We're having the second SLO Gathering at Lopez Lake Campground (information clicky) near Arroyo Grande, CA, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Sept. 11-13, 2008. It's OK to come earlier or stay later if you want to.
We'll be camping in the Beaver Campground (click on it for a link to a campground map and campsite photos to help you choose one to reserve) tent campsites with paved access roads on a hill overlooking Lopez Lake. Each campsite has electricity, a picnic table, and a fire ring. Many are shaded by oak trees. Water spigots are spread around the campground. Bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers are nearby. Make your reservation as early as you can to guarantee yourself a (nearby) camping space. If you're coming to the SLO Gathering please post a message to let us know which campsite you've reserved. If we fill all 23 spaces in Beaver Campground we can expand into adjoining campsites. I'm keeping a roster, below, and will update it as people sign up.
The cost is $26/night plus a $7 reservation fee. Make a reservation by calling:
LOPEZ LAKE RESERVATIONS
Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST (except holidays)
805-788-2381, ext. 3
5/27/08 - Here's how my experience making a reservation went today. Had to call a few times to get through. I reserved Beaver campsite #12 for 4 days for Sept. 10 (I'm coming a day early), 11, 12, & 13. They needed my name, a mailing address, and a deposit for two days of camping fees charged to my credit card. The deposit cost $59 (2 x $26/day + $7 reservation fee = $59). The balance will be due on arrival. On the phone they gave me a campsite confirmation number and said they'll mail a written reservation confirmation. It took 5-10 minutes on the phone once they answered. Yippee it's done!
Located just ten miles east of Arroyo Grande, California, Lopez Lake Recreation Area is one of the top choices for camping and leisure trips With 22 miles of shoreline and summer lake temperatures around 70°, there is something for everyone; camping, fishing, boating, skiing, sailing, windsurfing, picnicking, hiking and equestrian trails, mountain biking, canoeing, birdwatching and so much more. Many visitors to the Central Coast make Lopez Lake their staging area for visits to wineries, golf courses, historic sites, and Hearst Castle. The warm climate of the Central Coast makes Lopez Lake the ideal, year-round recreational destination. Once covered by the sea, the surrounding hills of Lopez Lake are rich with relics of ancient days and studded with oak trees. Over 175 species of flowering plants, and more than 150 species of birds have been identified within the park. The naturally beautiful canyons were once hunting and fishing grounds for the Chumash Indians. Later homesteaders and ranchers inhabited the area and harvested grain crops for Mission San Luis Obispo. Lopez Lake was then created in 1969 to provide domestic water for the Five Cities area of the Central Coast.
DIRECTIONS
The park is 184 miles north from Los Angeles and 254 miles south from San Francisco. Driving north or south on Highway 101 take the Grand Avenue Exit in Arroyo Grande. Turn east towards the mountains and drive through old town Arroyo Grande to Huasna Road. Turn right onto Huasna Road which turns into Lopez Drive. Stay on Lopez Drive for approximately 10 miles. At this point the road ends at the entrance to Lopez Lake. (Signs are posted along the way.)
We're planning a low key, relaxing, camp out. With some good eating and socializing. A nearly full moon will brighten up the nights to make visiting easier. Lopez Lake Park is about a 15 minute drive inland from the town of Arroyo Grande and Hwy. 101. You can swim, fish, or go boating on the lake. There's a campground market with supplies, a snack bar, and a laundry. For some silly fun try out the water slides on the weekend.
There'll be a potluck about 6 PM Saturday evening. Last year a half dozen people brought their antique waffle irons for a real fun "waffle off" on Saturday morning. Thanks to all the generous cooks there were lots of full bellies and happy smiling faces. We'd like to do it again. Dave from Las Vegas earlier suggested an ice cream social. We're open to good ideas. Maybe we could have a raffle of spare parts and fun goodies?
Lopez Lake Campground
Lopez Lake Campground map
Beaver Campground map - with color photos of individual campsites
Beaver Campsite Descriptions - with shade information
Map of all the SLO County parks showing location of Lopez Lake
At Lopez Lake in Sept. we can expect warm to hot shorts and T shirts days and comfortably warm early evenings. Along the Central Coast we tell visitors to bring clothes to dress in layers as the temperature changes during the day and usually cools on into the evening.
If you can please bring a little fire wood along for friendly evening times visiting, sitting and chatting around the
fire pits. At IRG Kai (and Steve Tripp) added to our evening cheer with his back of the teardrop blended margaritas.
Hmmmn, 
we'll have electricity at Lopez. Maybe I'll bring a blender. It should still be fresh strawberry season. Ought to be able to make something tasty. Maybe Blazing Blenders or a Blender Off? 
From fruit smoothies, or shakes, to margaritas? 
The people who let us know they have Lopez Lake campsite reservations are: 
Heck count me in on a Waffle Off. I have a old timer
