Description
Get stoned on the high country at Highland Lakes Campground. Sitting at 8,500 feet in the sky, this camp is a sight for sore eyes. The deep blue alpine lake, the peak of Ebbetts Pass in the back drop, and the meadow valley radiating with green life, can you say “Ah-ooo-Gah!” These lakes hold a unique feature as they flow into two different watersheds. Come check out mother earths magic with a hike around the area, or an afternoon catching and/or releasing. Scan the sky for clouds. If all is well and good-weathered, ditch the rainfly and fall asleep counting shooting stars.
Activities
Offered near the campground.
Biking
If you’re into mountain biking, or if you’re just curious, bring your two-wheeler out to Stanislaus for expert and beginner tra...Read more
Boating
Wanna zip around with your small motorboat across clear water surrounded by towering granite peaks? Not only can you do that in...Read more
Fishing
Stanislaus is busting with lakes and ponds, which means it’s fishing galore. Catch some pretty rainbow trout, like this guy. ...Read more
Hiking
Hiking through Stanislaus is a unique geological experience, whether you’re big into geology or not. You can see granite glacia...Read more
Horseback riding
400 miles of horseback riding trails and plenty of horse-friendly base camps make Stanislaus the ideal adventure for you and yo...Read more
Paddling
If you have a paddle boat of any kind, you’ll want to bring it out while you’re here. Kayak or canoe through the Utica and Uni...Read more
Wind sports
That’s right water babies, you can even windsurf here. Cherry Lake is the place to be for windsurfing, so if that’s your thi...Read more
Off-roading (OHV)
If you’ve been itching for some mind-blowing scenery to try out your new four-wheeler, this would be the place to do it. You ca...Read more
Climbing
With all the epic rock formations here, you know there are gonna be some sweet climbing options. Calaveras Ranger District ha...Read more
Snow sports
In the winter months, Stanislaus becomes a snowy wonderland (well, really, at high elevations, there’s snow for most of the yea...Read more
Swimming
Waterfalls, epic swimming holes, and beautiful pristine lakes are scattered throughout Stanislaus. The first thing we would rec...Read more
Whitewater paddling
If a relaxing dip or leisurely paddle isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, there are some rapids for you to conquer too. You ...Read more
Wildlife watching
Of course such a beautiful landscape is bound to be the home of equally awesome creatures. Bell Creek is a great place to chi...Read more
Terrain
Natural features you'll find at Highland Lakes Campground.
The vibe at Highland Lakes Campground
8 Reviews
Pack in all your own water, food, and firewood. There are no services for miles.
Difficult to get to and no amenities other than broken down pit toilets and snow-crushed picnic tables. The water pump is broken, so pack in all water. We experienced the most violent, frightening thunder/hail storm of our lives up there in July. It's high and unprotected, and the only refuge from the storm was the car. It's beautiful, but be prepared to literally be one with nature and all the elements can throw at you.
experienced campers - I do not recommend this place. Thought this was going to be the perfect beautiful get away for our extended weekend. What we found was a run-down campground in serious need of repairs. Picnic tables smashed into the mud or legs broken off, the water pump out of service, the outhouse broken down and not venting properly.... We were grateful we got there early in the week as the place was packed out by Thursday afternoon; I felt badly for all the campers driving in Thursday night through Saturday looking for a place to camp. This place is remote with 6 miles of bad road to get to it, and the nearest cell-service a 1.25 hour drive away (or hike to the top of a nearby peak. Heaven forbid if you have an emergency.
Already left a review, but wasn't given the choice to recommend or not. Definitely a NO unless you like the adventure of quickly coming up with a 'Plan B' when campsites are full on a Thursday or when you realize you don't have enough water to make it through the week (hand pump was broken). Must love difficult roads, mosquitos, intense hail storms in August, total 'roughing it' to like this place. Yes it is beautiful, but there are much better places to go.
- Park
- Stanislaus National Forest
- State
- California
- Country
- United States
- Phone Number
- (209) 532-3671
- Directions
- View on Google Maps
- Official Website
- View Website
- Coordinates
- 38.489° N, 119.807° W
- $12/night
- Tent / RV / Trailer: 35 Sites (Up to people per site)