Lake Clementine Early-Morning Paddle: Loading Your Chevy Traverse Right

Upper Lake Clementine’s parking fills before 11 AM on summer mornings, there is no shade anywhere on the beach, no water rentals on site, and the access road down to the water is steep and narrow. Get there early, load smart, and your Chevy Traverse handles all of it. Arrive unprepared and you’ll either turn back at the gate or spend the hottest part of a 100-degree Auburn day without the gear you needed.

What to Pack — and What to Leave Behind

The table below maps each category to the Traverse cargo configuration that fits it best. Chevrolet lists 22.9 cubic feet behind the third row, 56.6 cubic feet with only the third row folded, and a full 97.6 cubic feet when both rear rows are down — so you have real options depending on how many people you’re bringing.

One rule that saves the whole trip: California State Parks exempts hand-launched, non-motorized watercraft — kayaks, paddleboards, canoes — from the mandatory golden mussel inspection and 30-day quarantine that applies to trailered or motorized boats. If you’re on a board or in a kayak, you can pull in and launch the same day. A motorized boat requires a quarantine seal verified before you hit the water.

The Technique That Actually Gets You On the Water Before the Heat Does

Most people who turn around at Lake Clementine on a July morning made the same mistake: they planned their arrival around the gate time (Upper Lake opens at 8:00 AM) and forgot the road.

Here is the loading and drive sequence that works:

1. Load the night before. With both rear rows folded flat (97.6 cubic feet), boards and paddles fit inside without a roof rack. Set that configuration before bed so your 6 AM start is just “get in and go.”
2. Leave Auburn no later than 7:00 AM. From town, take Foresthill Road from the I-80 exit, continue about 3.5 miles, then turn left onto Lake Clementine Road and follow it 2 miles down to the water. The descent is steep, paved but winding — take it at 15-20 mph.
3. Book your weekend reservation in advance. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays require a vehicle reservation through LAZ Parking. Weekdays are first-come, first-served but the lot still fills fast. A reservation guarantees your spot regardless of arrival time.
4. Park, unload boards to the carry-down walkway. The parking area is close to the water. The Traverse’s power liftgate (available on upper trims) keeps hands free when you’re carrying a board in each arm.
5. Paddle by 8:30 AM. The North Fork American River through Upper Lake is flat and calm in the morning. Afternoon winds build through the canyon — experienced paddlers at Lake Clementine consistently note you want to be heading back by noon, especially with beginners or kids.
6. On the way out, reload gear before driving up. The return climb on Lake Clementine Road is steep enough that loose cargo shifts. Secure everything, fold the rear seats back down if passengers are riding up, and take the grade slowly.

For families running the full 8-passenger configuration, the new inventory page at Gold Rush Chevrolet shows current Traverse trim availability — the LT and above add the power liftgate and Smart Slide second-row seats that make loading with a car seat in place much easier. If you routinely bring a larger group or more gear, the Chevy Tahoe adds a longer cargo floor and a third-row that folds flush for longer boards.

While You Paddle, Your Parked Car Is Baking — Plan for It

The Upper Lake lot has no tree cover, so from 9 AM on, a closed cabin on a 100-degree day gets hot enough to ruin what you leave behind. Sunscreen separates, soft snacks liquefy, and phone batteries hate the heat — anything temperature-sensitive comes down to the water in the dry bag or rides in the cooler, never on a seat. A folding windshield shade takes one cargo pocket and blunts the greenhouse effect. And since wet gear is part of the deal on the return, a cargo liner under the boards plus a dry towel per person up front means nobody drives the climb back soaked.

One Thing to Confirm Before Every Trip Out There

Auburn SRA operates on a pack-it-in, pack-it-out basis — no garbage service at the Upper Lake lot. Check fire restriction status before you go (effective July 1 through October 31, charcoal barbecues are prohibited within Auburn SRA with limited campground exceptions). Bring your own drinking water, and confirm your reservation is active if you’re going on a weekend. Then schedule a service check if the Traverse hasn’t had a tire rotation or coolant system check recently — a July run down Foresthill Road and back on a 100-degree day is a good reminder that your HVAC and cooling system earn their keep on every Auburn summer trip.

See the Traverse in Person