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

Jackass Meadow

Jackass Meadow Campground is situated below Florence Lake on the San Joaquin River, surrounded by the craggy peaks of the John Muir Wilderness. Jackass Meadow is shaded by a stand of Aspen and Lodgepole Pine, and the South Fork of the San Joaquin runs through the campground. This camp is located near several Native American archaeological sites.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Campsites in a shaded groveCampsites in a shaded groveJACKASS MEADOWJACKASS MEADOW
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups35
Host/management5
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 46 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
01Back-in35PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
02Back-in36PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
03Back-in35PavedPartial12 / 4Yes
04Back-in39PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
05Back-in40PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
06Back-in35PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
07Back-in34PavedPartial12 / 4Yes
08Back-in39PavedPartial12 / 4Yes
09Back-in36PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
10Back-in40PavedPartial6 / 2Yes

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.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length46 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Each campsite has a table, fire ring and grill. Bear-proof food lockers, water and accessible vault toilets are provided. Supplies and groceries can be purchased half a mile from the campground at the Florence Lake Store.

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.
SeasonJune to September
ForestSierra National Forest
BookingNo reservations, first come, first serve.
Fees$26.00 per night, per single site $52.00 per night, per double site $7 per night, per additional vehicle
RulesMaximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 25' Maximum group size = 6 per site

Sierra National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Jackass Meadow30°40°50°60°70°January: 8.47 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.80 inches of precipitationMarch: 6.80 inches of precipitationApril: 4.02 inches of precipitationMay: 2.42 inches of precipitationJune: 0.71 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.66 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.10 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.40 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.29 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.92 inches of precipitationDecember: 6.82 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.6°F averageFebruary: 33.8°F averageMarch: 36.1°F averageApril: 39.5°F averageMay: 46.0°F averageJune: 54.2°F averageJuly: 61.4°F averageAugust: 61.7°F averageSeptember: 55.9°F averageOctober: 47.4°F averageNovember: 39.9°F averageDecember: 34.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Huntington Lake, 14 miles from the campground at 7,020 feet, station USC00044176 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year.

Getting there

From Clovis, California: Take Hwy 168 north for 70 miles to Huntington Lake Campground office at Eastwood. Turn right and follow Kaiser Pass Road approximately 21 miles to Jackass Meadow campground.

Coordinates37.2792° N, 118.9657° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Rx Spring

    36 mi from the campground · 15 acres

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Fall Rx

    37 mi from the campground

  • Wildfire
    Dome

    41 mi from the campground · 6,788 acres · 95% contained

  • Wildfire
    Land

    42 mi from the campground · 20 acres

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗21.8 mi
Outdoor gearCaptain Jack's Tackle ↗22.9 mi

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

Explore

Video

Camping with the boys (Jackass Meadow, CA)

Worth a stop

A popular activity is to take a ferry from Florence Lake to the John Muir Trail, which is part of the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada. Ferry tickets can be purchased at the Florence Lake Store.

  • under 0.1 mi
    Hooper Diversion OHV Route
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.2 mi
    Jackass Interpretive ↗
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Hooper Diversion Spur B
    0.09 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.6 mi
    Crater Lake
    3.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.6 mi
    Florence Lake ↗
    15.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, snowmobile and 2 more
  • 0.8 mi
    Hooper Diversion OHV Route T3
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 more

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 Sierra 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.

Natural features

The Sierra National Forest, located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada, is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and abundant natural resources. The terrain includes rolling, oak-covered foothills, heavily forested middle elevation slopes and the starkly beautiful alpine landscape of the High Sierra. The John Muir Wilderness stretches for 100 miles along the crest of the Sierra. It is a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially carved terrain.

Recreation

There is a.7 mile accessible hiking trail near the campground. Nature walks are held every Saturday during the summer. Most of the recreation opportunities here can be found in and around Florence Lake. There is a boat ramp and boat rentals at the Florence Lake Store.

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 Jackass Meadow?

Sites at Jackass Meadow are reservable on Recreation.gov. No reservations, first come, first serve. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Jackass Meadow?

$26.00 per night, per single site $52.00 per night, per double site $7 per night, per additional vehicle

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Jackass Meadow?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Jackass Meadow open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season June to September.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Jackass Meadow have?

40 sites, including 35 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Jackass Meadow?

The longest site here provides 46 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Jackass Meadow?

Yes, pets are allowed at Jackass Meadow. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Jackass Meadow?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 25' Maximum group size = 6 per site

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Jackass Meadow?

There is a.7 mile accessible hiking trail near the campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Jackass Meadow is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Ward Lake Campground (1.9 mi, first-come), Mono Hot Springs (4.4 mi), and Bolsillo Campground (4.8 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby