Preparations underway at Millerton Lake for busy holiday weekend

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- From boats to jet skis to people casting out a line to fish, people are flocking to Millerton Lake for Memorial Day weekend.

Merced resident James Andrade was with his family at the lake early Friday afternoon. He said they have been jet skiing at Millerton since last year.

"For us, it's probably one of the better lakes. It's easy to get to. And the convenience, you know, Highway miles to get here. You know, it's really nice, the water is nice," said Andrade.

Heading into the holiday weekend, getting on the water as soon as possible was important to his family.

"It's family time. We try to get out here and you know, beat the rush on the weekend time right now. We probably won't come out on the actual Saturday when most people will be out here. I had the day off so we had to get out here, our first weekend of the year," said Andrade.

Steve Barber, a supervising ranger at Millerton Lake, said they expect to see many more people this weekend.

"In years past, we've hosted anywhere from 20,000 to 25,000 people over the course of Memorial Day weekend, so it is going to be a busy weekend," said Barber.

It's best to arrive early to beat crowds of people. Barber said there will be extra patrols to ensure people are safe.

"If you're going to be on the water, especially if you're going to be boating, make sure you have a designated operator for that boat if you intend to consume alcohol. Alcohol and boating don't mix," said Barber.

He said prices are higher for the holiday weekend.

For more information on the park, click here.

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