Official company servicing Lake Isabella boat rentals, jet skis, water sports, and lake tours. This lake is a large, man-made reservoir constructed in 1953 and is located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Spring runoff from the Kern River is stored in the reservoir to prevent flooding in Bakersfield and provides water to agricultural communities during the summer. There are several campgrounds surrounding Lake Isabella that offer showers, piped water, campsites, RV sites that do not have hook-ups. Lake Isabella is a reservoir in Kern County, California created by the earthen Isabella Dam. It is one of the larger reservoirs in California offering a variety of recreational activities.
The area is in the southern end of the Sierra Nevada range and the lake itself is located in low mountains at an elevation of approximately 2,500 feet where summer temperatures are hot so you can enjoy the lake. Lake Isabella is located about 40 miles northeast of Bakersfield, and is the main water supply for that city. Lake Isabella can be reached by car from Bakersfield via state Highway 178 and from Delano via Highway 155. The former towns of Isabella and Kernville were flooded by the newly created reservoir. Reservation for watercraft rentals are required in advance so please make arrangements if you would like to enjoy wakeboarding, water skiing, tubing, kneeboarding, wake skating, flyboard, wakesurfing, and other fun recreation. Marinas on the water include; French Gulch Marina and North Fork Marina which have some amenities, camping, and launching facilities.