Union East Campground
Union Reservoir is set in a granite basin with expansive mountain views. The reservoir has lots of small islands and is kept mostly full. The campground is adjacent to the reservoir, nestled in red fir and lodgepole pine forest.
More like this: first-come in California · tent only in California
Site map
12 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | The Forest Service operates the Union East Campground and charges the following fees: New campsite fee prices, 2024 & 2025 $25 per night and fee raises to $30 per night in 2026. The America the Beautiful, Interagency Senior and Access Passes are honored and receive 50% off the nightly rate. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Stanislaus National Forest |
| Fees | The Forest Service operates the Union East Campground and charges the following fees: New campsite fee prices, 2024 & 2025 $25 per night and fee raises to $30 per night in 2026. The America the Beautiful, Interagency Senior and Access Passes are honored and receive 50% off the nightly rate. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 38.4281° N, 119.9923° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBig Trees State Park Broadcast Burn Rx
20 mi from the campground · 170 acres
- PrescribedSly Park Rx
37 mi from the campground · 36 acres
- PrescribedSpooner Pile Rx
47 mi from the campground · 5 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Bear Valley Adventure Company ↗ | 3.6 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 34.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Custom Truck Accessories ↗ | 50.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 1.3 miSummit Lake/ Mud Lake Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 3.7 miSilver Valley Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 9.5 miCottonwood Day Use ↗Day use
- 11.5 miBlack Springs Ohv Area ↗OHV / range
- 11.5 miBlack Springs Ohv Campground ↗OHV / range
- 14.1 miSourgrass Day Use ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.1 mi7n75 Snow Trail0.7 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
- 0.1 miUnion Rock Lake1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 1.1 mi7n17g Snow Trail2.3 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
- 1.1 miSummit Lake0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.2 mi07n17 Snow Trail3.6 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski, snowcoach
- 1.5 miElephant Rock2.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
Trailheads within three miles
- 1.2 miElephant Rock Lake Trailhead ↗Stanislaus National Forest
- 1.3 miSummit Lake/ Mud Lake Trailhead ↗Stanislaus National Forest
- 1.9 miSpicer Sand Flat Trailhead (at Spicer Reservoir) ↗Stanislaus National Forest
- 2.6 miWheats Meadow Trailhead (Spicer Dam side) ↗Stanislaus National Forest
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Stanislaus National Forest.
- inStanislaus National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,090,354 acres
- 3.5 miMokelumne Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 104,048 acres
- 4.6 miCarson-Iceberg Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 158,147 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Baker Highway Maintenance StationHistoric district · Strawberry · 14.5 mi
Guidebooks for California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Union East Campground?
No. Union East Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Union East Campground?
The Forest Service operates the Union East Campground and charges the following fees: New campsite fee prices, 2024 & 2025 $25 per night and fee raises to $30 per night in 2026. The America the Beautiful, Interagency Senior and Access Passes are honored and receive 50% off the nightly rate.
Source: Forest Service
Is Union East Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Union East Campground?
Union East Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Union East Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Union West (0.4 mi), Sandy Flat (1.1 mi), and Spicer Reservoir Group Campground (1.9 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby