Loch Lomond Recreation Area

06/17/2026

Hope to see you at the Loch on July 11!

06/10/2026

Hope to see you on the Newell Jewell on Saturday!

The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.

05/20/2026

Hope to see you on June 13th for our next 2026 Loch Lomond Learning Series event!

We're grateful to have had a good turnout for our Spring Birding Loch Walk last weekend! Now, please mark your calendars for June 13th at 11 am when our own Michelle Tarian will be talking about Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in our first "Newell Jewell School" event of the 2026 season! AIS are a big management concern for our water system and for also protection of our native biodiversity...and each invasive species introduction has an interesting backstory...

You can learn more about some of California's most problematic invasive species at the link below: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Species

If you'd like to sign up for the talk on June 16th please call Loch Lomond at 335-7424. Attendance will be limited. Admission to Loch Lomond is free for participants!

Happy !

Photo: American bullfrog (non-native, invasive in CA). Courtesy of Kerwin Russell, Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District.

05/11/2026

The challenges of managing waterbodies with invasive species like golden mussel should not be underestimated. Not only can their presence seriously impact water conveyance and treatment, they can seriously disrupt ecosystems.

Fast-spreading hardy mussels from China, already in Delta and spreading across California, could cost millions to control

04/29/2026

Thanks to all who participated in our last Loch Walk! We hope to see a good turnout for the May 16 birding walk as well!

04/23/2026

🚧 Temporary Closure at Loch Lomond 🚧

The Loch Lomond Recreation Area will be temporarily closed Monday through Friday, April 27–May 1, to support a proactive water quality treatment.

This effort helps manage algae growth and protect the City’s primary drinking water source and only reservoir — ensuring a safe, reliable supply for the community. The short-term closure allows crews to complete the treatment safely and efficiently.

The recreation area will reopen Saturday, May 2. Visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, hiking and picnicking. Dogs are welcome on leash, but swimming is not allowed. Vehicle day-use is $10.

04/15/2026

Hope to see you at the Loch on 4/25!

02/04/2026

We know many Loch Lomond visitors would rather spend a Saturday at the Loch, but this event promises to be very informative. Hope to see you there. The Loch will still be there after the event!

Save the date! We're pleased to announce that Senator John Laird will be joining us once again to provide a keynote address for the 2026 State of the San Lorenzo Symposium on Saturday, April 11. The event will take place in Santa Cruz this year. Other details are still coming together but we wanted to share this good news with folks now. Hope to see you there!

This event is focused on enabling greater scientific literacy around river issues. It was initiated by the City of Santa Cruz Water Department with a grant from the County of Santa Cruz Fish and Wildlife Advisory Commission and involves partnerships with many watershed stakeholders including the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, Coastal Watershed Council, County of Santa Cruz and the San Lorenzo Valley Water District. If you'd like to learn more check this link out:
https://sites.google.com/view/soslrs/home

Happy !

Photo: Natural Resources Secretary John Laird keynoting the 2017 State of the San Lorenzo River Symposium

11/26/2025

We're stoked about Mycologist Phil Carpenter coming back to join us for another fungus foray on Jan. 3! More details below.

09/24/2025

Hope to see you on Oct 4 up at the Loch!