4.0826 reviewsPrice
$22 - $35/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
11 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$22 - $35/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
11 campsites
Season
Open seasonally from...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Learn more about alerts →Portal Forebay Campground
Portal Forebay Campground, Kaiser Pass Road, Sierra National Forest, California
Tent campers and kayakers who want genuine solitude: carry-down boat access, a connector trail into the Ansel Adams Wilderness, and lake-view sites that rarely fill on weekdays. Bring all your water and pack layers for nights that drop into the 30s.
Kaiser Pass Road's single-lane blind curves have spooked drivers before, and there's no potable water on-site, no showers, and likely no cell signal. If any of those are non-negotiable, this road isn't worth the stress.
Reference information about Portal Forebay Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Located along Kaiser Pass Road at Portal Forebay Lake. Sites are shaded by pine and cedar trees and <font face="Times New Roman">each campsite has a picnic table, grill and bear-proof food storage locker. Vault toilets are provided. Drinking water is not available</font>. Paved and dirt roads provided access to the campground. Large RV's or motorhomes <strong>not recommended </strong>for travel on Kaiser Pass Road.</p>
The elevation is 7,300 ft. The camp sites, among sand, manzanita, Jeffrey pine, and boulders, are scattered along the shore of Portal Forebay. Portal Forbay is a small lake where the water from Edison and Florence Lakes "rest" before continuing into Huntington Lake. The sites are widely spaced providing excellent privacy. While some camp sites overlook Portal Forebay, others have a vista of the Ansel Adams Wilderness. The campground has a dispersed feel to it and is pack it in, pack it out. This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques. A bear-proof food container is located at each site.
Open mid-May through September 24
Drinking water is available at nearby High Sierra Ranger Station.
Portal Forebay is an estimated 10 acres.
From Lakeshore, CA, take Huntington Lake Rd. east 0.7 miles to Mono Hot Springs sign. Turn left after sign onto Kaiser Pass Trail/Forest Rt. 80 (paved) and go 9.3 miles to campground sign. Turn left at sign and go 0.2 miles to campground. NOTE: All but first 5.9 miles of access route is on a roughly paved, single- lane road with numerous blind curves - a "white knuckle" experience.
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Summer delivers the best conditions. Expect warm, sunny days in the 65-80°F range and cool nights dropping into the mid-30s to 40s. The temperature swing is dramatic: hot enough during the day for swimming and boating, cold enough at night that you'll want layers and a good sleeping bag. The campground is fully serviced through the core summer months, with midweek visits offering the most solitude. Mosquitoes are persistent, so bring repellent. Weekend crowds are moderate but manageable.
Open season and best conditions June–Sept; warm days and cool nights favored by reviewers.
Drinking water is not available. Paved and dirt roads provided access to the campground. Large RV's or motorhomes not recommended for travel on Kaiser Pass Road.
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