U.S. Forest Service · Angeles National Forest · Wrightwood, CA

Lake Campground

Lake Campground offers an excellent escape from the city, just a short drive northeast of the Los Angeles metro area. It's set on the shores of Jackson Lake, providing a scenic, peaceful setting for fishing, swimming and canoeing in Angeles National Forest. Visitors enjoy exploring the Angeles Crest Scenic Byway, which offers incredible views of oak thickets, high desert landscapes, chaparral and pine forests.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Lake CampgroundLake Campground - Site 4Lake Campground - Site 3Lake Campground - Site 8
Photos courtesy of Mountain High Resorts · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups8
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 48 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
001Back-in42PavedFull8 / 2
002Pull-through43PavedFull8 / 2
003Back-in47PavedFull8 / 2
004Back-in34PavedFull8 / 2
005Back-in42PavedFull8 / 2
006Back-in48PavedFull8 / 2
007Back-in46PavedFull8 / 2
008Back-in31PavedFull8 / 2

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 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length48 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed

Campsites can accommodate eight campers and two vehicles. Food storage lockers, grills, picnic tables, vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Firewood can be purchased at nearby Mountain Oak Campground.

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.
SeasonSpring
ForestAngeles National Forest
BookingMake reservations at www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777. For more information and reservations contact the concessionaire at Mountain High Resort at (760) 316-7828.
FeesThis site is operated by Mountain High Resort. A Big Pines Pass from Mountain High Resort is required when parking here. The Adventure Pass and any of the Interagency Passes are not honored here.
RulesSee current fire restrictions.

Angeles National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Lake Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 4.37 inches of precipitation, 10.5 inches of snowFebruary: 4.93 inches of precipitation, 24.8 inches of snowMarch: 1.85 inches of precipitation, 8.3 inches of snowApril: 0.80 inches of precipitation, 7.2 inches of snowMay: 0.79 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowJune: 0.08 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.31 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.38 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.21 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowNovember: 1.14 inches of precipitation, 3.6 inches of snowDecember: 4.14 inches of precipitation, 5.3 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 36.6°F averageFebruary: 36.4°F averageMarch: 41.8°F averageApril: 46.1°F averageMay: 54.0°F averageJune: 61.2°F averageJuly: 67.9°F averageAugust: 66.7°F averageSeptember: 60.6°F averageOctober: 50.5°F averageNovember: 41.8°F averageDecember: 36.0°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Wrightwood, 5 miles from the campground at 6,000 feet, station USC00049822 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 21 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 62 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Wrightwood, turn left on CA-2 W/Angeles Crest Highway and drive for 3.6 miles. Then turn right onto Big Pines Highway and drive 2.7 miles. Look for signs into the campground.

Nearest townWrightwood, California
Coordinates34.3906° N, 117.7233° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Powerboating is not permitted on Jackson Lake, so the setting is peaceful and quiet for swimming, canoeing and fishing.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceMajor RV Sales ↗20.7 mi
Outdoor gearREI ↗22.2 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗22.4 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

  • The Angeles Crest Highway, part of California State Route 2, is a scenic byway that meanders through oak thickets, chaparral, high desert landscapes and pine tree forests.
  • The ski resort town of Wrightwood is very close by. Restaurants and a disc golf course can be found at the North Resort.
  • Take a hike on the Blue Ridge Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. The Pacific Crest Trail is an impressive path that starts in Mexico and zigzags its way through Angeles and continues north across California, Oregon and Washington.
  • Visit the Mountain High Downhill Bike Park.
  • 0.2 mi
    Jackson Lake Interpretive
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Jackson Lake
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1 mi
    Jackson Flat Interpretive
    0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1 mi
    Jackson Flat Geological
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.3 mi
    Lightning Ridge Nature Trail
    0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.5 mi
    PCT Grassy Hollow ↗
    4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_scenic_or_historic

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 →

Sheep Mountain Wilderness begins about 1.3 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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

Lake Campground sits at an elevation of 6,100 feet in Angeles National Forest. Campsites are secluded and shaded with scattered oak trees and Jeffrey pines. Daytime temperatures in the summer are usually in the low 80s and evenings are cool. Angeles National Forest spans nearly 695,000 acres over most of the San Gabriel Mountain Range in southern California. Vegetation ranges from chaparral and oak at lower elevations to pine forests at higher altitudes. Elevations range from 1,200 to 10,000 feet. The endangered California condor inhabits the forest. The Least Bells vireo and the Southwestern Willow flycatcher are two migratory birds that visitors enjoy spotting in the area. Other local inhabitants include the Arroyo toad, mountain yellow-legged frog, the mountain lion and the two-striped garter snake.

Recreation

Wildlife viewing is a popular activity, as visitors may see bobcats, mountain lions, bears and Nelson bighorn sheep. The lake is stocked with trout and bluegill.

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 Lake Campground?

Sites at Lake Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Make reservations at www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Lake Campground?

This site is operated by Mountain High Resort. A Big Pines Pass from Mountain High Resort is required when parking here. The Adventure Pass and any of the Interagency Passes are not honored here.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Lake Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Lake Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Spring.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Lake Campground have?

8 sites, including 8 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Lake Campground?

The longest site here provides 48 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 Lake Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Lake Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Lake Campground?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Lake Campground?

Wildlife viewing is a popular activity, as visitors may see bobcats, mountain lions, bears and Nelson bighorn sheep. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Lake Campground?

Wrightwood, California. The Angeles Crest Highway, part of California State Route 2, is a scenic byway that meanders through oak thickets, chaparral, high desert landscapes and pine tree forests.

Source: Getting there

What if Lake Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Peavine Campground (0.3 mi), Mountain Oak (0.4 mi), and Appletree Campground (0.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby