U.S. Forest Service · Sierra National Forest · Bass Lake, CA

Recreation Point

Recreation Point is nestled in a partially shaded cove overlooking the northern end of Bass Lake. It offers tent-only, overnight sites and picnic area for groups. The maximum group sizes range from 30-50 people per campsite and 50-100 people per picnic site. The camp consists of four sites on one loop: Knoll, Lagoon, Scout and Acorn. The group picnic areas, Cove, Oak Point and South Park, are on a separate loop.

Closed for the season Reservable · Recreation.gov 7 sitesPets okFires okTents only

More like this: reservable in California · tent only in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos via Recreation.gov

1fire
active

Dome · 17 mi away · 6,788 acres

Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16

Incident details ↓

Site mix

Group tent areas		4
group picnic area		3

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

7 sites in 7 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Loop	Type	Surface	Shade	People / vehicles	Fires
Acorn	ACOR	Group tent	Paved	Partial	50 / 16	Yes
Cove	COVE	Group Picnic Area	Paved	Partial	50 / 25	Yes
Knoll	KNOL	Group tent	Paved	Partial	30 / 10	Yes
Lagoon	LAGO	Group tent	Paved	Partial	30 / 10	Yes
Oak Point Picnic	OAKP	Group Picnic Area	Paved	Full	50 / 25
Scout	SCOU	Group tent	Paved		45 / 15	Yes
South Park Picnic	SOUT	Group Picnic Area	Paved	Partial	50 / 50	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.

Amenities & rules

Equipment	Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions

Each campsite has a water faucet, picnic tables and a large pedestal grill. The group picnic areas offer picnic tables and pedestal grills. The restrooms have flush toilets.

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

Season & status

Status	Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
Season	Open Year Round
Forest	Sierra National Forest
Booking	Reservations can be made up to 3 days before arrival.
Fees	Knoll Site-$159.00 ($176.00) per night Lagoon Site-$159.00 ($176.500) per night Scout Site-$225.00 ($264.00) per night Acorn Site-$264.00 ($293.00) per night All vehicles pay $10.00 parking fee. (taxes included)

Sierra National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at N Fk RS, 8 miles from the campground at 2,645 feet, station USC00046252 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 33 inches a year.

Getting there

From Fresno, California, take Highway 41 north through Oakhurst. Turn right on Forest Road 222 toward Bass Lake. Keep right for 3.5 miles to the campground registration office.

Nearest town	Bass Lake, California
Coordinates	37.3286° N, 119.5799° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

Any location or activity requiring a permit or lottery will have unique requirements and policies. Please check individual facility pages for pertinent information for those sites. Booking Window For most locations, you can reserve six months in advance of your stay for individual sites and 12 months in advance for group sites. There are some exceptions, so it is best to check with each facility. Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation. Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.).

Fire nearby

Wildfire
Dome
17 mi from the campground · 6,788 acres · 95% contained

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

Supplies & services

Outdoor gear	Sierra Nevada Trading Company ↗	4.1 mi
Dump station	Dump station ↗	15 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Yosemite National Park can be reached in under an hour, making it an ideal day trip from Bass Lake.

0.5 mi
The Falls Picnic Site ↗Day use
2.3 mi
Lakeside Picnic Site ↗Day use
6.8 mi
Kamook Trailhead ↗Trailhead
6.9 mi
Shawdow Of The Giants Nrt Trailhead ↗Trailhead
15 mi
Wawona Visitor Center At Hill's Studio ↗Visitor center

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

0.5 mi
Way of the Mono
0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
0.7 mi
Willow Creek
2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
0.8 mi
Devil'S Slide
0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
1.2 mi
Goat Mountain
2.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
1.6 mi
Willow Cove 2
0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
1.9 mi
Willow Cove
0.4 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 →

This campground sits inside Sierra National Forest.

in
Sierra National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 1,418,790 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

Forks Campground (Sierra)

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Mariposa Grove MuseumBuilding · Wawona · 12.9 mi

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 Point is located in the Bass Lake Ranger District at an elevation of 3,400 feet. Bass Lake is a very popular area known for its variety of fish, as well as the bald and golden eagles that make their home here.

Recreation

Bass Lake offers a beach and boat ramp. Popular activities include swimming, motorized boating, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, sailing and fishing for bass, trout, bluegill and catfish. Recreation Point has a designated swim area. Nearby hiking trails include Willow Creek, Goat Mountain, Spring Cove and Way-of-the-Mono Interpretive Trail. A variety of educational programs are offered on weekends during the summer.

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Moon California Camping
Tom Stienstra, 2022
Find at Bookshop.org
Camping Northern California
Linda Parker Hamilton, 2016
Find at Bookshop.org
Moon Joshua Tree and Palm Springs
Jenna Blough, 2025
Find at Bookshop.org
Best tent camping
Wendy Speicher, 2018
Find at Bookshop.org

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Recreation Point?

Sites at Recreation Point are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations can be made up to 3 days before arrival. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Recreation Point?

Knoll Site-$159.00 ($176.00) per night Lagoon Site-$159.00 ($176.500) per night Scout Site-$225.00 ($264.00) per night Acorn Site-$264.00 ($293.00) per night All vehicles pay $10.00 parking fee. (taxes included)

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Recreation Point?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Recreation Point?

Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.).

Source: Charges and cancellations

Is Recreation Point open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Open Year Round.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Recreation Point have?

7 sites, including 4 group tent areas and 3 group picnic area.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Recreation Point?

Recreation Point is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Recreation Point?

The restrooms have flush toilets.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Recreation Point?

Yes, pets are allowed at Recreation Point. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Recreation Point?

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

Is there cell service at Recreation Point?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G and AT&T 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Recreation Point?

Bass Lake offers a beach and boat ramp. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation