Lake of the Woods is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in southwestern Kern County, California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 790.
The community is in Cuddy Canyon in the San Emigdio Mountains, along the Ventura and Kern County line. It is within the Los Padres National Forest.
The name "Lake of the Woods" was bestowed by pioneer Mrs. Florence Cuddy, when the community was established in 1925. The reservoir for which it was named has been dry since 1962, when its dam burst.
Lake of the Woods is centrally located in the mountain communities. It offers county maintained paved roads, no property or homeowners associations, several local hiking trails and full utility services from Southern California Edision, SoCalGas, Lake of the Woods Mutual Water Company and Mountainside Trash Service.