7 Wonderful Things To Do At Lake Isabella All Year Long

Here are 7 wonderful things to do at Lake Isabella all year long:

1. Go On a Hike
2. Roam Through Silver City Ghost Town
3. Grab a Beer At Kern River Brewery
4. Stay At a Cozy Vacation Rental
5. Relax At a Hot Springs
6. Grab Dinner At Pizza Barn
7. Enjoy a Scenic Drive Through Kern River Canyon

7 Best Things To Do At Lake Isabella, California:

1. Go On a Hike

Lake Isabella is located in a mountain region and has quite a few hikes that visitors can do in the area.

Whiskey Flat Trail is one of the easiest and most accessible trails around Lake Isabella and gets quite a few hikers, especially in the summer.

The Isabella Peak – Coso Mine Loop Trail is another popular option that leads to a stunning 360 viewpoint of Lake Isabella and the surrounding towns, passing Coso Mine along the way.

We were visiting Lake Isabella in the winter, and we had our 4-month-old puppy with us, so we couldn’t go on any of the longer day hikes. Instead, we spent a couple of hours hiking and exploring around the lake itself.

We noticed a few access points that led down to Lake Isabella as we drove around it, offering plenty of trail options.

We were staying in Wofford Heights, and we could also access the lakefront along various trails starting from our vacation rental.

There were multiple trails going in all directions, so we just walked down one of them until we reached the lakefront.

It was our puppy’s first time going to a lake, and he had a blast running through the water and swimming! Even after a snowstorm in the winter, the weather at Lake Isabella wasn’t too cold, unlike some other mountain towns that get completely snowed in.

2. Roam Through Silver City Ghost Town

After exploring the lake itself, we ventured down to Silver City Ghost Town – one of the most popular attractions around.

Silver City Ghost Town is an open-air museum featuring historic buildings from the Gold Rush times.

All of the structures showcased in this museum come from the nearby mining towns and are at least 100 years old. Silver City Ghost Town is a fun, quick attraction to visit alongside outdoor activities in this region.

It only takes about 30-45 minutes to roam through the Silver City Ghost Town museum, explore the different buildings featured here, and read more about their history.

• Location: Silver City Ghost Town
• Entrance Fee: $5.50 per person
• Hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Read More: Visiting Silver City Ghost Town In Bodfish, California

3. Grab a Beer At Kern River Brewery

Kern River Brewing Company’s reputation precedes it. I had heard of this brewery and had seen their craft beers sold all over Bakersfield long before traveling to Lake Isabella. For some people, going to Kern River Brewery is like a destination of its own!

If you enjoy sipping on a craft beer in a beautiful mountain setting, Kern River Brewing Company is a MUST. Located in the small town of Kernville, this brewpub attracts local and out-of-town crowds alike, especially on the weekends.

After a long day of hiking and exploring outdoors, nothing sounds better than sitting on a sunny patio with a crisp IPA in your hand – and Kern River Brewing Company is just that place.

Kern River Brewing Company offers a great selection of beers. If you want to try a few different ones, you can order the beer sampler, which comes with a few of their classic beers like Isabella Blonde, Sequoia Red, Just Outstanding IPA, and Class V Stout.

Kern River Brewing Company is open late, serves delicious comfort food, and on Friday nights, you can even enjoy live music performances.  

• Location: Kern River Brewing Co
• Hours: 11:00 am to around 9:00 pm

Read More: Kern River Brewing Company Review

4. Stay At a Cozy Vacation Rental

Lake Isabella is a popular place for camping in the summer, and there are lots of campground options all around the lake. But we traveled to Lake Isabella in the winter, so the weather was a bit too chilly for camping outdoors.

Instead, we booked a cozy vacation home, and we were super happy about that choice. After a full day ‘out and about’, we could return to our cabin and enjoy hanging out comfortably on the couch, wrapped up in cozy blankets.

We stayed at the beautiful Lakeview Terrace Cal King Studio in Wofford Heights, which has the most amazing view of Lake Isabella right from the living room.

This cabin-style studio is modern, clean, and fully stocked with everything you may need for a quick getaway. Within a few minutes’ drive, we could reach the nearby restaurants, grocery stores, and the main highway.

Our rental was right next to Lake Isabella, bordering Sequoia National Forest, so there were lots of walking paths available all around it.

Check Lakeview Terrace Cal King Studio rates & availability here!

Read Next: 8 Best Vacation Rentals In Lake Isabella

5. Relax At a Hot Springs

Before traveling to Lake Isabella, I had no idea that there were two beautiful hot springs in the area – Remington Hot Springs and Miracle Hot Springs.

After some Google research, I found these two hot springs listed on the map, so we decided to stop by and check them out on a Sunday afternoon before heading back home to Bakersfield. To our surprise, both of these hot springs were busy with locals when we arrived.

Located an hour East of Bakersfield, many people travel out to Lake Isabella for the day just to soak in these beautiful hot springs.

The Remington and Miracle Hot Springs are located next to the Kern River, tucked away between trees and giant boulders. Their scenic location is what makes them so popular within the local community.

If you’re worried about needing a 4WD to get there, you’ll be glad to know that the road leading to these hot springs is wide and well-taken care of. Even our little Hyundai Elantra made it out there without any issues. Plus, there are designated dirt parking lots where you can leave your car.

Both Remington and Miracle Hot Springs are located within a couple of miles of each other. We tried to go to Miracle Hot Springs at first, but it was quite full already, so we drove a few extra miles down the road and hiked to Remington Hot Springs instead. Remington Hot Springs is a bit more challenging to get to, so most people prefer to go to Miracle Hot Springs instead.

After parking and hiking for about 15 minutes, we reached Remington Hot Springs. This area had a few different pools for visitors to soak in – a couple of natural ones made of big rocks and a couple of man-made ones.

Even though Remington Hot Springs requires a bit of a hike to reach it, there were quite a few people there already as well. If you choose to visit either of these hot springs on the weekend, try to go early (before noon), and you might just find the place to yourself.  

• Miracle Hot Springs Location: Miracle Hot Springs
• Remington Hot Springs Location: Remington Hot Springs

Update As Of 2025: Miracle Hot Springs has been permanently closed.

Read Next: 15 Incredible Hot Springs To Visit In California

6. Grab Dinner At Pizza Barn

If you’re looking for a quick bite to grab around Lake Isabella, Pizza Barn is a highly-rated restaurant in Kernville that is popular amongst locals and out-of-town travelers alike.

Lake Isabella is surrounded by a few small Gold Rush towns, so the food choices here are pretty limited. Pizza Barn is open late, and it’s the perfect spot if you want to grab something that’s quick and cheap.

Our favorite dish here was the wings appetizer that came cooked to crispy perfection. With most plates going for around $10 per person, Pizza Barn is one of the best deals in the area.

• Location: Pizza Barn
• Hours: Sunday to Thursday – 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday & Saturday – 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

Read More: Pizza Barn Review – Budget Friendly Pizzas In Kernville

7. Enjoy a Scenic Drive Through Kern River Canyon

In order to get to Lake Isabella from Bakersfield, we had to drive for an hour on the scenic Kern River Canyon Road, also known as Highway 178. This road is about 13 miles long and passes beautiful mountain views along the way.

Along the Kern River Canyon road, there are a few campgrounds and viewpoints where you can pull over and enjoy the scenery.

The Kern River Canyon Road starts just outside of Bakersfield, and as soon as you enter it, you immediately feel submerged in nature. There are also a few excellent hiking trails within Kern River Canyon, including Kern River Trail and Mill Creek Trail.

Passing through a towering canyon and the Kern River, you are bound to see jaw-dropping views along every windy corner. But this road is pretty curvy with lots of blind spots so use extra caution when driving on it.

Located just an hour outside of Bakersfield, Lake Isabella is an incredible vacation spot, especially for Central California locals.

Whether you enjoy outdoor activities, relaxing at a cabin, or grabbing a beer at a local brewery – there’s something to do for everyone!

Looking for more things to do in the area? Here are a few other popular posts that you may like:

• Hiking Johnsondale Bridge Trail In Sequoia National Forest
• 12 Fun Things To Do In Bakersfield (By a Local)
• 10 Of The Best Hikes Near Bakersfield, California
• 15 Wonderful Day Trips From Bakersfield (By a Local)
• Hiking Unal Trail In Sequoia National Forest

This post is written by Laura Sausina. Hi, I’m a California local and the founder of the California Wanderland travel blog. I currently live in Ventura County and help 50,000 readers a month discover things to do in Central California! Read more about me here.

Share This On Pinterest!