Goodbye Lake Tahoe, So Long Big Bear: Visit This Less-Crowded California Paradise Inside A National Forest

Lake Tahoe is a star attraction in Northern California, but the region is full of smaller lakes for a day of fishing or gliding on the water. While Lake Tahoe floods with beachgoers and boaters in the summer, and Big Bear Lake farther south attracts hordes of mountain-bound vacationers, many secluded lakes in California offer the same stunning scenery with less congestion. Sitting northwest of Lake Tahoe, Milton Reservoir could be your next lake hideaway. Circled by the towering evergreens of Tahoe National Forest, its waters make for laid-back fishing and paddling away from the holiday commotion.

Milton Reservoir is a small, man-made lake about an hour's drive from Truckee. Covering roughly 12 acres and sitting at around 5,690 feet above sea level, it occupies a stretch of the Middle Fork Yuba River. Unlike the sprawling lakes and bustling resorts found elsewhere in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Milton remains a rustic, forest-bound reservoir reached by backcountry roads, with dispersed camping rather than developed beaches and marinas. Its review count is modest but positive, with 4.3 stars on Google Maps, at the time of writing. "Fresh air, clean environment and very few other people," one visitor wrote after an August fishing trip. It's an undeniably scenic and less crowded alternative to Lake Tahoe, rewarding those who make the journey with peaceful solitude in nature.

To reach Milton Reservoir, you'll have to drive a portion of Henness Pass Road, a partially unpaved road through the national forest. According to Keep Calm and Fly Fish, driving east towards the reservoir requires traveling about 12 miles of very rough dirt road. The U.S. Forest Service says that a high-clearance vehicle is recommended for driving on the unpaved section of Henness Pass Road. One of the unspoken rules of visiting the Sierra Nevada region is to come prepared for remote roads and backcountry terrain, and having a reliable vehicle is essential for navigating these conditions safely. 

The reservoir's wild trout fishery is a big part of its appeal for anglers. Milton is managed under the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's wild trout program, and trophy-sized trout are known to swim in these waters. There is a zero-trout limit, meaning you have to release every trout you catch. No bait is allowed, either, so you'll have to use artificial lures. Since motorized boats are prohibited, anglers can use a paddle craft or float tube to get out onto the lake, or stick to shore fishing.

The lakeside area allows dispersed camping without reservations, but offers little in the way of amenities beyond a vault toilet, according to Campflare. There are no picnic tables, fire rings, or even potable water on site. For developed sites with amenities, drive about 10 minutes south to Jackson Meadows Reservoir, a northern Sierra beauty with camping and swimming.