June Lake, California, is located in the Eastern Sierra and is known for being a resort community in the area. While there are so many activities between hiking, camping, and scenic drives, it is most known for the picturesque downtown area. The lake itself covers 320 acres and is one of the largest natural lakes in the area. Nearby you’ll find Yosemite National Park and several other National Forests and National Parks.
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How to Get to June Lake
While June Lake is nestled between many National Parks, it is located right off of CA-158 and easily accessible from any major city in California. To reach June Lake, it’s about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Fresno, CA, a five-hour drive from San Francisco, and a two-hour and forty-five-minute drive from Reno, NV.
When to Visit June Lake
Largely depends on what you would like to do. The summer season is trendy but is a great time to see if you will enjoy warmer weather and water activities. If you’re looking for the best fishing opportunities, you should aim to come in spring for the best opportunities on the water. The fall color is fantastic in June Lake, and while the weather is a little cooler, it is a great time to camp and hike in the area. Take advantage of this great time of year to visit with fewer crowds!
RV Camping June Lake
Golden Pine RV Park
Located just off HWY-158, Golden Pine RV Park is open from May through October and features 25 RV sites with full hookups. Amenities at the park include picnic tables, fire pits, restrooms, showers, laundry, and fish cleaning facilities. Fun activities at Golden Pine RV Park involve games like horseshoes, cornhole, or swimming in Gull Lake.
Grant Lake Marina Campground
Grant Lake is the largest of the four lakes in the June Lake area. At Grant Lake Marina, you’ll find a full-service marina that features docks, fishing boat rentals, and a launch. In addition, you’ll find a campground with 70 sites. The RV sites feature water and sewer hookups and showers, and restrooms.
Gull Lake Campground
In the Inyo National Forest is a small campground called Gull Lake Campground with eleven RV sites. This campground accommodates tents and RVs under 25′, and five areas are right on Gull Lake. Gull Lake Campground sits above 7,000 feet and offers no hookups aside from a water spigot.
June Lake Campground
June Lake Campground is located within walking distance of the cute downtown area of June Lake while also providing easy access to fishing, a marina, and boat rentals, making this campground a perfect spot for your vacation. Here you’ll find several campsites in loops around the campground, with standard non-electric sites, flush toilets, picnic tables, and food storage lockers.
New Shady Rest Campground
Another campground located in Inyo National Forest, New Shady Rest Campground, is a large campground popular for hiking, mountain biking, and being close to Mammoth Lakes. This campground has two large loops with several amenities, such as restrooms, campfire rings, bear-proof lockers, and picnic tables.
Oh Ridge Campground
You’ll find fantastic lake and mountain views at this family-friendly June Lake RV Park. This large campground is organized around several loops and offers drinking water, flush toilets, picnic tables, grills, and bear-proof lockers. Close to the campground, you can find trails, the lake, and the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Reserved Creek Campground
Reserved Creek Campground is located within a few miles of two lakes and offers access to the boat ramp and marina nearby June Lake and Oh Ridge campgrounds. Here you’ll find a small facility with private campsites that provide drinking water, flush toilets, and bear-proof lockers.
Silver Lake Campground
Silver Lake Campground is situated between Silver Lake and the immense scenery of Ansel Adams Wilderness. This campground is in the perfect location for all your outdoor activities, including fishing, boating, hiking, and more. You can fish from the campground on Rush Creek, and you’ll appreciate the spread-out RV sites with drinking water, flush toilets, picnic tables, campfire rings, and bear-proof lockers.
June Lake Recreational Activities
The clear and pristine waters of June Lake make it a popular spot for fishing, kayaking, and swimming. Hiking and biking trails wind through the surrounding forests and meadows, providing stunning views of the area’s natural beauty. In winter, the slopes of June Mountain Ski Area offer downhill skiing and snowboarding. After a day of fun in the sun or snow, visitors can relax in one of the town’s charming restaurants or pubs.
Ansel Adams Wilderness
Is located within the Inyo National Forest and encompasses 232,000 acres, with some portions managed by the Sierra National Forest. The landscape features granite peaks, steep-walled gorges, and several rock outcroppings with elevations ranging from 3500 feet to 12,157 feet. The wilderness area includes close to 350 miles of trails, including portions of the Jon Muir and Pacific crest trails.
Lake Tahoe
Is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains that shares Southern California and Nevada border. It’s about a two-hour drive from June Lake but is a unique and famous destination. If you choose to continue your journey onwards to Lake Tahoe, there are several great camping opportunities to take advantage of while you’re there.
Mono Lake
Mono Lake is an ancient saline lake located at the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Many animals, including brine shrimp and millions of birds, call this area home. Due to the lack of an outlet, high levels of salt accumulate in the lake, which causes the water to be alkaline. It’s a unique experience to view the limestone towers and swim in the water, which locals claim will “cure anything.”
Yosemite National Park
Is only a thirty-minute drive from June Lake and makes for the perfect day trip if you’re staying in the area for a few days. Most well-known for its large, ancient sequoia trees and granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome, you can also spend the day hiking.
Conclusion
June Lake is an excellent destination for camping and fishing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In addition to providing an abundance of campgrounds, it’s also ideally situated to explore other National Parks; with so many California RV Parks and a cute downtown, you can’t go wrong with June Lake!
For more great RV Camping in the California Sierra, visit Lake McClure
Feature image Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA – God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Tony is an avid camper and RV traveler. He fell in love with camping on his first RV trip with his wife over 25 years ago. Tony loves sharing lessons learned and tips about RV maintenance and safe traveling.