U.S. Forest Service · Modoc National Forest · Cedarville, CA

Blue Lake Campground Group Site

The Blue Lake Campground is situated in the beautiful South Warner Mountains of the Modoc National Forest in a tranquil and remote area of northeastern California. Blue Lake was formed from a massive landslide several thousand years ago. Over time, the land filled up with water from snow melt and rain where blue lake is today. Blue Lake is truly deep blue in color and remains ice cold even during the hotest days of summer! The fishing is great, and there's a 3 mile trail that goes around the entirety of the lake. Come enjoy your National Forest land by visiting the Blue Lake Campground this summer!

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in California · reservable in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Blue Lake Campground Group Site entranceBlue Lake Campground Group SiteBlue Lake Campground Group SiteBlue Lake Campground Group Site
Photos courtesy of USDA FS, USDA Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

group rv area nonelectric1
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
Blue Lake Group SitePull-through40GravelPartial75 / 12Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 03:00 PM, checkout 01:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Water is available most of the summer season from late May-early October. Sometimes it takes a while to get the system up and going for the season.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonFacilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October
ForestModoc National Forest
BookingFor group camp site information, please see Recreation.gov
Fees$15/single campsite per day with a maximum of 2 vehicles. Group site: $70/night
RulesDogs shall remain on leash while in the campground. Please clean up after your dog. Camping limit 14 days.

Modoc National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Blue Lake Campground Group Site30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.93 inches of precipitation, 12.5 inches of snowFebruary: 1.56 inches of precipitation, 8.7 inches of snowMarch: 1.85 inches of precipitation, 14.5 inches of snowApril: 2.38 inches of precipitation, 14.4 inches of snowMay: 2.77 inches of precipitation, 4.2 inches of snowJune: 1.53 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowJuly: 0.43 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.38 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.58 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowOctober: 1.15 inches of precipitation, 2.9 inches of snowNovember: 1.90 inches of precipitation, 8.1 inches of snowDecember: 2.41 inches of precipitation, 16.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.7°F averageFebruary: 33.0°F averageMarch: 36.6°F averageApril: 41.1°F averageMay: 49.2°F averageJune: 56.6°F averageJuly: 65.3°F averageAugust: 64.6°F averageSeptember: 58.3°F averageOctober: 47.7°F averageNovember: 38.1°F averageDecember: 30.7°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Jess Valley, 9 miles from the campground at 5,400 feet, station USC00044374 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 19 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 82 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Head east from Likley, CA toward the Warner Mountains on Forest Service Road 64 (AKA the "Jess Valley Road") for approximately 8 miles. Take a right/south at the fork in the road towards Blue Lake Campground (still Road 64). You will drive about 7 miles on this road. The turn-off to Blue Lake Campground will be on your right.

Nearest townCedarville, California
Coordinates41.1428° N, 120.2800° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceReliable RV ↗54.3 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Blue Lake Provincial Park

  • 0.1 mi
    Blue Lake National Rec. Trail
    2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

South Warner Wilderness begins about 7.3 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

There are many ice cold mountain streams feeding into and coming out of Blue Lake. The campground is situated in a lower part of the mountains, but the entire campground is surrounded by mountain ridges scattered with ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, incense cedar, and aspen trees. There was an intense wildfire that came through the area back in 2003, so many of the hillsides near Blue Lake are in the process of regenerating tree stands. Fortunately, the campground was saved from the fire, so there are plenty of big pine trees for shade!

Recreation

There is a trail around the lake 3 mile, along with many opportunities to walk and bike around the paved campground roads and boat dock area. There are several wilderness trailheads within 6-15 miles from the site as well. The South Warner Wilderness has many trails to offer a true solitude experience away from the big city. Off-highway -vehcle (OHV) use is also a popular recreation activity in the neighboring area road systems.

Guidebooks for California

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

$15/single campsite per day with a maximum of 2 vehicles. Group site: $70/night

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

Check-in 03:00 PM, checkout 01:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Blue Lake Campground Group Site open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Blue Lake Campground Group Site have?

1 site, including 1 group rv area nonelectric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

Blue Lake Campground Group Site is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

Yes, pets are allowed at Blue Lake Campground Group Site. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. Dogs shall remain on leash while in the campground.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

There is a trail around the lake 3 mile, along with many opportunities to walk and bike around the paved campground roads and boat dock area. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Blue Lake Campground Group Site?

Cedarville, California.

Source: Getting there

What if Blue Lake Campground Group Site is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are East Creek Campground (5.7 mi, first-come), Mill Creek Falls Campground (9.3 mi, first-come), and Emerson Campground (11.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby