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Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)

Federal campground in Stanislaus National Forest

Location: Markleeville, CA, CA

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Union Reservoir is set in a granite basin with expansive mountain views. The reservoir has lots of small islands and is kept mostly full. The Union West campground is adjacent to the reservoir, nestled in red fir and lodgepole pine forest.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): moderate signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/union-west-union-reservoir-stanislaus-nf to be notified when sites open up.

Union Reservoir sits in a granite basin with expansive mountain views, nestled in red fir and lodgepole pine forest. Campers praise its beauty and first-come, first-serve availability, though fish populations can be sparse.

Wildlife alert: Spotted Owls, Bald Eagles, Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, and Northern Rubber Boas present in the area.

Insider tips for Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf): First-come, first-serve camping with no reservations required Book early as a federal campground with only 17 sites Access via Spicer Reservoir Road (paved) then gravel Forest Service roads

Skip Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only. You're planning to fish—recent reports note sparse fish populations.

Best time to visit Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf): May-October — Official operating season for the campground..

Nearby campgrounds: Sandy Flat - Utica Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) (Twain Harte, CA), New Spicer Meadows (CA), (Lake Alpine) West Shore (Arnold, CA), (Lake Alpine) Backpackers (Markleeville, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)

Cell signal at Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) (Markleeville, CA): moderate overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
  • AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) — photo 1
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Federal campground in Stanislaus National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)

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Markleeville, CA, CA★ 4 (0 reviews)From $30/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Union Reservoir is set in a granite basin with expansive mountain views. The reservoir has lots of small islands and is kept mostly full. The Union West campground is adjacent to the reservoir, nestled in red fir and lodgepole pine forest.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites✕ You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only✕ You're planning to fish—recent reports note sparse fish populations

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-serve camping with no reservations required

Book early as a federal campground with only 17 sites

Access via Spicer Reservoir Road (paved) then gravel Forest Service roads

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Spotted Owls, Bald Eagles, Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, and Northern Rubber Boas present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
209-795-1381· Stanislaus National Forest
Getting there →

From Highway 4, turn onto Spicer Reservoir Road (paved) and go 8 miles. Turn left onto 7N75; from there the roads are gravel. Continue .7 miles to a T-intersection. Follow the Forest Service sign to Union West Campground. Spicer Reservoir Road is 27 miles east of the Calaveras Ranger Station in Hathaway Pines, California 95233.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Stanislaus National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Stanislaus National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) cost per night?+
Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) open?+
Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)?+
Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)?+
Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) is rated moderate. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) open, and what are check-in times?+
Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Union West Campground Site Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$30 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) cost per night?+
What season is Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) open?+
Does Union West - Union Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Sandy Flat - Utica Reservoir (Stanislaus Nf)

Twain Harte, CA

From $30/night

New Spicer Meadows

CA

From $30/night

(Lake Alpine) West Shore

Arnold, CA

From $32/night

(Lake Alpine) Backpackers

Markleeville, CA

From $32/night

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