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

Vermillion

Vermillion Campground is located on the northwest shore of Edison Lake, in a shady stand of Ponderosa pine. Most sites provide lake views. The campground is ideal for tents, as well as small RVs. Visitors can enjoy mountain views of the surrounding John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness areas.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov31 sites50 ft maxPets okFires okTents only

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Vermillion CampgroundVERMILLIONVERMILLIONVERMILLION
Photos courtesy of T Sarkisian · Recreation.gov
4fires
active
Dome · 36 mi away · 6,788 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Tent-only30
Host/management1
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

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
1Back-in25GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
2Back-in50GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
3Back-in35GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
4Back-in40GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
5Back-in30GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
6Back-in30GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
7Back-in35GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
8Back-in33GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
9Back-in33GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes
10Back-in25GravelPartialLakefront6 / 1Yes

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

Max vehicle length50 ft
EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Each campsite has a picnic table, campfire ring and bear-proof food storage locker, all set off a bit from the parking spur. Some sites are sloped and not suitable for tent camping. Vault toilets are provided. There are 8 water spigots in the campground with potable drinking water. Limited supplies and pay showers are available at the Vermillion Valley Resort, which is within walking distance.

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
BookingReservations through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) @ 1-877-444-6777 or www.recreation.gov. Reservations must be made at least 3 days in advance of arrival.
Fees$35.00 per night, Standard Nonelectric, Holidays/$2.00 additional/night. $10 fee for each additional vehicle.
RulesMaximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 25' Maximum group size = 6 per site 2 night minimum on weekends. 3 night minimum on holidays.

Sierra National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Vermillion30°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, 15 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, take Highway 168 east to Shaver Lake. Continue through Shaver Lake to Huntington Lake. At the east end of Huntington Lake, turn right on the Kaiser Pass Road (at Eastwood Visitor Center). Travel 17 miles to the Edison Lake Road. Turn left toward Edison Lake and travel 7 miles to the campground.

Coordinates37.3777° N, 119.0139° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Dome

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

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Rx Spring

    43 mi from the campground · 15 acres

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Fall Rx

    43 mi from the campground

  • Wildfire
    Land

    49 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 ↗17.6 mi
Outdoor gearCaptain Jack's Tackle ↗25.2 mi

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

Explore

Video

Campground Review ~ Lake Vermillion South Dakota

Worth a stop

Vermillion Campground is an excellent base for exploring the Ansel Adams or John Muir Wilderness Areas. The Vermillion Valley Resort offers ferry rides across the lake to trails within the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Edison Lake ↗
    8.1 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 0.3 mi
    Devil'S Bathtub
    4.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    High Sierra Pack Station ↗
    5.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Warm Creek
    2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Onion Springs ↗
    5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 0.8 mi
    Mono Meadow
    3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse

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.

Recreation

Edison Lake has a free public boat launch. Canoeing and kayaking near the shoreline are popular activities. Anglers can fish for rainbow, brown or brook trout. Sandy beaches within the campground provide lake access for swimming. Campfire programs are offered throughout the summer. Numerous hiking and equestrian trails are in the area.

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 Vermillion?

Sites at Vermillion are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) @ 1-877-444-6777 or www.recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Vermillion?

$35.00 per night, Standard Nonelectric, Holidays/$2.00 additional/night. $10 fee for each additional vehicle.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Vermillion?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Vermillion open right now?

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

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Vermillion have?

31 sites, including 30 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Vermillion?

The longest site here provides 50 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 there showers or a dump station at Vermillion?

Limited supplies and pay showers are available at the Vermillion Valley Resort, which is within walking distance.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Vermillion?

Yes, pets are allowed at Vermillion. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Vermillion?

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 2 night minimum on weekends.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Vermillion?

Edison Lake has a free public boat launch. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Vermillion is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Mono Creek (1.8 mi), Mono Hot Springs (3.6 mi), and Bolsillo Campground (4.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby