This is a review of Pinto Lake City Park…read more You may not believe it, but I drove all the way from Costanoa to Downtown (?) Watsonville just to get a breakfast burrito. By the time I got to the market taqueria in question (review upcoming), it was too late for breakfast burritos, so I ordered a regular burrito and then looked for a green spot on the map to eat my (non-breakfast) burrito in peace. That green spot was Pinto Lake City Park, which isn't as green as you believe it will be but which is greener than its surroundings. The park comprises a whopping seventy-eight acres, although seventy of those acres are the southern half of Pinto Lake. The remaining eight acres are mainly the greenish park-looking areas south of the lake and these funny thin strips of land along it southwestern and -eastern shores. There's a different park farther north called Pinto Lake County Park; I didn't drive that far, but if you're having any kind of gathering, make sure everyone knows which of the two Pinto Lake Parks you're actually visiting. Strangely, Pinto Lake City Park is within the city limits of Watsonville even though it's far from Watsonville. How's that again? Well, the park is an exclave of the City of Watsonville. That is, it's a part of the city that's separated from the rest of the city by a few miles of what I assume is unincorporated Santa Cruz County. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, type "Watsonville, CA" into Google Maps. You'll see that Watsonville has three exclaves: one to the south, one to the west, and this one to the north. OK, enough map-nerding. It was already quite hot by the time I got here, and the lack of trees, especially near the lake-view picnic benches, borders on the criminal. What kind of landscape architecture is that, City of Watsonville? It's not the most beautiful lake, so you wouldn't be blocking anyone's views with more trees lakeside. The main part of the park does have quite a few trees, and it looks like a nice city park that gets lots of use. I didn't use the restroom while I was here, but the buildings are in decent shape, and I saw lots of women using the ladies' room, and that's generally a good sign in terms of restroom cleanliness. The parking lot is huge. Besides the lake itself, there's a basketball court, a baseball diamond, plenty of green open space, and a children's playground, I believe. I was surprised by the number of people shore-fishing in the afternoon, although it was a Sunday, so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. I probably would have enjoyed myself and my burrito more if I had eaten it at one of the tables closer to the park entrance, rather than near the water. Oh well. I guess if I ever wake up early enough to make it to Downtown Watsonville in time, I'll bring that breakfast burrito and eat it on the other side of the park, where it's greener and there's more shade.

The man at gate house was wonderful and very helpful we were treated terribly at Alpine and was…read morehesitant to go there but Pinto lake was very welcoming Thank You

Otters, sea lions, whales with a beach and bench to watch the ocean. Well worth your time…read more Port a potties only. Uneven sandy trails but amazing views. Not wheel chair accessible. But sea otters! Sea lions! Whales!

Elkhorn Slough is a great place to visit on kayak - or even by foot if you enter the path across…read morethe road from the Elkhorn Yacht Club to view wildlife from two big viewing platforms. I went on for two kayak trips over the weekend -- Friday mid-day was choppy and windy, ebb tide with a LOT more animals and birds. Sunday early morning started out flat water at flood and got a bit windier as the ebb started. Fewer animals than Friday but more tourists, and also, jellyfish that blew in with the flood. Keep well clear of the animals - the guidelines I learned this weekend are: - keep 100 ft away (5-8 kayak lengths) - if a seal or otter is looking AT you - you are too close! - if a seal or otter takes evasive action, you are too close Just go out, keep your voices down (they carry well over the water and scare animals and birds) and enjoy watching nature!

A neighborhood park that exceeded my expectations, and made for such a pleasant afternoon picnic!…read more - Grassy expanse with options in both the sun and shade - Many ducks to bird watch but no duck poo in the grass to avoid - Nice insects like dragonflies but no pests like flies or bees - Fall foliage, flowers, pine trees, and interesting plants - Plenty of options for neighborhood parking - Small playground with tables for parties or barbeques - Very clean, clear water with a little fountain and also little fish (for ducks and fishermen) - Not too crowded The one con others have also mentioned is that there doesn't seem to be a bathroom on the premises.

People who live by this park are lucky! It is an awesome small neighborhood park. There is a…read morepicturesque lake, a lot of birds, a nice big lawn area and a walking/running path. Plus points for it being empty and offering some moments of solitude and zen!

Back in the mid-80's, my younger brother and I had a bit of cabin fever, and decided to walk from…read moreour grandparents' central Watsonville home, up to Mount Madonna park. We made it about 2/3rds of the way up the winding, two lane road before a passing motorist stopped for us. The driver told us to pile into the bed of his pickup truck, then shortly after dropped us off at the park. My brother and I briefly explored the park, but dusk was approaching. Back in the days when there were public pay phones aplenty, we used a dime (or perhaps a quarter) to telephone our grandparents to ask for a car ride back down the mountain. In our youthful minds, it was just a little adventure, but our grandparents spoke of it for years afterwards.

On a warm Sat at the end of Feb, I hiked with 2 friends on an 8 miles, 700 ft elevation gain,…read moreSprig, Merry-Go-Round, and Tan Oak Loop. Paid $6, parked at the Amphitheater at 9am. Headed over to the ruins of Miller's Mansion. The forest grove sure was pretty and tranquil. The lake was nice but far away. Saw some benches carved out of huge logs, very cute. Too bad we missed the white deer pen. We completed the hike exactly at noon, 3 hours hike.

I've had nothing but positive experiences here. It's definitely more focused on the beginner…read moreangler, as the lake is small in size ( approx 7 acres?) and stocked regularly with trout during the cooler months. Small bass, bluegill and catfish are present in the lake also. The lake is maintained by the McAlpine Family, with Chase and Randall providing advice on techniques, tackle and water conditions. Chase is especially well known for his depth of knowledge in the aquatics of the lake and he is responsible for stocking the trout on a regular basis. Sister Scarlett and her husband Rob are managing the lake and also staff the General Store. All are super nice people and customer-friendly. The staff of Chris and "Tahoe Joe" keep the lake and facilities clean and in good order. Shout out also to "Paq" who is a multi-species angler and claims McAlpine Lake as his testing grounds for "Frenzy Spoons", which is his lure manufacturing businesses. Paq also assists at the lake and is quick to share his expertise with novice anglers. Some people "complain" that McAlpine Lake charges both an entrance and overage fee. Listen up folks, this is a private lake that has overhead costs including employee payroll, property/income tax, insurance and $$ per pound of Mt . Lassen Trout (10-12 Hour roundtrip) that Chase picks up and delivers every two weeks or so during Trout Season. There are other places to fish for free, if this doesn't work for you.

It said you will catch fish. 5 of us went here for a birthday. No one caught anything at all. Never…read morego here. So expensive too

This is a beautiful dog-friendly park with picturesque trails for walking your dog. We did not have…read morea lot of time to spend here, and our older dog cannot walk very far these days, but If I lived near here, I would come to this park often. It's a great place for people as well as dogs!

Pinto Lake County Park is a my favorite park since it's so close by and a nice spot to relax and…read moreenjoy nature. The lake is beautiful and great for fishing, or just taking a walk. There are playgrounds for kids and plenty of space to spread out. The staff is friendly, and I like how clean the area is. Perfect place for a family outing or some quiet time outdoors. I'll definitely visit again!

Ok so supposedly it cost six dollars to get in to the parking lot. Um... the parking lot I went…read moreinto had nowhere to pay, none, zip,zippo, nadda "not that I'm complaining lol!! Looks like they are doing seismic retrofitting stuff so we couldn't walk over this cool bridge that was over the stream, lots of chain link fence and construction going on... sad face. Wifey and I were able to sit on a bench near the stream "which honestly was quite beautiful if you didn't look to far up" We sat there for about 2 hours watching the Black Phoebe's fly around catching bugs. Beyond that there doesn't seem to be much else going on in this parking lot site. There is another entrance, haven't been there as of yet, maybe that entrance will be better.

Lake it Easy This…read more±4,300sq ft county park is home to Santa Clara County's largest reservoir at a whopping ±1,300sq ft. (±7 miles long). The Good: *Visitor Center at 19425 Malaguerra Ave, Morgan Hill, CA *First come, first served picnic tables *hiking trails *Horses welcome *Dogs are welcome The Meh: *Only a few miles of trails are currently open *$6/day entrance fee The Ugly: *A large part of the park is currently closed due to seismic retrofit construction project and not expected to re-open until 2030--if we're lucky! *Access to the lake--including fishing--is currently prohibited due to the construction. Conclusion: Not really worth a visit until after the construction project is done.

Anzar Lake. Aromas CA, Sat Aug 7, 2021…read more I love to take the backroads and discover new ways around. There was a bit of a backlog on 101 between Gilroy and Salinas this Saturday afternoon, and I decided to take a detour on Anzar Road towards Aromas. The windy road brought me to Anzar Lake. I'm standing & looking at the dried up lake. The lake is on the maps, and in front of me, I am looking at the wetlands where the lake used to be. The draught is ruthless. There are cows chewing on the greens. My friend Joanna V. sent me a joke about auntie Gertrude and cousin Bertha wandering around marshy grass. My friend Brett B. is saying, these cows are outstanding in their field:) I'm thinking to myself, it's tranquil and pleasant here, and maybe it's a good thing that cows enjoy the former lakebed. In dry years there is little water in the lake, and most of its bottom is dry. Egrets in the distance of the wetlands popping up as curious white spots. Serenity now! Jerry Seinfeld's episode where his new girlfriend encourages him to express his emotions. Laughing now. I believe I'm in touch with my emotions when it comes to nature and wildlife. I'm laughing again, maybe staying in touch with all my yelpers could be challenging at times:) My dear friends, I know most of you girls and boys, for about a decade... isn't time a peculiar thing? We change jobs, places we call home, our preferences and pleasures in life... or sometimes, we don't, but... somehow and through it all, we find ways to connect and have some fun, right? That what it all is about! Cheers my friends! Anzar Lake near Crazy Horse Canyon There's a message floatin' in the air Come from crazy horses riding everywhere It's a warning it's in every tongue Got to stop them crazy horses on the run What a show there they go smokin' up the sky yeah Crazy horses all got riders and they're you and I Crazy Horses Crazy Horses