2.3 Waldo Lake - North Waldo Campground

 

Waldo Lake is infamous for a few things. Beauty. Clarity. Mosquitoes. All are justified. The boat ramp at North Waldo is large and well maintained. There is plenty of parking, and there are relatively new composting toilets all through the campground, including the boat ramp. We ended up kayaking 2 days here, so this post includes both days.

We stayed at the North Waldo Campground. The sites are large, well spaced, and come complete with friendly chipmunks and birds. Especially when you have food out. The mosquitoes were very annoying. We used a lot of mosquito repellent, and had 2 citronella candles burning most of the time. The campfire also helped. Between all 3 of those precautions, and the long sleeves and pants, the mosquitoes were manageable. There are quite a few first come, first serve campsites, which is what we got. 

The boat ramp is in a small bay, with an island in the middle, so it is well protected from the wind. Once you pass the island, you are subject to waves. The lake was almost glass in the mornings, but got more choppy as the day progressed.

One of the best things about Waldo lake is how clear it is. The color of the water changes depending on how deep, and what the lakebed is made of. There are some places that have very light coloring on the lakebed, and the colors are amazing.

Day 1

Our first day out, the weather was on the cool side, and clouds obscured most of the mountains surrounding the lake. The second day was gorgeous, sunny, not too warm, and we could see everything. It was also windier, and the waves were larger, but not dangerous. 

Day 2

On the first day, we kayaked along the North shore of the lake, to where a creek begins as an outlet for the lake's water. There is a small shack not far away where it looks like they may count fish? The area also has trails for horses, and there are several spots for them to stop and rest, or camp.

The second day we went down the eastern shore of the lake. The boat ramp for Islet Campground is not far from North Waldo. We headed down toward Shadow Bay, at the southern end of the lake, but decided to stop at a nice sandy beach, where I got out and took a swim. The water was warmer in this protected space, with little wind. I took this panorama for fun.

We heartily recommend Waldo Lake for kayaking and camping. Just come prepared for mosquitoes in early summer. If you wait until later, forest fires might be a factor, but the mosquitoes will not be as bad.