Camping at Bass Lake, CA: 8 Places to Camp

Looking to go camping at Bass Lake, CA?

Whether you’re looking for tent camping or RV parks, there are a number of options for a variety of group sizes.

Here are 8 places to camp at Bass Lake, CA, plus things to know before planning your camping trip.

Things to Know Before Planning a Bass Lake Camping Trip

Bass Lake is located in Sierra National Forest.
Bass Lake is 20 miles south of Yosemite National Park, near Oakhurst, California. This makes it a great destination to take a day trip to Yosemite, or a good home base to explore the park if you don’t manage to reserve a campground within the national park.
There are 7 campgrounds managed by Bass Lake Recreation Area, generally located along the western shore of Bass Lake, plus an RV park on the eastern side of the lake.
All of the campgrounds are pet-friendly. However, only 2 pets are allowed at the Bass Lake Recreation Area campsites.
When fire restrictions are in effect, campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Contact the Sierra National Forest Headquarters by calling (559) 297-0706 for information on current fire conditions.

Campgrounds at Bass Lake, CA

Below is a comprehensive list of the places you can stay on your Bass Lake camping trip.

Forks Campground

Forks Campground is about a mile east of the western end of Bass Lake.

The campsites don’t have lake views, but they are within walking distance of the shoreline so Bass Lake is still readily accessible.

This campground has 27 campsites. Three of the sites can only accommodate tents, but the remaining sites are suitable for RVs, trailers, and tents.

Every campsite includes a picnic table, pedestal grill, and a stone fire ring. The campground also has flush toilets (including ones that meet accessibility standards) and potable water. Nearby, The Forks Resort has a general store and restaurant.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Forks Campground.

Lupine Campground

Lupine Campground is located about halfway down Bass Lake.

It’s almost double the size of Forks Campground with with 50 campsites. Twelve of the sites are reserved for tents only. All other campsites can accommodate RVs and trailers in addition to tents.

Each campsite has a picnic table, a grill, and a campfire ring. The campground also provides accessible flush toilets and potable water.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Lupine Campground.

Cedar Bluff Campground

Cedar Bluff Campground is right next to Lupine Campground, near the middle of Bass Lake.

Cedar Bluff only has larger campsites that can accommodate up to 12 or 24 people depending on the site. This makes it a great place for mid-size groups to camp. If you need a campsite that can fit an even larger group, you’ll want to check out one of the two group campgrounds listed below.

The campground has 22 of these midi-size campsites, all of which can accommodate multiple RVs, trailers and tents. If your group plans to camp in tents, keep in mind that some sites are on steep slopes so tent space may be limited.

All of the campsites have a picnic table, grill, campfire ring. Additionally, the campground has accessible flush toilets and drinking water.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Cedar Bluff Campground.

Spring Cove Campground

Spring Cove campground is a mile further down Road 222 from Lupine and Cedar Bluff Campground.

Spring Cove is the largest campground at Bass Lake with 61 campsites. As a large campground, some campsites offer privacy while many others are close together. Additionally, some of the sites are situated well away from the lake.

The campsites at Spring Cove are good for those looking to camp in tents or small RVs. Large RVs do not fit well as there are tight turns to navigate through the campground.

This campground has a picnic table and campfire ring at every site, as well as accessible flush toilets and potable water.

As for things to do near Spring Cove, the trailhead for the Spring Cove Trail is located within the campground. Additionally, Wishon Boat Launch is a mile down the road.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Spring Cove Campground.

Wishon Point Campground

Wishon Point is the closest campground to the southeast end of the lake.

It has 46 campsites, a few of which have lake views. Eight of the campsites are only suitable for tents, while the rest can be used by campers coming with RVs, trailers, or tents. Motorhomes over 24 feet or trailers over 20 feet are not recommended because the campground has narrow, bumpy roads.

Each campsite includes a picnic table, a stone fire pit, and a pedestal grill. Note that the sites’ parking spurs are dirt, not paved. As with the other campgrounds, flush toilets and drinking water are available. Additional services including laundry, showers, and a general store are available at Miller’s Landing Resort.

If you’re looking to get out on Bass Lake, Wishon Point is only a minute drive away from the Wishon Boat Launch.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Wishon Point Campground.

Recreation Point Group Campground

Recreation Point is located at the northwest end of Bass Lake.

It is one of Bass Lake’s two group campgrounds. It’s the nicer of the two group campgrounds, as it’s next to the lake and has nicer facilities.

There are 4 group sites here, with separate picnic areas on an adjacent loop. Each campsite can hold up as many as 30 to 50 people, depending on the site.

As for camping equipment, Recreation Point’s sites can only accommodate tent camping.

All 4 campsites have a water faucet, picnic tables, and a large pedestal grill. Flush toilets are also available.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Recreation Point Group Campground.

Crane Valley Group Campground

Note: as of this writing, Crane Valley Group Campground is closed for hazardous tree removal. Check the reservation link at the end of this campground’s description to see if it has re-opened in future years.

Crane Valley is the second, larger group campground at Bass Lake.

It’s near the northwest end of Bass Lake, but about half a mile away from the water.

There are 7 group campsites here which can host up to 12 to 30 people depending on your selected site.

The amenities are minimal here. Portable toilets are available for restrooms and there is no drinking water. However, every campsite has grills, fire rings, and picnic tables.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campground at Crane Valley Group Campground.

Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort

Bass Lake at Yosemite is the only camping option on the eastern shore. This RV park is within walking distance of Bass Lake.

There are 178 full hookup RV sites here as well as tent sites.

Campers staying at Bass Lake at Yosemite have access to restrooms, showers, laundry, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. There is also plenty of entertainment for the family between a playground, pool, and a clubhouse.

Click here to reserve a site in Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort.

Interested in more places to camp in California? Here are more camping articles to check out:

As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.