Highland Lakes Campground

This area is beautiful.  At almost 9000 feet elevation, it is a great place to escape a heat wave on either side of the Sierra.  Reno was having 104 degree highs, so we were looking for elevation that was not too far away.  20 degrees cooler here.  Highway 4 over Ebbetts Pass is an interesting drive.  About 1-1/2 lanes wide, winding, no guard rails.  The 7 mile dirt road from Highway 4 to Highland Lakes takes awhile.  We go slow.  We put our van with a great unobstructed view over the lake out the slider and from under our awning looking towards Hiram Peak.  The hiking in the area was spectacular.  Lots of trails, snow fields, wild flowers, and wonderful views.

Toilets are full to the brim and the camp host is a psychopath thief. Beware of this guy, he is not whom he appears and has no problem stealing and deceiving you. NOT RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME!

Chilly nights and warm days. Great camping spots both at the lake and many good spots on the road in to the lake.

This campground is at the end of a long dirt road. 4x4 is apparently not strictly necessary but I would recommend it, particularly given the unpredictable weather (hail storm on July 25).

The views at the lakes are breathtaking. The campground is next to the smaller lake and has two sections. One is right by the road, fairly open and flat, and the other a bit up the hill, with sites that are more private, nestled around the trees. Most sites had fire pits with grills and a picnic table. Both sides have drinking well water with a had pump. Bathrooms were fairly clean and stocked with tp. The groundskeeper was friendly and helpful. The lakes are cold but apparently there is some trout. Looked like fly fishing was the way to go.

The main downside was how busy the area was, both with campers and day users. Given the COVID situation, reservations are not accepted and driving that road to end up without a campsite would be very unfortunate but highly likely. We ended up camping one night on the side of the road and were fortunate to get a spot for our second night.

This place is amazing. I’ve been five times since I discovered it late last year. This campground is about an hour’s drive to any kind of amenities or cell phone service. The road in is bumpy and there is a shallow creek that you will need to drive across, but I had no problems driving a 2wd Honda Fit compact car up. This park didn’t even open until late July this year due to all the snowfall. There is 1 vault toilet and an old-school hand pump for water, which isn’t always functioning so bring plenty of water. All of the sites are first come first served, each has a fire pit with grill plate, and a picnic table. No dumpsters for trash, pack it in and pack it out.

There is plenty of hiking, both steep and moderate. Folger peak trail can be very challenging due to all the loose shale. There is an equestrian trail that is more flat going the other direction which is less steep but still a very scenic hike. Ranchers bring their cattle up to graze during the summer months so you’ll hear their cowbells all day long. There is a weather station in the valley and it’s fairly accurate so you can get the forecast before you go, just google weather Highland Lakes. I would recommend a 4 season tent, even in the summer. On my last trip it was a little to cold for my taste so we drove back down the road and camped along the creek the last few nights.