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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

Wrights Lake

Forest Service campground in Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County, California. About 7,000 feet. 14.5 miles from South Lake Tahoe.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Eldorado National Forest
Elevation
About 7,000 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
65 37 standard non-electric, 19 tent only non-electric, 9 walk to
Longest rig
50 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
El Dorado County

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.

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.

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.

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

What people do here

  • birding
  • camping
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • non-motorized boating
  • swimming site

The land around Wrights Lake

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

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated May 2, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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