A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Cherry Valley

Forest Service campground in Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County, California. 4,883 feet. 25.4 miles from Sonora.

Managed by
Forest Service Stanislaus National Forest
Elevation
4,883 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
45 31 standard non-electric, 14 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
24 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Situated in the central Sierra Nevada, camping at Cherry Valley campground offers many beautiful sights. It is located in a forest of mixed conifers about 1.5 miles northeast of Cherry Valley Dam, 1 hour east of Tuolumne City, 1 hour northeast of Groveland, and 2.5 hours from the northwestern border of Yosemite National Park. Lake access is available via a hiking trail. The road to the campground is a winding mountain road and must be taken slowly.

Recreation

There are unlimited opportunities for fishing on lakes and rivers and for exploring hiking trails in the area. Cherry Lake has a boat ramp near the dam, conveniently located off Cherry Lake Road. Visitors to Cherry Valley can enjoy a quiet lake experience great for water sports, swimming, and fishing.

Facilities

Cherry Valley has 41 single and five double family sites with paved roads and spurs. Each site has a table and campfire pit with a grill. Drinking water and vault toilets are available. The opening and closing dates are somewhat weather dependent, but the campground is generally open for the first day of fishing season, the last Friday in April. Pets are welcome, but must be compliant with Tuolumne County leash laws.

Natural Features

Visitors to Cherry Valley campground can enjoy easy access to nearby Cherry Lake, the largest lake in the Stanislaus National Forest. Anglers flock to Cherry Lake every year, plotting their next catch of eastern brook trout, German brown trout, kokanee salmon, and rainbow trout.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • hunting
  • scenic drive
  • star gazing
  • visitor center
  • water sports
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Cherry Valley

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated July 15, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.