Hidden Valley Lake Webcam – See the Course Before You Play

The Hidden Valley Lake Webcam looks across the practice green and toward the first tee at Hidden Valley Lake Golf Course, in the hills of southern Lake County, California. Half a dozen flagsticks dot the putting surface, a red sign warns golfers not to chip onto it, and wooden benches sit along the edge of the opening fairway beyond. Oaks and the rooftops of the gated community close off the far side, with dry, brushy hills rising behind them. A flock of geese can turn up to graze the fairway. The scene follows the seasons: green after the winter rain, framed by golden hills in the rainless summer, and in November the trees along the course turn yellow, orange and red. A paved patio fills the foreground, so it is easy to tell whether the course is wet or busy before driving up for a round.

About Hidden Valley Lake

Hidden Valley Lake is a gated subdivision, run as a common-interest development by the Hidden Valley Lake Association. The community sits at 363 meters (1,191 feet), covers about 25.8 square kilometers (10 square miles) and counted 6,235 residents at the 2020 census. State Route 29 runs through the west side of town, and the golf course lies about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northeast of Middletown.

The course was built along with the rest of the community in the late 1960s to a design by Billy Bell Jr., and it calls itself the only 18-hole championship course in Lake County. It is a par 72 that stretches to 6,134 meters (6,708 yards) from the championship tees across 55 hectares (135 acres), with 32 sand bunkers, about 0.8 hectares (2 acres) of ponds and greens that average 437 square meters (4,700 square feet). The front nine is long and fairly level. The back nine weaves between old oaks on hilly ground.

The signature hole is the 15th, where the tee stands 76 meters (250 feet) above the fairway with views of Mount St. Helena. A cart path now runs down the slope, replacing an old rope swing. The ponds are home to otters, and the course jokes that they claim most of the balls that land in the water. The golf shop shares a 650 square meter (7,000 square foot) building with the Greenview Bar & Grill, and a 3 hectare (7.5 acre) driving range sits beside the practice greens.

Weather and Climate in Hidden Valley Lake

Summers are hot and close to rainless. July highs average about 36°C (96°F) and August is barely cooler, and in a typical July more than half the days reach 35°C (95°F). From June to September almost no rain falls, and the grass on the hills behind the homes dries to gold and brown. Late summer and autumn are fire season in this part of California: on September 12, 2015, the Valley Fire swept into Middletown and destroyed about half the town.

The rain comes with the winter storms, and most of the year’s total falls between November and March. Highs settle around 14°C (57°F) in December and January. Spring warms quickly, from about 17°C (62°F) in March to 26°C (78°F) in May, and October is still warm at around 26°C (79°F) before November drops to about 18°C (64°F). The course stays open rain or shine and shuts only for the rare snowstorm, which makes a quick look at the camera worthwhile on an unsettled winter morning.

Things to Do Near Hidden Valley Lake

Golfers who want to stay over have two options from the course itself. The Hidden Valley Lake RV Park and Campground is just across the entrance road on Hartmann Road, and the course sells Stay and Play packages with Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, which stands on the rancheria just south of Middletown. About 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of Middletown, the Guenoc Valley became Lake County’s first wine appellation in 1981, and the first in the country granted to a single winery. Lillie Langtry bought the roughly 1,620 hectare (4,000 acre) Guenoc Ranch there in 1888 and made wine on it, and the Langtry Farms Vineyard and Winery works the land today.

To the south, Calistoga is about 24 kilometers (15 miles) away. On the way, Robert Louis Stevenson State Park has a trailhead on Highway 29 for the Stevenson Memorial Trail, a round trip of about 16 kilometers (10 miles) to the 1,324 meter (4,343 foot) summit of Mount St. Helena. A stone monument on the trail marks the site of the cabin where Stevenson spent his honeymoon in 1880. Farther north, Clear Lake covers about 180 square kilometers (68 square miles), the largest natural freshwater lake wholly within California and, judging by core samples, at least 480,000 years old. Mount Konocti rises from its south shore, and anglers come for the largemouth bass that earned the lake its name as the “Bass Capital of the West”.

Vergelijkbare webcams die je misschien leuk vindt

More fairways, and more of California, to watch next:

• Webcam van Pole Creek Golf Club
• Sacramento Wildlife Refuge webcam
• Yosemite webcam

Veelgestelde vragen

Where is Hidden Valley Lake located?

Hidden Valley Lake is a gated community in southern Lake County, California. The golf course is on Hartmann Road, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northeast of Middletown and about 24 kilometers (15 miles) north of Calistoga.

What can you see on the Hidden Valley Lake Webcam?

The camera faces the practice green and the first tee, with the opening fairway running away behind them toward oaks, benches and houses. A paved patio fills the foreground, and golf carts sometimes park at its left edge.

Why is part of the Hidden Valley Lake Webcam picture black?

A solid black block covers the top right corner of the picture. It is a fixed mask on the camera image, not a sign that the stream has failed.

What is the weather like in Hidden Valley Lake?

Expect hot, dry summers, with July highs around 36°C (96°F) and almost no rain from June to September. Winters are mild and wet, with highs near 14°C (57°F) in December and January and most of the rain falling between November and March.

Is Hidden Valley Lake Golf Course open to the public?

Yes. The course is open to public play all year, rain or shine, and closes only for the occasional snowstorm. It also offers private, group and junior lessons with its PGA professional staff.

How long is the golf course at Hidden Valley Lake?

It is an 18-hole, par 72 course of 6,134 meters (6,708 yards) from the championship tees, with four sets of tees, five water hazards and 32 sand bunkers.

Can you camp near Hidden Valley Lake Golf Course?

Yes. The Hidden Valley Lake RV Park and Campground, run by the Hidden Valley Lake Association, sits across the entrance road from the course and is open all year, with 50 tent sites and 18 full hookups.

Source: Hidden Valley Lake Golf Course