Collins Lake Recreation Area

Collins Lake Recreation Area is a 1,600-acre lake and campground in the Gold Country foothills near Browns Valley, roughly an hour northeast of Sacramento between Marysville and Grass Valley. The lake, owned by the Browns Valley Irrigation District, has 12 miles of shoreline and offers lakefront RV hookup and tent camping, a marina with boat rentals, hot showers, laundry and a general store. The fishery is well known regionally, with more than 50,000 trout planted every spring, the largest private planting program north of Sacramento, alongside populations of bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. Rental cabins and trailers are also available, and the beach, playground and picnic areas make it a full-day stop rather than just an overnight one.