#santamargaritalake

[gimpygumby]

Nice spot for lunch. #slocounty #slolife #santamargaritalake #slocalife #slomini (at Santa Margarita Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLTKCCqhqfF5QKafJf2uwiPWLNyxTRFaMiE0eA0/?igshid=qmxfa8bcxy5v

[mikeaday]

2020-144 Santa Margarita Lake - 2020-144 Santa Margarita Lake - There were a lot more people than I expected. I had to hunt for an isolated space. It's not the best view, but it's still a view. - https://flic.kr/p/2j4U2Jz

[babyb82]

#santamargaritalake #kayaking #gethealthygetactive #rowrowrowyourboat (at Santa Margarita, California)

[theoutdoorlife-hikingcampin-blog]

Grey Pines Campground & Hiking at Santa Margarita Lake

[theoutdoorlife-hikingcampin-blog]

Santa Margarita Lake

May 25, 2016 

Where it is:  San Luis Obispo County 

We  stayed at the Grey Pine Campground, but there are many other campgrounds in the area. The campsites form a horse shoe and there are water faucets near each site and a fire pit. The bathrooms are porter potties near the entrance. However, there are “real” restrooms closer to the lake and general store/marina. The Grey Pine Campground is next to the rangers station. Other campgrounds are closer to the water/ have better views of the lake. There are showers, which you have to pay for, closer to the other campgrounds and pool. I do not know how much they are because we take our solar shower everywhere with us. 

Map:

http://www.californiasgreatestlakes.com/margarita/santa_margarita_lake_map.html

How much is it:

It’s about $25 a night plus a $9 registration fee.  I believe there was a 3 night minimum when we stayed.  Call [phone] to make a reservation!

What to do:

Well...there is a LAKE! You can rent boats at the general store/marina. We rented a pontoon both days we were there. Our dogs were allowed on =) The prices were inexpensive but may have changed so ask when you make your reservation. We also bought fishing poles and a fishing licenses.  Renting a boat is great because they do not allow swimming in the lake. The lake was up 100 feet lower than usual in some areas. 

There are also hiking trails near by. We went on a beautiful hike that started right next to the campground and took us up a few hills and through some open land. We ended up at the top of a hill looking over the lake. It was a beautiful view! Overall, it was an easy and short hike, five miles at the most. We were able to hike with the dogs off the leash. 

There is also a pool. We did not use it because we spent most our time on the lake and hiking. We walked by the pool and noticed that it was very crowded! Nice that they give you a place to swim though!

We enjoyed sitting down near our campsite, meeting our neighbors and watching the sunset. This is a very beautiful spit! We saw a few deer running around near the our campsite. There is a farm down the road with goats. The goats make a lot of noise and there were some rosters on the farm but it was actually pretty cool. They will even walk up to the fence so you can see them up close. Don't feed or touch them though. 

What to bring:

The general store/marina sells almost everything you need. They have food, s’mores ingredients (which is a must for me), fishing equipment, boat rentals, some camping gear, wood, nick-nacks, etc. 

Always buy your wood near where you are going to burn it. 

Its always better to be safe than sorry so bring a tent, sleeping bag, food, water and other necessities. Not that we experienced this but the general store/marina could be closed or not have what you are looking for when you are there. 

Bring a bathing suit, sunscreen, hiking gear and a sweater. The weather was nice during the day but definitely cooled down.   

Opinions and Other Information: 

I highly recommend this campground! It was clean and provides many luxuries that other campgrounds don't offer. Campsites are a good distance away from each other, which makes it easy to keep to yourself and relax or meet new people! 

*If you have camped here before, comment with your experience, opinions and recommendations. If you plan to camp here, feel free to comment with questions.*