Lake Corcoran
Lake Corcoran (also known as Lake Clyde, after Clyde Wahrhaftig, an American geologist) was an ancient lake that covered the Central Valley of California. Visitors find it 8 mi southwest of Fairmead. The months with the kindest weather are February, March, April, May, October and November, at 62–83°F.
A lake, 8 mi southwest of Fairmead
Summers are hot
July and August highs run 95–96°, and about 109 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Chowchilla is the nearest base
Chowchilla is 9 miles north, with 8 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from San Jose
San Jose is about 86 miles west (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct and Nov
February, March, April, May, October and November are the mild months, with highs of 62–83°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
How the seasons run
The months below show the weather around Lake Corcoran.
Lake Corcoran
Lake Corcoran (also known as Lake Clyde, after Clyde Wahrhaftig, an American geologist) was an ancient lake that covered the Central Valley of California.
The lake existed in the valleys of the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River, at least as far north as the Sutter Buttes and present-day Zamora, California. If so, it might have had a size comparable to Lake Michigan. An alternate view presumes that the lake covered only the southern parts of the Central Valley. The total surface covered by the lake amounts to about 30,000–50,000 square kilometers (12,000–19,000 sq mi). Buena Vista Lake, Kern Lake and Tulare Lake are remnants of Lake Corcoran.
- Type
- Lake
- Wikipedia readers
- 28K a year
Lodging near Lake Corcoran
Hotels, motels or campgrounds are closest in Chowchilla (8) and Madera (12), and Fresno has the most rooms in the area (105).
Chowchilla
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
18,730 people
9 mi north of Lake Corcoran
Fresno
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
555,549 people
32 mi southeast of Lake Corcoran
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Lake Corcoran | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chowchilla | 9 mi north | 15 min | 8 4 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 RV parks | 18,730 | $364K | C |
| Madera | 12 mi east | 20 min | 12 9 hotels · 2 motels · 1 campground | 69,017 | $360K | C |
| Merced | 24 mi northwest | 35 min | 28 20 hotels · 6 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs | 99,724 | $373K | D |
| Firebaugh | 13 mi southwest | 20 min | 4 1 hotel · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B | 8,774 | $242K | B |
| Fairmead | 8 mi northeast | 10 min | 1 1 inn or B&B | 1,229 | — | — |
| Parkwood | 15 mi east | 20 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 motel | 1,758 | $238K | — |
| Bear Creek | 22 mi north | 30 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 346 | — | — |
| Atwater | 29 mi northwest | 45 min | 4 1 hotel · 2 motels · 1 RV park | 32,133 | $363K | D |
| Fresno | 32 mi southeast | 45 min | 105 76 hotels · 18 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 555,549 | $375K | D |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
While you are near Lake Corcoran
Places worth adding lie within 67 miles.
Big draw66 mi National ParkYosemite National Park4.3M visitors a year
Big draw67 mi MountainHalf Dome
60 mi National ParkPinnacles National Park343K visitors a year
127 mi MuseumForestiere Underground Gardens
33 mi Stadium & arenaValley Children's Stadium
65 mi WaterfallYosemite Falls
34 mi Stadium & arenaSave Mart Center230 mi MuseumCastle Air MuseumPhoto credits
Yosemite National Park: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Half Dome: Jon Sullivan, Public domain · Pinnacles National Park: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Forestiere Underground Gardens: R&sbwn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Valley Children's Stadium: Emedina00, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yosemite Falls: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Save Mart Center: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
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Your questions on Lake Corcoran
What town is Lake Corcoran near?
Fairmead, CA, about 8 miles northeast.
When is the best time to visit Lake Corcoran?
February, March, April, May, October and November, with highs of 62–83°.
How far is Lake Corcoran from San Jose and Stockton?
About 86 miles west of San Jose and about 87 miles northwest of Stockton, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lake Corcoran?
Merced Regional Macready Field (MCE), about 23 miles away. The nearest big hub is Fresno Yosemite (FAT), about 36 miles.
Where should I stay near Lake Corcoran?
Chowchilla (9 mi, 8 places to stay), Madera (12 mi, 12 places to stay) and Fresno (32 mi, 105 places to stay).
Locals’ advice in Fairmead
Ask a question, or answer one, in Fairmead’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.