CuteCamper
New Melones Lake
New Melones Dam and Reservoir are part of the Central Valley Project - New Melones Unit operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. Located 60 miles upstream on the Stanislaus River from the confluence of the San Joaquin River. The reservoir has a capacity of 2.4 million acre feet of water with 100 miles of shoreline, and a water surface area of 12,500 acres. New Melones is located between the historic mining towns of Sonora and Angels Camp on Highway 49 and is nestled in the Foothill Oak Woodlands of the Sierras at the 1100 ft elevation. Summer temperatures range from 85-100F and winter range from 32-60F.Gloryhole Recreation Area has two campgrounds (Big Oak and Ironhorse) with 144 campsites, 3 day-use areas, 30 miles of hiking/biking trails, a fish cleaning station, a swim beach, and 2 boat launch ramps with parking lots. A full service marina and store complete with fuel and boat rentals are available. Tuttletown Recreation Area has 3 campgrounds (Acorn, Chamise, and Manzanita) with 161 campsites, 2 day-use areas, a boat launch ramp with parking lot, an RV dump station, and fish cleaning station. Two group campgrounds are available by reservation only.Campsites in both recreation areas have a combination of back in, pull through, and walk-in tent sites, complete with fire rings, picnic tables, shade trees, shared water, and flush toilets (with showers available in selected restrooms). Camping sites can accommodate up to 8 people with 2 vehicles, and do not have hookups. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a leash at all times.A year-round visitor center/musem is located on Highway 49 just south of the Stanislaus River bridge and is open from 10:00-4:00 daily. Features include a variety of exhibits highlighting the area's prehistory, the gold rush era of the "submerged town" of Melones, water management and conservation. Ranger-guided nature hikes and visitor center programs are provided year round, and evening campground programs are provided during the summer months.New Melones Lake is noted for outstanding year-round fishing for both cold and warm water species, and outstanding boating. Nature viewers and birders will find a number of species common to the Foothill Oak Woodland, with an occasional Bald Eagle and Osprey. Hikers and mountain bikers will enjoy the numerous trails through the woodland areas.
RecAreaDirections
From Sacramento, drive 46 miles south on I-5 to Stockton. At Stockton, east on California Highway 4 for 56 miles to Angels Camp. The Park headquarters is 8 miles south of Angels Camp along Highway 49.
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Permits info
Important Information
Must camp all nights on Lac LaCroix.
Facilities
TUTTLETOWN RECREATION AREA Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
Tuttletown Recreation Area is located at New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River. The 12,500 surface-acre lake is the fourth largest reservoir in California and is situated along the edge of the Mother Lode, the rich gold vein that prompted the California Gold Rush of 1849. At an elevation of 1100 feet, the Foothill Oak Woodlands hug the 100 miles of shoreline.
Popular activities on and around the large lake include fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing, sailing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, wildlife viewing, rock climbing, hiking, biking, and picknicking. The New Melones Visitor Center offers year-round interpretive events and a museum highlighting natural and cultural resources.
*COMING APRIL 2021: A new disc-golf course is being constructed and will be available for play!
Recreation
Hiking, fishing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, boating, sailing and biking are just some of the activities available in Tuttletown Recreation Area. Equestrian trails are also present in the Peoria Wildlife Mitigation Area and open for the general public. Camping is also permitted in designated campsites.
Other interesting sites include Natural Bridges, which can be accessed from Parrott's Ferry Road. It has a hiking trail and creek that flow through a marble cave. The Table Mountain Trail provides visitors an opportunity to hike to the top of an extensive lava flow which occurred over nine million years ago.
Facilities
The campground provides modern conveniences like flush toilets, showers and water spigots. Visitors will also find a fish cleaning station and electric vehicle charging station in the Lupine day use area. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at each campsite.
Recreation Area gates close at:
9:00pm: October 1 – March 31
10:00pm: April 1 – Memorial Day (May)
11:00pm: Memorial Day (May) – Labor Day (September)
10:00pm: Labor Day (September) – September 30
Natural Features
New Melones Lake is located in Northern California between the historic gold rush towns of Sonora and Angels Camp. The terrain varies from rolling hills to steep marble cliffs, and the vegetation consists of oaks, Ponderosa pines, chamise and buckbrush shrubs.Visitors can experience the beauty of New Melones by hiking the many trails in the Tuttletown and Glory Hole Recreation Areas.
The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. For those who wish to venture outside the main recreation areas, there are many unique places to visit. Overall, the geography is quite varied and provides many opportunities for all types of recreation.
Nearby Attractions
Tuttletown Recreation Area is surrounded by countless places of natural beauty, including Natural Bridges, Camp Nine, Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, Moaning Caverns, Big Trees State Park and Columbia State Park.Angels Camp Museum, Calaveras County Museum and Sonora Military Museum provide great opportunities for learning interesting information about the area.
Surrounding communities are popular vacation and retirement destinations and provide necessary services and shopping opportunities. Golfing, snow skiing, river rafting, commercial caves, historical railroad and Native American museums are also located nearby.
Charges & Cancellations
All site changes and cancellations need to be done through the Recreation.gov website.
GLORY HOLE RECREATION AREA Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
Glory Hole Recreation Area is located at New Melones Lake on the Stanislaus River. The 12,500 surface-acre lake is the fourth largest reservoir in California and is situated along the edge of the Mother Lode, the rich gold vein that prompted the California Gold Rush of 1849. At an elevation of 1100 feet, the diverse and resource-abundant Foothill Oak Woodlands hug the 100 miles of shoreline. Popular activities on and around the large, yet uncrowded lake include fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing, sailing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, wildlife viewing, rock climbing, hiking, biking, horseback riding and picknicking. The New Melones Visitor Center offers year-round interpretive events and a museum highlighting natural and cultural resources.Recreation
Hiking, fishing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, boating, sailing and road and mountain biking are just a few of the activities available in Glory Hole Recreation Area. Camping is also permitted in designated campsites. Equestrian trails are also present in the Peoria Wildlife Mitigation Area and open for the general public. Other interesting sites include Natural Bridges, which can be accessed from Parrott's Ferry Road and has a nice hiking trail and a creek that flows through a marble cave. The Table Mountain Trail provides visitors an opportunity to hike to the top of an extensive lava flow which occurred over nine million years ago.Facilities
The campground provides modern amenities like flush toilets, showers and drinking water. Visitors will also find a full-service marina, boat launch, day-use areas, barbeque grills and a fish cleaning station. There is an amphitheater for Ranger programs and horseshoe pits in the Ironhorse campground. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at each campsite.
Recreation Area gates close at:
9:00pm: October 1 – March 31
10:00pm: April 1 – Memorial Day (May)
11:00pm: Memorial Day (May) – Labor Day (September)
10:00pm: Labor Day (September) – September 30
Natural Features
New Melones Lake is located in Northern California between the historic gold rush towns of Sonora and Angels Camp. The terrain varies from rolling hills to steep marble cliffs, and the vegetation consists of oaks, Ponderosa pines, chamise and buckbrush shrubs.Visitors can experience the beauty of New Melones by hiking the many trails in the Tuttletown and Glory Hole Recreation Areas.
The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. For those who wish to venture outside the main recreation areas, there are many unique places to visit. Overall, the geography is quite varied and provides many opportunities for all types of recreation.
Nearby Attractions
Glory Hole Recreation Area is surrounded by many places of natural beauty including Natural Bridges, Camp Nine, Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, Moaning Caverns, Big Trees State Park and Columbia State Park.Angels Camp Museum, Calaveras County Museum and Sonora Military Museum also provide great opportunities for learning interesting information about the area.
Surrounding communities are popular vacation and retirement destinations and provide necessary services and shopping opportunities. Golfing, snow skiing, river rafting, commercial caves, historical railroad and Native American museums are close by as well.
Charges & Cancellations
All site changes and cancellations need to be done through the Recreation.gov website.
