Auxiliary Dam
Located on the southern end of Lake Isabella off Highway 178 near the town of Lake Isabella, this facility offers flush toilets, drinking water, trash service, a dump station and some campsites with stoves and picnic tables above the high water mark. Below the high-water mark, visitors can drive their vehicles to the shoreline and camp at the water’s edge. Below the high-water mark portable toilets and trash receptacles are provided for visitor convenience during the summer. ExplorUS All developed campground areas in the Forest operate under a concessionaire permit with ExplorUs.
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in California
active
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Fees | $12 fee per vehicle per day or annual pass for $60. Dump Station Fee $12 |
Located on the southern end of Lake Isabella off Highway 178 near the town of Lake Isabella, this facility offers flush toilets, drinking water, trash service, a dump station (located next door at Old Isabella Recreation Area - fee is $20.00) and some campsites with stoves and picnic tables above the high water mark. Below the high-water mark, visitors can drive their vehicles to the shoreline and camp at the water’s edge. Below the high-water mark portable toilets and trash receptacles are provided for visitor convenience during the summer.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Year Round |
| Forest | Sequoia National Forest |
| Booking | No reservation required. |
| Fees | $12 fee per vehicle per day or annual pass for $60. Dump Station Fee $12 |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 35.6432° N, 118.4629° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireCyrus
5 mi from the campground · 543 acres · 95% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 0.5 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Triple Crown Outfitters ↗ | 31.4 mi |
| RV sales & service | Camping World ↗ | 40 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Video of Auxiliary Dam Recreation Site, CA from Laura M.
Worth a stop
- 3.3 miKissack Cove Day Use ↗Day use
- 3.5 miTillie Creek Launch Ramp Boating Site ↗Boat launch
- 4 miStine Cove Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 4.8 miCyrus Canyon Shooting Range ↗OHV / range
- 5.1 miCyrus Canyon Ohv Park ↗OHV / range
- 6 mi
Trails nearby
- 1.5 miVista del Lago1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.6 miIsabella Peak Lookout0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.8 miCoso Mine Loop3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.2 miHogeye0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 4.2 miKern Canyon ↗10.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 4.4 miBorderline 4WD ↗4.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 more
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
Sequoia National Forest begins about 2.8 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 2.8 miSequoia National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,160,053 acres
- 13.2 miKiavah Wilderness ↗Wilderness · BLM/FS · 86,245 acres
- 13.6 miBright Star Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Bureau of Land Management · 8,191 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Guidebooks for Sequoia National Forest and California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Auxiliary Dam?
No. Auxiliary Dam is first-come, first-served. No reservation required. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Auxiliary Dam?
$12 fee per vehicle per day or annual pass for $60. Dump Station Fee $12
Source: Forest Service
Is Auxiliary Dam open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Year Round.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Auxiliary Dam?
Auxiliary Dam is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
Are there showers or a dump station at Auxiliary Dam?
Located on the southern end of Lake Isabella off Highway 178 near the town of Lake Isabella, this facility offers flush toilets, drinking water, trash service, a dump station (located next door at Old Isabella Recreation Area - fee is $20.00) and some campsites with stoves and pi
Source: Forest Service
What if Auxiliary Dam is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Old Isabella (0.7 mi, first-come), Main Dam Campground (1.2 mi, first-come), and French Gulch (1.4 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby