Lake Poway Recreation Area will open Sunday, May 3 with restrictions in place to comply with state and county public health orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Sunday, Lake Poway will be open 9 a.m. until sunset; regular hours of 6 a.m. until sunset resume on Monday.
On Friday, May 1, the county updated its public health order to relax restrictions on local parks and outdoor recreation. The city worked quickly to prepare the lake’s park and trails for reopening, however not all amenities/areas at are ready for use. Please note the follow limited openings and/or continued temporary closures:
• Parking is limited per the county’s public health order to limit the number of people using the recreation area. Parking lots can only open to half capacity.
• Boating is closed.
• The lake’s concession store is closed and water fountains are not accessible.
• The archery range is closed.
• The Fisherman’s trail (along the shoreline) remains closed as it too narrow to allow social distancing.
• Most picnic benches are open, with the exception of the pavilion area.
• Restrooms at the lake are open, however portable restrooms around the lake are closed.
The mandatory protocols in effect for all city parks apply at Lake Poway as well:
• Do not enter city parks if you have a cough or fever.
• Maintain social distancing at all times. Keep 6 feet from anyone not in your household.
• A face covering is needed if you are within 6 feet of anyone not in your household.
• Use of active sports areas are limited to members of a single household. No organized sports. Active sports areas at the lake include volleyball courts and softball fields.
• Playground structures remain closed.
When visiting Lake Poway or any of Poway’s parks and trails, please bring plenty of water, especially during this warm weather. Drinking fountains (and concessions at Lake Poway) are not available for use at this time.
In coordination with our sheriff deputies, city staff will monitor our parks to help ensure our guests are responsibly using our facilities.
Although parking lots were required to close, the City of Poway was able to keep all neighborhood parks and trails open during the stay at home orders, with the exception of it three areas that were regional draws as they included some of the most popular hiking trails in the county. As of May 1, when county restrictions relaxed, parking lots were able to open at a reduced capacity. The Iron Mountain Wilderness Area and the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve opened for hiking on Saturday, May 2.