Photo Credit  Robert Lemmon

This low-elevation reservoir located in a flat grassy meadow has a similar terrain as Modesto Reservoir and Turlock Lake. Woodward Reservoir is my favorite of the three locations because it has tree-shaded campsites overlooking the reservoir, a minimal amount of boat traffic, and three boat launches, which allow you to paddle the reservoir sections at a time.

The boat launch by Sailboat Cove is the best location for novice paddlers to launch from. It is about ten miles around the eastern arm, and you can easily paddle across the narrow arm. Plus, most of the eastern arm has a 5 m.p.h. boat speed limit.

When the reservoir is at full water level capacity, it’s about 23 miles around the entire perimeter. Kayaks and canoes must remain within two hundred feet of the shoreline at all times.

The few times I have been to Woodward Reservoir, it was surprisingly crowded for being such an unattractive-looking reservoir. It gets hotter than blazes here in the summer. Paddling sports such as canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding are the main attractions here. Other activities include fishing, wakeboarding, and waterskiing.

Map of Woodward Reservoir