Wrights Lake

Eldorado National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Kyburz, CA, CA

Price: From $36 per night

Price range: $36–$72 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (127 reviews)

Season: May through October

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. At nearly 7,000 feet in elevation, the campground is surrounded by pine and fir trees with a grassy understory.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Camp Host, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/wrights-lake to be notified when sites open up.

Wrights Lake offers stunning Sierra Nevada scenery with access to Desolation Wilderness, excellent fishing, hiking, and non-motorized boating. Campers consistently rate it 4.8/5 stars, praising the beautiful landscape, spacious sites, and friendly camp host.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Coyote, and American Pika present in area. Also Golden Eagle and Valley Garter Snake reported.

Insider tips for Wrights Lake: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with limited availability Motorboats prohibited; bring kayaks or non-motorized boats Site #62 reported as spacious lot with room for activities; request similar sites when booking Payment by card available at campground

Skip Wrights Lake if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites; only suitable for self-contained RVs. You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only. You prefer developed facilities — vault toilets only, no shower/utility hookups.

Best time to visit Wrights Lake: July-September — Peak season within May-October operating window; wildflowers and birding noted as well-known activities.

Nearby campgrounds: Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground (ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST, CA), Harvey West Cabin (CAMINO, CA), Ice House (Twin Bridges, CA), Big Silver Group (POLLOCK PINES, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Wrights Lake

Cell signal at Wrights Lake (Kyburz, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

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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Eldorado National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Wrights Lake

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Kyburz, CA, CA★ 4.3 (127 reviews)From $36/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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. At nearly 7,000 feet in elevation, the campground is surrounded by pine and fir trees with a grassy understory.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites: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
Max RV99 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites45 sites
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsCamp Host
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

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; only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only✕ You prefer developed facilities — vault toilets only, no shower/utility hookups

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited availability

Motorboats prohibited; bring kayaks or non-motorized boats

Site #62 reported as spacious lot with room for activities; request similar sites when booking

Payment by card available at campground

Best: July-September

Peak season within May-October operating window; wildflowers and birding noted as well-known activities

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 · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Coyote, and American Pika present in area. Also Golden Eagle and Valley Garter Snake reported.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
831-245-6891· Eldorado National Forest
Getting there →

Take Highway 50 east of Placerville, California, for 11 miles. Turn left onto Ice House Road and continue for 9 miles, then turn right onto Wrights Lake tie road. After 2 miles, turn left onto Wrights Lake Road.

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 — Eldorado National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Eldorado National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Wrights Lake cost per night?+
Wrights Lake costs $36–$72 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Wrights Lake open?+
Wrights Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Wrights Lake have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Wrights Lake?+
Wrights Lake can accommodate RVs up to 99 feet.
How do I make reservations at Wrights Lake?+
Wrights Lake 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 Wrights Lake?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Wrights Lake is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Wrights Lake open, and what are check-in times?+
Wrights Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Royal Elk Park ManagementSite Transfer PolicyFacility Map & Brochure
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.

$36 /night★ 4.3 (127)
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 Wrights Lake cost per night?+
What season is Wrights Lake open?+
Does Wrights Lake have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground

ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST, CA

From $36/night

Harvey West Cabin

CAMINO, CA

From $105/night

Ice House

Twin Bridges, CA

From $36/night

Big Silver Group

POLLOCK PINES, CA

From $145/night

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