August in Fresno
The hottest stretch keeps going. Water, the mountains, and the first harvest.
97°F / 66°F
Still very hot, holding in the high 90s most afternoons. Nights start to cool a touch by late August, but the daytime pattern is unchanged from July.
August in Fresno is more of July. The hottest stretch of the year keeps going, with afternoons in the high 90s and the same early-and-late rhythm to the day. Water and the mountains are still the move. The one thing that changes is the fields, where grape and raisin harvest begins and roadside fruit stands hit their peak. Back-to-school marks the end of the month.
Stay on the Water
August keeps everyone near water. The lakes are at their warmest of the year, so swimming is comfortable even for people who usually find the water cold.
Millerton Lake
Millerton Lake behind Friant Dam is still the closest swimming and boating to Fresno, about 30 minutes northeast. By August the water is as warm as it gets, and the beaches and boat ramps stay busy. Go on a weekday or arrive early on a weekend to beat the crowds and the heat.
Pine Flat Lake
Pine Flat Lake sits on the Kings River about 45 minutes east of Fresno past Sanger. It is a long reservoir popular for boating, waterskiing, and fishing, and it is often less crowded than Millerton. The Kings River below the dam stays cold, which is part of why people drive out.
The Kings River below Pine Flat Dam runs cold and clear all summer. The day-use areas along the river are a cooler alternative to the open lake.
Shaver Lake
Shaver Lake stays the easy high-country water day, about an hour up Highway 168 at around 5,400 feet. Swimming, boating, and paddleboarding are all good, and the pine air runs much cooler than the valley. In August the town and the lake are at their summer-busiest, so start early.
High-Country Escapes
The Sierra is still the best way to step out of the heat in August. The high lakes and forest sit 15 to 30 degrees cooler than the valley floor.
Huntington Lake
Huntington Lake sits at about 7,000 feet, roughly 45 minutes past Shaver Lake on Highway 168. It is cooler than Shaver and known for sailing, with campgrounds and a few resorts around the shore. August is prime time before the high country starts to turn in fall.
Edison and Florence Lakes
Past Huntington, Kaiser Pass Road climbs to Lake Edison and Florence Lake at around 7,300 feet. The road is narrow, slow, and one-lane in stretches, so the trip takes commitment, but the payoff is high alpine lakes and trailheads into the backcountry. There are no services up there, so fuel up and pack what you need.
Kaiser Pass Road is long, slow, and has no services. Fill the tank in Shaver Lake and give yourself far more time than the distance suggests.
Sequoia National Park
The Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, home to the General Sherman Tree, sits at around 6,400 feet and is far cooler than Fresno in August. It is about a two-hour drive south and east through Visalia. The sequoia groves and the trails around them make an easy escape from a hot weekend.
Late-Summer Evenings
August evenings are when the valley becomes livable again. The ballpark, the markets, and the parks fill up once the sun is down.
Fresno Grizzlies Baseball
The Grizzlies finish their summer homestands at Chukchansi Park downtown through August. A warm evening at the ballpark is still one of the better cheap nights out in town, and Friday games usually close with fireworks. Check the schedule, since the season winds down toward the end of the month.
Tower District Evenings
The Tower District around Olive and Wishon is Fresno's walkable nightlife stretch, with the historic Tower Theatre, restaurants, bars, and live music. August nights are warm but comfortable after dark, which is when the district comes alive. It is an easy evening without leaving town.
Woodward Park at Dusk
Woodward Park in north Fresno is the place for a late-summer evening walk once the heat lets go. The paths, the bird sanctuary, and the Shinzen Japanese Garden are pleasant at dusk, and the Woodward Shakespeare Festival often runs free plays into August. Bring water even in the evening, since the day's heat lingers.
Harvest Season Begins
August is when the Central Valley harvest starts. The grape and raisin crop comes in, and the roadside stands are at their best.
Raisin Trays in the Fields
Late August is when grapes are cut and laid out on paper trays to dry in the sun, the classic sight that makes Fresno the raisin capital of the world. Drive the county roads east and south of town, around Selma, Fowler, and Kingsburg, and you will see the trays running in rows between the vines. It is a working farm landscape, so watch for equipment and stay out of the fields.
The vineyards around Selma, which calls itself the Raisin Capital of the World, are the easiest place to see drying trays up close from the road.
Roadside Fruit Stands
August is peak fruit-stand season in the valley. Stands along the country roads and the Blossom Trail corridor sell peaches, nectarines, grapes, melons, and the first of the fall produce, usually picked the same day. Simonian Farms on Clovis Avenue is a long-running year-round stop if you want one address to start with.
Early-Morning Farmers Markets
Beat the heat by hitting a morning farmers market when the late-summer produce is heaviest. The Vineyard Farmers Market in the Fig Garden area runs weekend mornings with valley fruit, vegetables, and food vendors. Go early, both for the cool air and for the best of the stone fruit before it sells out.
Indoor Escapes
The middle of an August day still belongs to air conditioning. A few indoor stops are worth leaving the house for.
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The zoo in Roeding Park is best right at opening, before the heat wears down the animals and the visitors both. The African Adventure exhibit, Sea Lion Cove, and the indoor reptile and rainforest areas hold up in the heat. Go early and plan to leave by midday.
Discovery Center
The Fresno Discovery Center on Winery Avenue is a hands-on science and nature museum that works well for families on a hot afternoon. It has indoor exhibits plus outdoor garden space for the cooler hours. It is small, low-key, and a good way to burn an afternoon with kids.
Maya Cinemas
The Maya theater on Fulton Street downtown is the simple midday move during the hottest hours. Catch a matinee and keep the outdoor plans for morning and evening. It anchors the redone downtown stretch, so food is within walking distance.