Goodwin Dam Recreation Area provides roadside parking at a now-defunct day-use site offering access to a calm, scenic section of the Stanislaus River below the dam.

This location serves as a put-in point for paddlers running the challenging Goodwin Canyon section (Class III-IV+ whitewater with rapids like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Matterhorn), and is situated just upstream of Lake Tulloch's Southshore Marina.