Few people will doubt that Lake County is one of the more beautiful spots in California. Clear Lake is the center piece of the county and at 2 million years old it is one of the oldest lakes in the world. Few other counties have a mountain such as Mount Konocti and the nearby Mendocino National Forest is a perfect place for camping, hiking and hunting. In addition, the county has the cleanest air in the country. Clear Lake wasn’t named for its clear water but was named for the air around the lake being so clear. Despite all these treasures the county is ranked as one of the poorest counties in the state and is ranked second from the bottom in the health of its residents.
Tourism is a major industry in the county and more outside advertising should be done to attract tourists. In fact, many people outside of the county have never heard of Lake County or Clear Lake. A good example is that a few years ago I met a couple from Michigan who had never been to Lake County and said it was one of the most beautiful places they had ever visited. A few years ago, while in the Clear Lake State Park, I met a party from Germany. They too thought that the lake and mountain were beautiful and they said they only learned about Lake County by accident.
The answer to bring more tourists to the county is to list all the assets of the county. Starting off with Clear Lake. The lake is ranked nationwide as the best in bass fishing. In fact, no other lake in the country has bass as large as Clear Lake. The other gamefish in the lake such as crappie, catfish and bluegill will equal any other lake. Few other lakes can match that. A lot of local residents aren’t aware that the lake has a wealth of bird life. In fact, bird watchers from around the world come to the lake just to view the many different species of birds that live here.
Clear Lake is one of a few major lakes in the country where you don’t pay a launching fee for boats. There are 11 public ramps located around the lake. A number of years ago the Clear Lake State Park was voted as the fifth best state park in the nation and number one west of the Mississippi. It has excellent camping opportunities as well as hiking trails.
Mount Konocti overlooks Clear Lake and is a treasure. The mountain is still an active volcano and 25 years ago the county purchased the summit of the mountain and turned it into a county park. The view from the summit is nothing short of breathtaking.
The nearby Mendocino National Forest is not only beautiful it also offers excellent hiking trails and off-road motorcycle use and fantastic hunting for deer, wild turkeys, quail and other wildlife. The best part is that it’s all free.
There are also other lakes in the county in addition to Clear Lake. Upper Blue Lake has excellent bass and trout fishing. The same applies to Lake Pillsbury and Indian Valley Reservoir.
The main thing lacking is promotion of the county’s assets. I travel out of the county quite often and when I am out of California and mention that I am from Lake County and Clear Lake, the response I normally get is “where is that.” When the outside media does write about Lake County it’s mostly about excessive drug use and other negative things.
The county needs a stronger marketing program. Years ago I helped the county host an outdoor writer’s day weekend. We had some of the top recreational writers in the West attend. Writers such as Tom Stienstra of the San Francisco Chronicle and Bob Simms of KFBK Radio in Sacramento attended. There were at least 20 other outdoor, wine and travel writers in attendance. The media coverage of the lake and county was unbelievable.
Seven years ago there were busses that would transport visitors to the summit of Mount Konocti. The bus trips were so popular that there was a waiting list to book on them. The busses no longer make the run. Many of the tourists are either too old or are not physically capable to hike to the summit. The bus trips should be started up again to accommodate the tourists.
Lake County has something for everyone, we just need to let the public know what a treasure we have.
