Largest lakes & reservoirs in California by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 75 articles we have published for California lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US West Region > California > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in California, only the 75 California lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Shoreline length in miles |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Los Vaqueros Reservoir (Bay Area Region, CA, California, US West Region, USA) |
13 mi | Also known as Los Vaqueros Lake The Los Vaqueros Reservoir in the San Francisco Bay area is being remodeled! Soon to be re-opened, Los Vaqueros Lake is going to be even bigger and be … |
| Silverwood Lake, CA (California, Inland Empire Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
13 mi | Also known as Lake Silverwood Rimmed with live oak, manzanita, and mountain mahogany and set against the backdrop of the snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains, Silverwood Lake is an … |
| Barrett Lake, CA (California, San Diego County, CA, US West Region, USA) |
12 mi | Also known as Lake Barrett, Barrett Reservoir Tucked away in a solitary fishing hole, a fisherman casts and pulls in a trophy-sized Northern-strain large mouth bass. The opportunity to catch troph … |
| Lake Hemet (California, Inland Empire Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
12 mi | Also known as Lake Hemet Reservoir Not far from the famed San Jacinto Peak in California’s Inland Empire, Lake Hemet Reservoir offers plenty of nature-focused recreation to lucky visito … |
| Lake Elsinore, CA (California, Inland Empire Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
10 mi | Cradled at the foot of the Ortega Mountains and at the entrance to the Cleveland National Forest, Lake Elsinore enjoys an ideal location. At about 3,3 … |
| Lake Combie (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
9 mi | Also known as Combie Lake, Combie Reservoir, Van Giesen Lake Combie is an impoundment of the Bear River flowing along the Placer and Nevada County line in northwestern California’s Gold Country. Also known … |
| Donner Lake (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
8 mi | Also known as Truckee Lake Steeped in the history of America’s Emigrant Trail, Donner Lake sits in California’s beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. Found within Nevada County’s c … |
| Fallen Leaf Lake (California, High Sierra Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
8 mi | Travelers who enjoy the splendor of Lake Tahoe might never be aware of the smaller but very beautiful Fallen Leaf Lake that is located just one mile s … |
| Lake Wildwood CA (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
7 mi | A delightful private lake in California’s Gold Country, Lake Wildwood is ideally placed to furnish variety and enjoyment. The 290-acre man-made lake i … |
| Beardsley Lake (California, High Sierra Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
6 mi | Also known as Beardsley Reservior, Beardsley Lake Reservoir Nearly 60 years ago, the effort to provide water to the orchards and farms in California’s Central Valley brought about the creation of beautiful Bear … |
| Pine Mountain Lake, CA (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
6 mi | Pine Mountain Lake is a private lake and community in Tuolomne County California. With amenities that include a golf course, restaurant and stables op … |
| Lake of the Pines (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
5 mi | Also known as Main Lake, Entrance Pond, Huck Finn Pond, Hazel Lake Located in the foothills of northeastern California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake of the Pines is a 232-acre private lake surrounded by a gated comm … |