POSTCARDS: YOU'LL GET HOOKED ON CASITAS : TAKE A RIDE TO THE LAKE.Byline: Susanne Hopkins Daily News Travel Editor The great summer escape might be just 60 miles away. Take a jaunt north on the 101 to Ventura, veer north at Highway 33, continue to Highway 150, and you'll come to Lake Casitas Lake Casitas is a lake in Ventura County, California. It was formed by Casitas Dam on Coyote Creek, two miles (3 km) before it joins the Ventura River. Santa Ana Creek and North Fork Coyote Creek also flow into the lake. Recreation Area. You can pitch a tent, launch a boat, take a hike, pack a picnic or catch a fish here. ``People tend to be real active when they're out here,'' says Suzi Lydick, manager of guest services for the area. Situated between Ventura and Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. , Lake Casitas is a pristine body of water (2,500 surface acres) surrounded by 32 miles of shoreline and more than 6,000 acres of trees and rolling hills Rolling hills are like a mountain chain, only a "hill chain" of hills that roll on and on continually. You will often find them in between plains and mountains, near major rivers, or randomly anywhere. The only places without rolling hills are deserts and flood plains. . The area also has a bait and tackle shop, a general store and a snack bar that, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Lydick, makes a mean breakfast. Managed by the Casitas Municipal Water District, the lake is a reservoir that supplies drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. to about 50,000 people in the area; therefore, no water skiing water skiing, sport of riding on skis along the water's surface while being towed by a motorboat. It probably originated on the French Riviera in the early 1920s, and was known in the United States by 1927. , swimming or wading is allowed. But that doesn't seem to deter about 850,000 yearly visitors to the lake, Lydick says. ``Folks who like fishing are especially keen on the area,'' she says, noting that it has a world-class fishery. ``We've got large-mouth bass, rainbow trout rainbow trout Species (Oncorhynchus mykiss) of fish in the salmon family (Salmonidae) noted for spectacular leaps and hard fighting when hooked. It has been introduced from western North America to many other countries. and catfish. And we're located just minutes from the Ojai Valley.'' The recreation area is a great place for family day trips or camping excursions up to 14 days, she says. Day use is just $5 per car, $10 if you're towing a boat. Camping ranges from $12 to $37 daily, depending on the campsite. Fourteen executive campsites for RVs - situated on the lake and outfitted with cement pads, water, electric, TV and sewer hookups, a grassy area and a fire ring - are the newest enticement. At $37 per night, they're usually sold out on the weekends - so book in advance. Deluxe campsites, which don't include a sewer hookup hookup, n in the Trager method of therapy, the practitioner enters into a meditative state along with the patient, which allows him or her to work more intuitively and to feel subtle changes in the patient's movement and tissue texture. , rent for $31 per night, notes Lydick. But those without an RV or who just like to camp can find a piece of paradise here, too, in the other 450 campsites. ``If you would like some privacy and some quiet time, midweek is really a great time to come,'' Lydick advises. You'll have some of the open space to yourself to enjoy bicycling (bike rentals are available), boating (you can rent a boat, too) and fishing (on a less crowded lake), hiking (amid the oak, eucalyptus and cottonwood trees) and picnicking (in a dozen different areas). And when you've done all that, you can just sit outside on a starry night and munch on s'mores fresh from the campfire. Yes, it could be a great escape. Lake Casitas is located at 11311 Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. Road, Ventura, just off Highway 150. Guests can visit for the day ($5 per car, $10 with a boat) or camp up to 14 days per month ($12 to $37 per night). Hours for day use are sunrise to sunset; campers can check in 24 hours a day. Leashed pets are allowed (two per campsite) and guests can bring their boats, though no canoes, rafts, kayaks, aqua-plane devices, hydrohull boats and boats with toilets, sinks or holding tanks are allowed. Boats both with and without motors are available for rent, as are patio deck and paddle boats. Rates range from $12 to $35 per hour. Bicycles may also be rented. Maps and brochures on both the lake and the Ojai Valley are available at the entrance gate. Reservations are necessary for campsites. Call (805) 649-1122. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box Photo: (1) While water skiing, swimming and wading are not allowed, there's plenty of good fishing at the Lake Casitas Recreation Area. Michael Owen Baker/Daily News (2) Waterfowl waterfowl, common term for members of the order Anseriformes, wild, aquatic, typically freshwater birds including ducks, geese, and screamers. In Great Britain the term is also used to designate species kept for ornamental purposes on private lakes or ponds, while in share the 32 miles of shoreline at the lake between Ventura and Santa Barbara. Box: Take a ride to the lake (See text) |
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