Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground
Eldorado National Forest, California
About this campground
The campground is situated near the Wrights Lake Campground in a grassy, open timber stand near the stream flowing from the spillway of Wrights Lake.
The Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground is available to visitors travelling with equestrian or packstock animals.
The campground provides access to the stream and lake, where visitors enjoy trout fishing, swimming and paddling.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 38.841911° N
- Longitude
- 120.235206° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-in
Site types
- Equestrian sites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Amphitheater
- ADA access
- Picnic table
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
- Parking
- Back-in sitesCommunity report
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Overview
The Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground is available to visitors travelling with equestrian or packstock animals. The campground is situated near the Wrights Lake Campground in a grassy, open timber stand near the stream flowing from the spillway of Wrights Lake. The area is well-known for its vistas, hiking, wildflowers and birding.
Facilities
The campground offers 15 campsites for tents or RVs with equestrians and other packstock. Each site is equipped with a table, campfire ring and grill; there are no hookups. Firewood can be gathered in the area. The campground has accessible vault toilets.
Recreation
The campground provides access to the stream and lake, where visitors enjoy trout fishing, swimming and paddling. Motorboats are prohibited in the area. Stock users will enjoy access to multiple equestrian trails providing enjoyable rides throughout the back country and Desolation Wilderness, but may not ride through the Wrights Lake Campground and Day Use areas. An equestrian trail map is posted in the campground. Educational programs are offered at the Wrights Lake Campground amphitheater.
Natural Features
At nearly 7,000 feet in elevation, the campground is surrounded by a mixed conifer forest with a grassy understory. Large lodgepole and fir trees help shade the campsites. Wildflowers bloom throughout the spring and summer seasons. The campground is near Wrights Lake, a shallow 40-acre body of water popular for its serene and quiet atmosphere.
Nearby Attractions
Barrett Lake 4WD trail is popular for both motorized and non-motorized recreation. Desolation Wilderness permits for day trips are available at the wilderness trailheads, and overnight hiking permits are available at the Pacific Ranger Station, or online .
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Camping
- BoatingCanoeing
- BikingMountain Biking
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Potable water
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Amphitheater
- Accessible Drinking Water
- Accessible Vault Toilets
- Parking Area
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Equestrian Non-Electric
15 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Horse
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 35 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 1:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Base site allowance
- • Recreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity. • Reservation Fee: A fee may be charged at the time a reservation is made to cover the cost of reservation services. This fee is in addition to the Recreation Fee and is non-refundable. Fees for camping, day use, group sites, cabins and lookouts: $8 if made on-line; $9 if made through the call center; $3 if made in-person.
- Max Stay
- 14 nights
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Reservation cutoff
- 1 day before arrival
- Scan And Pay
- 1
- Maximum published vehicles
- 2 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 1:00 PM
- Food storage
- Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Eldorado National Forest.
- Fire and stove use
- Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground's official facility record states: Each site is equipped with a table, campfire ring and grill; there are no hookups.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Sep 27, 2026
- Next release
- Jan 1, 2027, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- Jul 1, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 27, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonJul 1, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Equestrian Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Equestrian Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJul 1, 2027 – Sep 6, 2027 | Equestrian Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2027 – Sep 27, 2027 | Equestrian Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJul 1, 2028 – Sep 6, 2028 | Equestrian Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2028 – Sep 27, 2028 | Equestrian Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Travel Notice : Starting May 2024 and continuing through September 2024, Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs. There will be traffic delays so plan your camping trip accordingly.
- Please Note : One equine or other pack animal is required per site. Campers traveling without equine or packstock will be required to leave and no refund will be granted.
- Bears frequent the area; use appropriate food containers.
- Equestrians and packstock are only allowed in the Equestrian Campground and on trails marked for equestrian use.
- Vehicles : One vehicle per single site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee
- Fire Restrictions : Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.
- Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (1PM) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
- Refunds : Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).
- First Come First Serve sites remain listed as FF for the entire season. They will not show as occupied/available online as the status of these sites is ever changing. You must be on site at the campground to claim a FF site. No guarantees upon arrival that these FF sites will be avaiable.
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information, visit firewood.ca.gov.
- There is a fee to move from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy
- For more information on Eldorado National Forest, click here
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Placerville, CA: Travel US-50 east approximately 25 miles to Ice House Road. Turn north onto Ice House Road. Take the 1st right to stay on Ice House Road. Travel approximately 10 miles to the junction with Big Hill Lookout Road/Wrights Lake Tie Road. Turn right toward Ice House Reservoir on the Wrights Lake Tie Road. At approximately 1.2 miles, stay to the left. Travel another 1.7 miles, turn left. Continue approximately 6.2 miles to Wrights Lake Road (Wrights Road). Turn left and travel another 2 miles to the campground.
Facility contact
530-644-2324 · info@royalelkparkmanagement.com