California Public Lands & Recreation Areas
National forests, trailhead campgrounds, and permit areas — focused on where you'll actually hike. Powered by Recreation.gov.
Hiking Areas & Wilderness
6 areas
Angeles National Forest
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve/ACEC is well recognized as an important wildlife corridor that links BLM's San Gorgonio Wilderness with the San Bernardino National Forest and Joshua Tree National Park.
Merced River Recreation Management Area
The Merced River Recreation Management Area is a very special place just downstream from Yosemite. It is well known for excellent whitewater boating, wildflower viewing, camping, swimming, and recreational gold panning/prospecting.
San Bernardino National Forest
Sequoia National Forest
Yosemite National Park
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.
Campgrounds
17 areas
Agnew Horse Camp
Agnew Horse Camp is located in Reds Meadow Valley, just west of the full-service community of Mammoth Lakes, California. This equestrian camp provides access to some of the most spectacular wilderness in the Sierras and many outdoor activities such as horseback riding, fishing, h…
Big Pine Canyon
Big Pine Canyon Recreation Area includes two group campground sites. Named for glaciers that can be seen at the end of the valley, Clyde Glacier Group Site and Palisade Glacier Group Site sit along Big Pine Creek.
Bishop Park Group
Families, friends and special interest groups enjoy Bishop Park for its access to prime fishing and its serene setting on Bishop Creek. The group campground one of the most popular facilities in the Bishop Creek Area.
Coldwater Campground - Inyo NF (CA)
Coldwater Campground is located high in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The surrounding national forest provides many opportunities for family fun, outdoor recreation and relaxation.
Convict Lake Campground
Convict Lake Campground is situated near Convict Lake amidst the beautiful scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The lake and surrounding national forest provide many opportunities for family fun, outdoor recreation and relaxation.
East Fork Campground – Inyo National Forest (CA)
East Fork Canyon is in a beautiful wooded section of Rock Creek Canyon, near Lower Rock Creek. Anglers, hikers and photographers enjoy this scenic location in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
Green Creek Group
Green Creek Group Campground is located about 12 miles from Bridgeport, California, at an elevation of 7,500 feet. Visitors enjoy fishing on Green Creek and hiking the Green Creek Trail.
Lone Pine
Lone Pine Campground is located near the base of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States, offering unparalleled views of the mountain and surrounding peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Lower Twin Lakes At Bridgeport
Lower Twin Lakes Campground is located just 10 miles from Bridgeport, California. The Twin Lakes area is close by, offering boating, fishing, hiking and horseback riding opportunities.
Old Shady Rest Campground
Old Shady Rest Campground is a large facility convenient to numerous outdoor activities and attractions in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, and within walking distance of the full-service community of Mammoth Lakes.
Reversed Creek Campground
Reversed Creek Campground is a small, shaded and private facility in the June Lake area of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Within a few miles, campers can access two lakes with fishing and boating opportunities, scenic views and the small town of June Lake.
Robinson Creek North
Robinson Creek North Campground is located just 9 miles from Bridgeport, California, next to Robinson Creek at an elevation of 7,000 feet. The Twin Lakes area is close by, offering boating, fishing, hiking and horseback riding opportunities.
Rock Creek (Sierra National Forest, CA)
Rock Creek Campground will be closed until further notice due to a massive hazard tree removal. Rock Creek Campground sits on a large, sandy flat under a grove of oak, pine and cedar trees. The sites are divided into three sections, with Rock Creek running through the middle.
Sherwin Creek
Sherwin Creek Campground is located in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains within 2 miles of the full-service community of Mammoth Lakes, California. Popular among anglers, hikers, off-road vehicle enthusiasts and photographers, the campground is near some of the most spectacular…
Silver Lake Campground June Lake (CA)
Silver Lake Campground is nestled between Silver Lake and the dramatic scenery of the Ansel Adams Wilderness in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. This is a great base camp for fishing, boating, hiking, picnicking, horseback riding and photography.
Table Mountain (inyo)
Table Mountain Group Campground is located 18 miles southwest of Bishop, California, along the South Fork of Bishop Creek. Here, the creek has bountiful trout to please anglers. Nearby glaciers and lakes make for incredible scenery and wildlife viewing is excellent.
Twin Lakes Campground
Twin Lakes Campground is located in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. It offers lakeside camping with breathtaking scenery and many outdoor activities.
Permit Areas
2 areas
Pacific Crest- Owens Peak Segment
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCNST or PCT for short) is a continuous hiking and equestrian route extending 2,600 miles from Canada to Mexico.
Pine Flat Lake
Less than an hour east of Fresno in the Sierra and Sequoia National Forests. The scenic and rugged Kings River Canyon is the location of this beautiful park where fishing, boating, and waterskiing are all available.