When the railroad came to Lakeside, families from throughout the country would proceed to Lakeside on the Cuyamaca Railroad with all the joyous crowding and paraphernalia appropriate to a school or church picnic. Not much lake was apparent, and the decorations consisted mostly of sand and eucalyptus trees, but the picnics were always highly exciting. There are accounts of the train being so over-crowded that the boys would justifiably sit on the steps of the open platforms of the little cars and feel that this was, indeed, life in the raw. Its present usage fulfils the needs of children and adults alike. It is a great place for family or group picnic with carefully laid out facilities including picnic tables, barbecue and water with each space.
People love to ride horses on the trails.
There are tennis courts, playgrounds for the young, and two shaded pads which will accommodate large parties. Boating is not allowed, but there is fishing. Yes, they catch some big ones there. 1920's Boathouse 1907 Claimed to be the only natural fresh water lake in San Diego County, it was originally fed by mountain streams. When sub dividing land in 1886 for the 3,000 acre Lakeside Townsite, the El Cajon Valley Land Company dedicated 45 acres as a public park.