Wrights Lake

WRIGHTS LAKE

Part of Eldorado National Forest

Overview

Wrights Lake Campground is situated in the timber belt, close to the lake shore, looking up at the majestic rocky peaks of the Sierra Nevadas and Desolation Wilderness. The area is well-known for its hiking, wildflowers and birding.

Facilities

The campground offers dozens of campsites for tent and RV camping. Several sites offer sweeping views of Wrights Lake.

Each site is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills, and firewood can be gathered in the area. Accessible vault toilets. A camp host is available during the daytime.

Natural Features

At nearly 7,000 feet in elevation, the campground is surrounded by pine and fir trees with a grassy understory. Wildflowers bloom throughout the spring and summer seasons.

Some sites are nestled among giant boulders, providing privacy for campers. The campground is close to Wrights Lake, a 40-acre body of water popular for its serene and quiet atmosphere.

Recreation

The campground provides access to the lake, where visitors enjoy trout fishing, swimming and boating activities. Motorboats are prohibited in the area.

Hikers will enjoy access to multiple foot and horseback riding trails within 5 miles of the campground. Various trailheads, including Bloodsucker, Rockbound and Twin Lakes trails, provide access to Desolation Wilderness.

Educational programs are offered at the amphitheater, and mountain biking and off-road vehicle use is popular on Barrett Lake Jeep trail. Wilderness permits for day hiking are available at the trailheads, and overnight hiking permits are available at Pacific Ranger Station.

Important Notices

  • Travel Notice: Starting May 2024 and continuing through September 2024, Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs. There will be traffic delays so plan your camping trip accordingly.

  • Be bear aware; keep all food out of site in approved containers or locked inside your vehicle, and remove all food from area after eating.

  • Equine and other packstock are not allowed in Wrights Lake Campground. Visitors traveling with pack and saddle stock should book their stay at the Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground .

  • There are no electric/water/sewer site hook-ups at this facility

  • Please Note: One vehicle per single site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee

  • Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.

  • Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (1PM) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

  • 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 retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).

  • Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
  • First Come First Serve sites remain listed as FF for the entire season. They will not show as occupied/available online as the status of these sites is ever changing. You must be on site at the campground to claim a FF site. No guarantees upon arrival that these FF sites will be avaiable.

  • There is a fee for moving from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy 

  • For more information on Eldorado National Forest, click here 

Available Activities

  • Swimming Site - Swimming Site
  • Day Use Area - Day Use Area
  • Fishing - Fishing
  • Camping - Camping
  • Birding - Birding
  • Hiking - Hiking
  • Non-Motorized Boating - Non-Motorized Boating

Directions

Take Highway 50 east of Placerville, California, for 11 miles. Turn left onto Ice House Road and continue for 9 miles, then turn right onto Wrights Lake tie road. After 2 miles, turn left onto Wrights Lake Road.

Cancellation Policy

<ul> <li>Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes.</li> <li>Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.</li> <li>Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing 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).</li> <li>Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.</li> <li>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 retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).</li> </ul>

Contact Information

Phone: 831-245-6891

ELDORADO
CA

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Available Campsites

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