Every Lake
Castac Lake
A natural lake tucked into the Grapevine grade of Interstate 5, near Fort Tejon.
- 4 ft · first step
- 7 ft
- 11 ft
- 14 ft
- 18 ft
- 22 ft · bottom
About Castac Lake
Castac Lake sits in the mountains south of Bakersfield, along the stretch of Interstate 5 known as the Grapevine, near the town of Frazier Park and the site of Fort Tejon. Unlike most lakes in Kern County, which were built as reservoirs behind dams, Castac is a natural lake, fed by Castac Creek and held in a low basin of the Tehachapi and San Emigdio ranges. The surrounding land has long been part of Tejon Ranch, one of the largest privately held tracts in California.
The lake is small enough to cross by eye but sits at elevation, giving it cooler air than the valley floor below. Access has historically run through private and ranch land rather than a public boat launch, which has kept traffic on the water light compared to reservoirs closer to Bakersfield or Los Angeles. Anglers who do reach it fish it for bass. Its setting along the I-5 corridor means most travelers pass within a few miles of it at highway speed without knowing it's there.
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Castac Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Castac Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 4 ft, 7 ft, 11 ft, 14 ft, 18 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 22 ft. The lake covers about 0.4 square miles. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Castac Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Castac Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Castac Lake.
Castac Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Castac Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Castac Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 22 ft
- 0.4 square miles of water
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
