Los Banos Slope Site Info

Los Banos Slope Site Information

Updated 04/07/03

Los Banos Reservoir Flying Site, Gustine, CA USA (36° 59' 05"N, 120° 56' 16"W)

Los Banos is the home of the Northern California Slope Racers and is one of the most open and enjoyable slope sites you'll find anywhere. Access is easy, the zone is huge, the landing field is miles of grass, and occasionally, it is windy :-)

Directions from Los Angeles area: (allow 5 or 6 hours travel time)

Option 1: (most common)

5 No. to Route 33 / 152
Route 33/152 towards Los Banos (East of the freeway) for about 2 miles to Volta Rd.
Right on Volta Rd . to Pioneer Ave (1st st on the left)
Left on Pioneer to Canyon Rd. (1st Rd. on right)
Right on Canyon Rd. Follow Canyon over the aquaduct and freeway to the day use area (see below)

Option 2:

5 No. to Route 165 (as noted in the web page directions.
Continue on 165 to Sunset Ave. (looks to be about 6.5 miles on my map)
Left on Sunset. It will dead-end into Canyon Rd.
Left on Canyon. Follow Canyon over the aquaduct and freeway to the day use area (see below)

Option 3:

Exit on Hwy 165 North
Make a left turn on Almond
Make a right turn on South Creek Road.
Left on Alvarado Trail
Left again on Canyon. Follow the directions to the Park past the water works and 5 Freeway.

Entrance to the site:

Keep going on Canyon until you see the small gate with a PortaPotty and a Use Fee box.
Pay the $5 Use Fee and display it on your windshield.
Go through the gravel parking area and out the backside onto the small dirt path.
You will pass two flying sites on your right with West facing slopes. The pilots may be there, but most often they meet at the North facing slope in the morning and camp there at night as well.
So continue on until you see a clearing with another PortaPotty and a North facing slope.

To get to the site from the local Hotel's:

From Pacheco Blvd, take Ortigallta South
Turn Right on Pioneer or Sunset
Take a Left on Canyon, follow the directions into the park.

NOTE: Although on some Maps, it looks like there may be a freeway exit on Canyon, there is not. You must travel north to the 33/152 or get off early at Hwy 165 and travel thru town.

Also: We usually get sandwiches at a deli in the morning to take to the slope for lunch. There are no places to buy food or drink at the flying site. However, there is at least one grocery store on the main strip (Pacheco) with a decent deli.

Current Wind / Weather and Maps

MAP TO REGION: Click here (TopoZone.com), or here for Yahoo! Maps and Driving Directions

WEATHER LINKS:

AccuWeather: http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/local_index?nav=home&thisZip=93635&btnzip=
WeatherUnderground: http://www.wunderground.com/US/CA/Los_Banos.html
Weather.com: http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USCA0640
BLM at Los Banos Creek: http://www.met.utah.edu/cgi-bin/database/meso_table.cgi?stn=SLRC1

STATE PARK INFO: http://www.cal-parks.ca.gov/central/fourrivers/lbcr333.htm

Hotels and Park Information

B E S T W E S T E R N John Jay Inn 301 West Pecheco Boulevard, Los Banos, CA, 93635 209-827-0954 Toll Free Reservations: 888-529-4667 Fax: 209-827-8891	Online Reservations and Info	This is where most non-camping Pilots stay. Number of Rooms: 57 Check In: 3:00 p.m. Check Out: 11:00 a.m. Airports: Merced Airport 50 miles, Los Banos Municipal Airport 3 miles Ratings: AAA 2 Diamonds Distance to Reservoir: About 2 miles
Days Inn 2169 E Pacheco 209-826-9690 Reservations www.daysinn.com	Doesn't seem to be on the Day's Inn website	Alternate to the John Jay Best Western Distance to Reservoir: About 2 miles
B E S T W E S T E R N Andersen's Inn 12367 South Highway 33, Santa Nella, CA, 95322 209-826-5534 Fax: 209-827-1448	Online Reservations and Info	Has a pool, but is much farther away. Number of Rooms: 94 Check In: 3:00 p.m. Check Out: 11:00 a.m. Airports: Los Banos Municipal Airport 11 miles, Merced Airport 34 miles Ratings: AAA 2 Diamonds, Mobil 2 Stars Distance to Reservoir: About 25 miles