Lake County, CA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard curfew
- 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Kelseyville/Lucerne Creek Parks
- 1 hr after sunset to 1 hr before sunrise
- Fishing exemption
- Legal anglers exempt from curfew
- Infraction fine
- Up to $100
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 6 months jail
- Governing section
- Lake County Code § 15-16
Summary
Every county park in unincorporated Lake County closes at 11:00 p.m. and reopens at 6:00 a.m. under Code Sec. 15-16.5, with anglers actively fishing exempted. Kelseyville Community Park and Lucerne Creek Park run on a tighter schedule tied to sunset and sunrise instead.
16.5 It shall be unlawful for any person to be in or on any County Park of the County of Lake, except Kelseyville Community Park, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day except that this section shall not apply to any person actively engaged in legal fishing activity. It shall be unlawful for any person to be in the Kelseyville Community Park located at 5270 State Street in Kelseyville and Lucerne Creek Park located between 8th and 9th Avenues (APN 34-124-01) in Lucerne from one (1) hour after sunset until one (1) hour before sunrise.
Full Breakdown
Lake County Code Sec. 15-16 sets the hours county parks are open to the public. the following day, with a standing exception for anyone actively engaged in legal fishing. Two parks run on a different, sunset-based schedule: Kelseyville Community Park at 5270 State Street in Kelseyville, and Lucerne Creek Park between 8th and 9th Avenues (APN 34-124-01) in Lucerne, are both off-limits from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise. 3 requires dogs to be leashed and generally excludes them from County beaches and parks except in vehicles, guide-dog training, approved obedience classes, or specific signed areas at parks such as Lakeside County Park, Lucerne Harbor Park, Hammond Ave.
4 bans glass beverage containers in any County Park. A separate curfew under Sec. 6 closes Fountain Park, at Highway 20 and Foothill Boulevard in Clearlake Oaks, from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise as well. 3, keeping swimmers and sunbathers at least fifty feet from courtesy docks and ramps. Because Sec. 15-16 sits inside Chapter 15, Article II (Camps and Camping) alongside these overlapping rules, someone cited for being in a park after curfew may also face the camping, dog-leash or glass-container provisions depending on the circumstances of the visit.
Violations & Fines
Being in a county park during curfew hours is punishable under Sec. 15-16.2 as an infraction, with a fine of up to $100, or as a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $500, imprisonment in county jail for up to six months, or both. The same penalty schedule applies to the camping, dog and glass-container provisions of the same section.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Lake County parks close?
Are Kelseyville Community Park and Lucerne Creek Park on the same schedule?
What happens if I'm caught in a county park after curfew?
Can I camp overnight in a Lake County park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
California rules heatmap·Compare Lake County to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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