Lake Pillsbury

Lake Pillsbury is the largest lake in the Mendocino National Forest, a remote reservoir of about 2,280 acres with roughly 31 miles of shoreline in the mountains of northern Lake County. It's held back by PG&E's Scott Dam on the Eel River, completed in 1921, and sits at about 1,800 feet elevation. There's no town on the lake; you reach it on long, winding county roads from Potter Valley or Upper Lake.

Layout

There are three launch sites. The Forest Service runs ramps next to Fuller Grove and Sunset campgrounds off Hull Mountain Road, and Lake Pillsbury Resort on Kapranos Road has a privately run marina with fuel, rentals and dry storage. Five campgrounds and a picnic area ring the basin, and most are open May through September.

What's different here

This is a back-country lake, so bring what you need and expect limited services. The state has issued harmful algal bloom advisories for the lake, so check current postings before swimming or letting dogs in the water. The lake's long-term future is uncertain: PG&E has applied to surrender the Potter Valley Project license, and federal regulators are reviewing plans that would remove Scott Dam.