance,this place is great.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Bruce on March 16, 2001

The County Campground at Topaz Lake
Northeast side of Topaz Lake Cape Tribulation, Australia

The Topaz Lodge and Casino is reminiscent of days long gone in Nevada. This is a small casino overlooking Topaz Lake, with a western atmosphere about it. It is a well kept building which also happens to be the first casino you will find entering Nevada on Hwy.395.

People here are very friendly,and you will notice that they all seem to know each other. Downstairs you will find an arcade to keep the kid's happy while you can stay enjoy the gambling upstairs.

There is a quiet coffee shop overlooking the lake,the food is good and the price is very fair. In the bar,the drinks are also good, and the price is also fair. Downstairs,they serve a buffet on Friday and Saturday nights. The price of the buffet varies depending on what is served that night. Also on the property are accomodations consisting of motel style rooms that go for around $69.00 a night. The rooms are not fancy,but they are clean,comfortable,and offer a great view of Topaz Lake. In one section of the lodge they allow pets. They even allowed us to keep our Great Dane on one occassion.T hey have a shaded area with grass,swings, and picnic tables in front which can provide a welcome break from the road. They even have an RV Park with full hookups.

Try www.enterit.com/topaz3338

Phone 775-266-3046

The adjascent store and gas station allows for gassing up and other modest needs. Note that if you are traveling south,and are low on fuel,this is the place to get it,Bridgeport and Lee Vining prices will kill you.

This is not a big buck casino and they have no stage productions. The gambling is fair Nevada Style,gambling. The prices are fair for the area,very fair. This casino's draw is where it sits,on Topaz Lake. If you take your wife fishing,or boating,or camping,taking her here may get you out of hot water. It's a nice little place if you're passing through.

  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Bruce on March 17, 2001

Topaz Lake Lodge and Casino
P.O. Box 187 Cape Tribulation, Australia 89410

About the Writer

Bruce
Bruce
Bishop, California

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