U.S. Forest Service · Stanislaus National Forest · California

Union West

Union Reservoir is set in a granite basin with expansive mountain views. The reservoir has lots of small islands and is kept mostly full. The Union West campground is adjacent to the reservoir, nestled in red fir and lodgepole pine forest.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov17 sitesNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Union West Campground Union ReservoirUnion WestUnion and Utica CampgroundsUnion West Campground
Photos courtesy of Ben Cossel · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Tmu Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 35 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups17
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 18 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

16 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteFits, ftShadeWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFires
118PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
218PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
318PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
418PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
518PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
618PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
718PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
8PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
9PartialNo / –6 / –Yes
10PartialNo / –6 / –Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

17 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesThe America the Beautiful Interagency Senior and Access Passes are honored and receive 50% off the nightly rate. Only applicable to the single site the pass holder occupies. The Interagency Annual and Volunteer passes do not provide any discounts on camping.

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.
ForestStanislaus National Forest
BookingNo reservations; first-come, first-served.
FeesThe Forest Service operates the Union West Campground and charges the following fees: New campsite fee prices, 2024 & 2025 $25 per night and fee raises to $30 per night in 2026. The America the Beautiful, Interagency Senior and Access Passes are honored and receive 50% off the nightly rate.

Stanislaus National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Union West30°40°50°60°70°January: 10.57 inches of precipitation, 19.3 inches of snowFebruary: 9.82 inches of precipitation, 25.9 inches of snowMarch: 8.48 inches of precipitation, 19.2 inches of snowApril: 4.59 inches of precipitation, 11.4 inches of snowMay: 2.79 inches of precipitation, 2.2 inches of snowJune: 0.95 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJuly: 0.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.39 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.93 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowNovember: 5.17 inches of precipitation, 7.7 inches of snowDecember: 9.65 inches of precipitation, 18.7 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 37.7°F averageFebruary: 37.9°F averageMarch: 40.3°F averageApril: 44.5°F averageMay: 52.1°F averageJune: 61.0°F averageJuly: 68.1°F averageAugust: 67.3°F averageSeptember: 62.1°F averageOctober: 53.0°F averageNovember: 43.2°F averageDecember: 36.8°F average0 in10 in20 in30 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Calaveras Big Trees, 20 miles from the campground at 4,695 feet, station USC00041277 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 56 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 105 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Highway 4, turn onto Spicer Reservoir Road (paved) and go 8 miles. Turn left onto 7N75; from there the roads are gravel. Continue.7 miles to a T-intersection. Follow the Forest Service sign to Union West Campground. Spicer Reservoir Road is 27 miles east of the Calaveras Ranger Station in Hathaway Pines, California 95233.

Coordinates38.4266° N, 119.9985° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    35 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearBear Valley Adventure Company ↗3.4 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗34.2 mi
RV sales & serviceCustom Truck Accessories ↗50.7 mi

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

Explore

Video

Video of Union Valley Reservoir Dispersed Camping, CA from Verna T.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.4 mi
    7n75 Snow Trail
    0.7 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
  • 0.4 mi
    Union Rock Lake
    1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 0.7 mi
    7n17g Snow Trail
    2.3 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
  • 1.1 mi
    07n17 Snow Trail
    3.6 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
  • 1.4 mi
    6n65yg Snow Trail
    0.4 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
  • 1.5 mi
    Summit Lake
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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 →

This campground sits inside Stanislaus National Forest.

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 →

Guidebooks for 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 Union West?

Sites at Union West are reservable on Recreation.gov. No reservations; first-come, first-served. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Union West?

The America the Beautiful Interagency Senior and Access Passes are honored and receive 50% off the nightly rate. Only applicable to the single site the pass holder occupies. The Interagency Annual and Volunteer passes do not provide any discounts on camping.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Union West?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Union West open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Union West have?

17 sites, including 17 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Union West?

Union West is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Union West?

Yes, pets are allowed at Union West. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Union West?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What if Union West is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Union East Campground (0.4 mi, first-come), Sandy Flat (0.8 mi), and Spicer Reservoir Group Campground (1.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby