Lake Isabella, California
Lake Isabella is a community of 4,059 people in Kern County, California.
Why visit Lake Isabella
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cook Peak, White Rock, Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural Center and Silver City Ghost Town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 98°F; December lows average 30°F.
Weather in Lake Isabella
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake Isabella
Lake Isabella (formerly, Isabella) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County, California, United States. It is named after the Lake Isabella reservoir and located at the lake’s southwestern edge, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wofford Heights in the Kern River Valley.
From the Wikipedia article Lake Isabella, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Museums and landmarks6
Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural Center
Museum · 2.1 mi
Museum in California
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes11
Lok's Garden
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.2 mi
5117 Lake Isabella Boulevard
Tu-Su 11:00-21:00
178 Bar & Grill
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
6107 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Lake Isabella
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.8 mi
5600 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Lake Isabella
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.7 mi
6300 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Lake Isabella
Mo-Th 07:00-01:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-02:00; Su 07:00-01:00
History
The area was inhabited for millennia by the indigenous Tübatulabal and Owens Valley Paiute. Gold was discovered nearby in 1853, leading to a gold rush and the founding of Keyesville. The 1863 Keyesville massacre occurred a few miles north.
The town of Isabella was founded by Steven Barton in 1893 and named in honor of Queen Isabella of Spain while her name was popular during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Lake Isabella was created in 1953 by a dam on the Kern River, forcing the town to move about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the original site. The Isabella post office, which had opened in 1896, operated at the new site; the name was changed to Lake Isabella in 1957.
The dam's reservoir also inundated the original site of Kernville. Like Isabella, it was relocated, along with several of its historic buildings, to higher ground.
The area is a joy for hikers, boaters, water skiers, fishermen, birders, hunters, wind surfers, kayakers, and other outdoor recreationists. Tourist trade is a major part of the area's economy.
From the History section of Lake Isabella, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Woodrow W. Wallace Elementary
School · 1.7 mi
3240 Erskine Creek Rd., Lake Isabella
Map of Lake Isabella
44 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 30°F | 2.3 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 34°F | 2.4 in |
| Mar | 67°F | 36°F | 1.7 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 40°F | 0.7 in |
| May | 82°F | 52°F | 0.4 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 59°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 98°F | 65°F | 0.1 in |
| Aug | 98°F | 62°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 91°F | 55°F | 0.2 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 43°F | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 69°F | 34°F | 1.4 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 30°F | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for S Lake Fs (7 mi away), rain and snow from Kern River Ph 3, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Kern County has had 28 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-07-27: Borel Fire (Fire)
- 2023-11-21: Tropical Storm Hilary (Hurricane)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2021-08-25: French Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tehachapi Municipal Airport (TSP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 34 miles away.
- Bodfish 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Wofford Heights 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- East Niles 30 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- Hillcrest 32 mi southwest, about 51 min by car
- East Bakersfield 32 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- Potomac Park 33 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- Oildale 34 mi southwest, about 54 min by car
- Tehachapi 34 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Golden Hills 34 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Bakersfield 36 mi southwest, about 59 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 01-2007-LakeIsabella-fromEast, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY-SA 2.5
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.