U.S. Forest Service · Eldorado National Forest · Eldorado National Forest, CA

Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground

The Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground is available to visitors travelling with equestrian or pack stock animals. The campground is situated near the Wrights Lake Campground in a grassy, open timber stand near the stream flowing from the spillway of Wrights Lake. The area is well-known for its vistas, hiking, wildflowers and birding.

Reservable · Recreation.gov15 sites35 ft maxPets okFires ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Wrights Lake Equestrian CampgroundWRIGHTS LAKE EQUESTRIAN CAMPGROUNDWRIGHTS LAKE EQUESTRIAN CAMPGROUNDWRIGHTS LAKE EQUESTRIAN CAMPGROUND
Photos courtesy of Kelly Maxey · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Tmu Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 16 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Equestrian15
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

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

SiteEntrySurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
069Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
070Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
071Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
072Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
073Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
074Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
075Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
076Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
077Back-inGravelPartial6 / 2Yes
078Back-inGravelPartial6 / 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 1:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Max vehicle length35 ft
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesRecreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity.

The campground offers 15 campsites for tents or RVs with equestrians and other pack stock. Each site is equipped with a table, campfire ring and grill; there are no hookups. Firewood can be gathered in the area. The campground has accessible vault toilets.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.81 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.75 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.87 inches of precipitationApril: 1.27 inches of precipitationMay: 1.32 inches of precipitationJune: 0.55 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.39 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.36 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.28 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.43 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.94 inches of precipitationDecember: 3.49 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.6°F averageFebruary: 31.3°F averageMarch: 35.8°F averageApril: 40.4°F averageMay: 47.6°F averageJune: 55.1°F averageJuly: 61.5°F averageAugust: 60.4°F averageSeptember: 54.4°F averageOctober: 45.7°F averageNovember: 37.1°F averageDecember: 30.4°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at South Lake Tahoe AP, 14 miles from the campground at 6,314 feet, station USW00093230 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 20 inches a year.

Getting there

From Placerville, CA: Travel US-50 east approximately 25 miles to Ice House Road. Turn north onto Ice House Road. Take the 1st right to stay on Ice House Road. Travel approximately 10 miles to the junction with Big Hill Lookout Road/Wrights Lake Tie Road. Turn right toward Ice House Reservoir on the Wrights Lake Tie Road.

Nearest townEldorado National Forest, California
Coordinates38.8419° N, 120.2352° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

  • Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes.
  • Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.
  • Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below).
  • Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.
  • Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees ret

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    16 mi from the campground

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗7.2 mi
Outdoor gearSierra ↗13.3 mi
RV sales & serviceCustom Truck Accessories ↗32.3 mi

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

Explore

Video

Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground - El Dorado National Forest, CA

Worth a stop

Barrett Lake 4WD trail is popular for both motorized and non-motorized recreation. Desolation Wilderness permits for day trips are available at the wilderness trailheads, and overnight hiking permits are available at the Pacific Ranger Station, or online.

Show all 7

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Bloodsucker
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.1 mi
    Windmiller
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Wrights Meadow
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Rockbound ↗
    8.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.7 mi
    Dark Lake
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.7 mi
    Beauty Lake
    0.5 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 Eldorado 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

At nearly 7,000 feet in elevation, the campground is surrounded by a mixed conifer forest with a grassy understory. Large lodgepole and fir trees help shade the campsites. Wildflowers bloom throughout the spring and summer seasons. The campground is near Wrights Lake, a shallow 40-acre body of water popular for its serene and quiet atmosphere.

Recreation

The campground provides access to the stream and lake, where visitors enjoy trout fishing, swimming and paddling. Motorboats are prohibited in the area. Stock users will enjoy access to multiple equestrian trails providing enjoyable rides throughout the back country and Desolation Wilderness, but may not ride through the Wrights Lake Campground and Day Use areas. An equestrian trail map is posted in the campground. Educational programs are offered at the Wrights Lake Campground amphitheater.

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 Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

Sites at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

Recreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.

Source: Charges and cancellations

How many sites does Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground have?

15 sites, including 15 equestrian sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

The longest site here provides 35 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 Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

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 is there to do at Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

The campground provides access to the stream and lake, where visitors enjoy trout fishing, swimming and paddling. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground?

Eldorado National Forest, California. Barrett Lake 4WD trail is popular for both motorized and non-motorized recreation.

Source: Getting there

What if Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Wrights Lake (0.6 mi), Strawberry Point Campground (5.7 mi, first-come), and Lovers Leap (5.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby