Union West sits beside a granite-rimmed reservoir dotted with small islands, surrounded by red fir and lodgepole pine. The setting delivers the mountain lake experience without requiring a backpacking commitment.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Developed
- 💵Fee per Night
- Free
- 📍GPS
- 38.42658, -119.99850
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- 209-795-1381
- 🗺️Address
- CA
The Camp
The campground spreads through red fir and lodgepole pine forest right next to Union Reservoir. You're camping in a granite basin with expansive mountain views—the kind of Sierra Nevada setting that usually requires hiking to reach. The reservoir stays mostly full and its collection of small islands creates a more complex shoreline than the typical dammed lake.
The forest canopy provides natural shade and camping privacy, while the adjacent water means you can fish, paddle, or just sit by the shore without walking far from your site. It's the rare developed campground that doesn't feel like you've compromised much for the convenience of driving to your spot.