This campsite cost $20 per night and has toilets that drop into the ground and a spigot for water. You'll need to bring everything else for your comfort and truck out your trash. It's about 45 minutes from the bottom of the hill off Sierra Madre Ave and San Gabriel Canyon rd. No cellphone service a mile from that intersection going north into the canyon. If you're going in two or more cars you should bring walkie talkies and that'll be useful when you look for a campsite if it's packed or all sites are taken. Drive around separately to locate a site for yourself. Some sites allow for single car usage and others allowed for three or more cars. The car that pays for the campsite doesn't need to buy the adventure pass but those additional cars do and it's $5 per day. As soon as you find a site. Park your vehicle there and trek over to the ranger station and tell them the Loop your on and the campsite # your at and pay the fee. They'll give you a piece of paper you attach to your site number so when the ranger comes by to verify they'll know you paid. They have trails to Crystal lake and around the campsite. Bring plenty of drinkable water especially during the summer months. Most campsites have shade but some do not. There are roughly 125 campsites in all. You can just go there for the day but you'll still need an adventure pass to park in the parking lot. The actual lake as of summer 2025 is low and not safe to swim in but you can fish and you'll need a fishing license to do that. You don't need a 4x4 vehicle to go up to the campsite as the roads are all paved. Come and check this campground out in your next adventure to your local mountains! read more

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Great spot for camping with friends and family. The only issue was the bathroom and trash. It's dirty but then again it's camping. I recommend bringing your camping toilet read more

Friendly staff, large camp sites neighbors are far enough (trust). Beautiful! GO don't wait you may never go. Female solo tent camping bring wood more than you think (affordable that the cafe), its cold at night Love it. read more

Crystal Lake campground bathrooms need help! Let me emphasize this...the bathrooms here need serious help. I love camping and I understand that the idea of maintaining a toilet may be difficult in a forest environment, but these facilities need either regular maintenance or should just be shut down. The smell is horrific, and the amount of flies in the bathroom feasting on the poop that is drenched along the rim and bowl of the toilets says to me that these spaces haven't been cleaned in months. I really enjoyed Crystal Lake itself and the grounds, but I highly recommend that people plan an alternative solution for bathroom needs. In my opinion it is required that you bring your own toiletries and I feel the best solution is to bring your own portable toilet tent. I noticed others had made this choice and if I had known, my 3 day trip would have been better. On one night, in the women's bathroom, someone decided to poop on the floor. I imagine pooping in the toilet was too gross for them. The level of abhorrence that person must have felt is truly undeniable. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Grounds - Bathroom , one of many along the grounds - Campgrounds Near Me - Azusa, California

Place was great for being a 1st come 1st serve campsite so no need to book a reservation. Only thing negative is campfires aren't allowed around this time. Not even gas stoves I think. And you better put away your food in the bear box early because mama bear will be there nightly to look for food. Scary and fun at the same time lol u better set up tents close from everybody so u have other people to warn u if the bear is around ur tent read more

It was a hard decision over the rating. I'd say it's like a 3.5 but lower because I value my sleep! The campgrounds are nice because there are plenty of spots that are flat with trees, fire pits and tables with benches. The trees are extra nice during the summer and good shelter either way. The price isn't so bad. It's June 2024 and the price per night is $12 and $5 for any additional car. The toilets don't flush by water and I didn't see any showers. There are sinks inside the restrooms and spigots available. Crystal lake isn't too far and was glad to hike in shaded areas. There is a cafe where you can pick up a barrel of firewood which could really increase the camp cost. If you want to save money, I'd recommend bringing your own firewood if you are reading this. The biggest downside...but...not sure if it was just the weekend we stayed but no one enforced the quiet hours. Basically people played loud music the 2 nights we camped until at around 2 am and then people with loud cars and motorcycles....or car alarms started making noise before 6 am! If you got this far my review, my recommendation is to BRING earplugs! ...Or noise cancelling headphones. I would probably come back here as a day trip and would be interested to check it out again during the snowy season. read more

Crystal Lake Campground is one of our absolute favorite last-minute camping spots in California! The best part? No reservations are needed, making it perfect for spontaneous weekend getaways. Although the lake isn't part of the campground itself, the hike in is well worth it. This year has been especially fantastic because the lake is full thanks to the rains. It's great for fishing, though not ideal for swimming. The trail offers stunning views and a rewarding destination for a peaceful afternoon by the water. When we camp, we always bring our own toilet. Crystal Lake has pit toilets, so while they are cleaned from time to time, they are what they are. The serene forest surroundings create the perfect backdrop for relaxation and adventure. We've enjoyed everything from a peaceful hike to tadpole spotting, and simply unwinding by the campfire. We tend to avoid busy weekends and holidays because we prefer a quieter time, and it can get really full during those periods, and not everyone is a camper. The staff is friendly and always ready to help, making our stays here even more enjoyable. There is a wilderness store for firewood and just in case you forgot something. Whether you're planning a quick escape or a longer stay, Crystal Lake Campground never disappoints. Highly recommend for nature lovers and families alike! read more

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My friends and I (a group of 13) spent a long weekend at Crystal Lake Campground at the end of May, and it was simply amazing! The scenery was breathtaking, and we loved being surrounded by nature. The park rangers were helpful and friendly. They gave us great tips and made sure we had everything we needed for a fantastic stay. There were a lot of people there for the long weekend, so spaces were limited. Despite the crowd, the campground was clean, well-maintained, and spacious enough to accommodate everyone. We still found plenty of room to relax and enjoy our time outdoors. We had a blast hiking, sitting around the campfire, and just soaking in the beautiful environment. It was such a wonderful experience, and we can't wait to come back. If you're looking for a place to unwind and enjoy nature, Crystal Lake Campground is the perfect spot! read more

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Pros: Prices are great $12 per day. Plenty of camping spots. On Site camping table. On Site fire pit. Nearby water valves throughout campsites. Crystal Lake Cafe is open if you forgot some items, need a map, want coffee, or a quick bite. Cons: No showers. Dirty toilets, toilets are not cleaned regularly. A lot of flies due to visitors peeing on the trees and the dirty toilets. No easy access to the lake. No cellphone/WiFi access, consider saving maps and entertainment on your phone in advance. Limited roadside assistance. Visitors do not clean up after themselves. There is easy access to trash containers. Clean up your trash when you leave. Leave nature as you found it. Consider bringing your own toilet, toilet paper, and shower. Bring bug repellent. You may also want to consider renting a cabin in advance. read more

Beautiful, dog-friendly campground with a variety of hiking trails. I took my pup here for a hiking adventure and he had a blast. We did the Windy Gap trail and also did a loop around Crystal Lake. Both were nice... but don't expect too much of the lake. You could get away with your Nike's but hiking shoes are recommended. Adventure Pass requires; $5... cash only. read more

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No better way to kill time during covid than to explore the Angeles National Forest. Decided to drive about as far as Route 39 would take me, which was a few miles away from Crystal Lake. Route 39 continues to be closed indefinitely, so made a U-Turn at the closure and ended up exploring here. The entrance to the parking lot close to the lake is actually closed, but you can park right outside the road (there's a small dirt "lot" when I arrived and two other cars were already parked there, so it seemed fine). Walked a few minutes down the paved road to the actual lot itself to begin the quick walk down to the lake. Note restrooms here are also closed as expected during covid. As others have mentioned, this isn't a very busy spot, and was really quiet. Perfect if you want a quick getaway and to hike around someplace with little to no traffic. I came during a foggy day, and it was a pretty cool scene to be in. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Grounds - Foggy day - Campgrounds Near Me - Azusa, California

Excellent campground with plenty of locations to choose from with nearby hiking trails read more

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I enjoyed my mini weekend vacation by renting a furnished rustic cabin for $150.00 per night. There is also a $100.00 cash only cleaning fee deposit refundable after your stay. Make sure to ask for a receipt of your $100.00 cash deposit. You must clean the cabin before you leave. Floor vacuum, broom, garbagebags are provided. No smoking allowed.The cabins and the camp store & snack bar are privately owned by Adam, his wife and 2 kids. You can order breakfast burrito, cheese burger, tuna sandwich, drinks, etc. A cart piled up with wood for campfire is $20.00. You need to bring your bed sheets, blanket, pillows, towel, toiletries. The cabins offer fully equipped bathrooms with hot showers, fully equipped kitchens with stove, microwave and refrigerator, heater. All cabins have outside fire rings, barbecue and tables to enjoy the outdoors. The cabins have TV's with VCR's and DVD's and a lot of movies for your entertainment. Sorry, there is no TV signal, no cell phone signals, no internet access in the San Gabriel Mountains! Dont throw toilet paper in the toilet bowl to avoid plumbing problems & overflow due to old narrow pipes. Throw used toilet paper in the trash can and you must discard the trash yourseld in a designated trash bin outside . Quiet time is 10 pm. Checkout is 10 am. You must pour water on the fire ring before you go to bed to prevent a fire and stay safe. For reservations, special rates during weekdays, and for discounts, please call Adam 626 910 1029. read more

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What's the difference between Crystal Lake and Crystal Lake Camp Ground? A big difference indeed. If you come for the lake, it's one star. As of this writing, it's much fuller and clearer than it was the last time I visited, but it's still a sad excuse of a lake. If you come to get away from the craziness of LA, enjoy nature, or go on a hike, then it's four stars. This is probably the largest campground in Angeles National Forest. At one time, it deserved it; it was a very popular destination. Look at the historical pictures, and this was clearly a resort that people wanted to be at. Not so much anymore. The loops are slowly opening back up after the disastrous 2002 fire. The ampitheater is nice, but goes unused. The ranger station is open on weekends only. Still, I arrived on Saturday afternoon, and there were only two spots left. I was impressed. My spot was next to the potties, and I was worried about the stink and the flies; I got no stink, but the bugs were a little bothersome. I had great neighbors. Read the reviews, though; some campers are not as considerate. You don't need an adventure pass, but if you have one, it's a $2 discount per night. Amazingly, the recreation area is only a 45 minute drive from Highway 210. If you want to hike, then this is an awesome place to be. In my opinion, the trails and not the "lake" are now the overriding reason to go to Crystal Lake Campground. Short hikes, day hikes, and overnighters can be had from this campground. I did a 10-miler to Windy Gap and then to Mt. Hawkins and Mt. Islip, and it was so good. Note that Mt. Islip has an old stone cabin at the top. I don't know if you can use your proof of payment to park where Highway 39 is barricaded, and walk the remaining four miles to the Angeles Crest Highway, to see the rockslides and the jaw-dropping views. The store. As you can imagine, being a small remote general store, it doesn't stock much, and what it stocks is expensive. It comes in handy. Plus, it doubles as a cafe. I got a $5 bowl of chili with cheese after the 10-miler, and it was goooooood. Bottom line: The Crystal Lake campground is being used differently than it was 2+ generations ago. But it has its purpose, and depending on your purpose of going into the forest, it could be just what you're looking for. It was for me. read more

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Came up here from San Gabriel, about an hour drive up the windy roads. Starts at the north side of Azusa. Kinda surprised there's lots of snow for the kids to play on. Everyone parked their cars on the side of the road which was illegal. At one point the chp came and told everyone to move their cars or it's gonna be raining tickets. read more

As high as you can go in the San Gabriel Mt. is Crystal Lake. When I need to escape the electric lights and cement covered hive that is Los Angeles. This is my go to camping spot. Why only two stars you might ask. Well, I hiked to the lake only to find what those of us from Texas call a "small pond". It was not fit for swimming and didn't yield much in the way of fish, since there are some nice places to drop a line or get wet in California it's only fitting to rate Crystal Lake accordingly. Perhaps it improves at certain times of the year. Who knows but the lack of water and a site that doesn't really fit the name left this Crystal encampment with only two stars. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Grounds - Crystal Lake "This is about the long and short of the Lake. More like a pond, wouldn't you say? - Campgrounds Near Me - Azusa, California

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How to reserve (first come first serve): 1. Bring a pen and small bills like 10s, 5s, and 1s. 2. Grab an envelope at the bulletin board in front of Crystal Lake Cafe. 3. Drive around and find a campsite. 4. Write down the campsite info and your info on to the envelope and stub. 5. Remove the stub from the envelope and clip it to the campsite's post to reserve that spot. 6. Go back to the bulletin board. 7. Deposit the envelope into the pipe sticking out of the ground with the correct dollar amount. No change is provided. 8. Hang the 2nd tag from the envelope on your rear view mirror. 9. You're ready to use the campsite! Tip: Make sure to bring toilet paper and wet wipes. The bathrooms are not pretty. Best to bring your own soap, water, towels, and hand sanitizer. read more

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Camped here last year in August and this year in September with a bunch of friends and it was a blast. I love how local it is and how spaced out the sites are. Both times we came the weather was great, no too hot during day time and very cool at night. The great thing about this camp site is there are cabins you can rent out if u have family or friends who don't like sleeping in tents. My friends' wives and kids stayed in the cabin at night which I believe was $150 a night with a bathroom/shower, a bedroom with bunkbeds, a cozy little living room with a comfy couch, a nice little kitchen, and a black & white TV to make it a little creepy LOLLL. Next to the cabins, there is a store/cafe that sells many camping necessities that you might need, loads of random items, food and snacks, and they also have a kitchen and they make fresh food, see the menu I've posted. They also have indoor and outdoor seating. The hiking trails are beautiful and quiet. Our first time camping there we decided to hike to Crystal Lake and nothing was crystal about it. Apparently, it used to be very beautiful and it was a nice little resort but it is definitely not the case now, but it was good to see what it looked like. The hike there was fun. We also hiked to the amphitheater at night and hung out there with friends and had some fun, pretty cool spot. I would definitely go back here because it's local and it's super chill and beautiful. read more

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This was my first time going to this campsite and it was very very nice. I read a good amount of reviews saying there was many people going up for the weekend to party and very noisy. I did hear it a little at night but nothing too crazy, it was full. I think there's 50 something campsites and all of them were full. Even though it was very full, it is very well kept. There was restrooms there with toilet paper and running water for dishes or other things. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the trails around there aren't the best and very little signs. The trail to the lake is confusing if you don't download a map. You're supposed to cross the road and it continues but the sign says to go back (if you're coming from the side of the campsites). Also, the last day there, all campsites were full and since ours was pretty big, it kind of looked like 2 but it was only 1. And someone decided to go in the spot where there was space and we let them know it was 1 site. And they didn't care and to avoid problems we just let them, after all they were out on the sloped part of the site. Also, there is NO service at all when you're up the mountain. And you can't get in the lake, there's no swimming or fishing, but you can hike all around it. It's a very nice view. All in all, it was a very good experience and I would recommend to anyone wanting to find a place not too far from OC or LA. read more

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Just went today after the rain. Lots of snow not even far from my neighborhood. I always go to big bear or crestline, but tried this spot and it didn't disappoint. Not even packed at all. read more

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I can't speak much about the camp ground. But this area has some really good hiking trails. Just drive all the way into Crystal Lake, it will dead end to a parking lot. Remember to have your adventure pass, and there is restroom in the area. You can hike in and hike out or hike about 9 mile loop to Mount Islip from Windy Gap Trail and hike down from Big Cienga Trail or vice versa. Because we hiked this past weekend and it's been raining a lot this year. We knew snow will still be at the summit, Mount Islip elevation 8,250. So pending on the season, pack accordingly. We all brought our micro spikes and hiking poles just in case. There is a lot of fallen trees on this trail, so expect to be hopping over or crawling under to get past it. Hopefully, someone will come by and clear these by summer time. We start the hike at the camp ground. We stayed on Windy Gap Trail all the way up and came back down on Big Cienega Trail. Near the summit to Mount Islip, there were a lot of snow that it covered the trail. So we ended up climbing up the mountain till we made it on top. If coming down Windy Gap Trail, it would of been difficult to find the trail with all that snow. You probably will not have any issues during the warmer months. Mount Islip is beautiful and a good place to soak in the views and take lots of pictures. We will definitely come back and hike South Mount Hawkins and you can even hike further to Mount Hawkins, Throop Peak, and all the way to Baden Powell if you have the time. There is a cabin on Mount Islip, but it was covered in snow when we were there. To complete the loop, we hike back down on Big Cienega Trail. It has some awesome views, and there were still snow in this area, but it was easier to follow the trail back down unlike the Windy Gap Trail going up. Throughout this hike, they're plenty of posted signs in the area. This trail is not crowded like the popular trails in the same area, like Bridge to Nowhere. So if you hate the crowds, this is a gem. As always pack accordingly to the weather and have fun hiking. read more

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I have mixed feelings about this place. For one, it's very beautiful for a campground this close to LA. Campsites are a good size with decent trees and shrubbery in between for privacy. However, there is no camp host here and so some campers just ruin it for everyone else. When you have inconsiderate, obnoxious campers who don't abide by the rules and there is no one there to enforce the rules, it can get really frustrating. In my particular case, there was a drunk woman singing at the top of her lungs "Don't Speak" by No Doubt til 3am in the morning. I'm talking about, she was belting it out for the whole universe to hear and now, I officially despise that song with my whole being. And, I'm not the square type. We're camping, have fun, I don't mind a little music, I don't care if you drink. I'm doing the same thing at my own campsite. But, there is a line that you shouldn't cross if you are a decent human being. Obviously, she was not. And, you should probably know that you've crossed that line when 3 different people, from 3 different campsites have asked you to please quiet down and lower the volume to your music. I mean, at that point, you should probably STFU. Apparently, this happens often here as I've read on other reviews of this place. Thus, at the risk of being exposed to that type of BS again, I would never go back. read more

A+ ! Beautiful lush and rich in vegetation and scenery. The campsites are well kept (no trace) and are spaced out considerably from one another for some more privacy, yet still close enough to others to spare generosity with. - $12 camping fee/night plus $5 for/ extra vehicle - really laid back spot, everyone is considerate of one another. - there is a supply store really close to the campgrounds where they sell wood so if you don't have any you could easily buy some. If you have no money, it's easy to find tinder and wood lying around the forest (try to bring an axe and/or saw) * The navigation app called Waze will now take you all the way up the mountain to the campsites. Make sure you type in "Crystal lake campgrounds" and choose the one in Azusa. If you are lost or confused I highly advise to call a number provided for crystal lake campgrounds on google BEFORE 4PM. Someone can easily give you directions. The crystal lake campgrounds are high up in the mountains, make sure to look out for signs because it may feel like a long time that you are driving and that you have missed a turn or a sign. You will be driving a bit more than the 30 mile marker so it'll be quite a drive up. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Grounds - This is a sign leading you to a heavenly and graceful place. - Campgrounds Near Me - Azusa, California

We went up to crystal lake on Father's Day weekend , we had never been there before it was our first time there and most likely the last time. As soon as we got there it was like attack of the flies, they were everywhere. We figured they would die down in a couple hours, we where wrong they where vicious constantly on you trying to go in you nose or in your mouth it was bad . We went to there little cafe and bought everything we could get our hands on to try and deal with the flies but everything we bought did not help, we had fly swatter/ candles/ we tried turning on the fire pit to see if that would drive them away but nothing worked. We fought with the flies from 9am till about 8pm when they finally died down, but then came the bunch of mosquitoes hug ones . It was just very bad we couldn't do anything because we were to busy swatting flies then mosquitoes. The only peace we had was at 6am to 7:30 am when flies were not around..We got there Friday and left Saturday as soon as we got up. Normally we camp from Friday till Sunday but not this year. It wax the worst camp trip we have ever been on. I gave it a two star because the rangers and the cafe owner were very nice and tried their best to be helpful. The lake its self was more like a pond and also flies infested. The scenery is beautiful in the campground we even got to see a deer up close I really think it would have been a good weekend if it was not for the flies. The flies pretty much drove us away. read more

Yay! I AM a fan! Drove up here for Memorial Day Weekend expecting it to be packed. We easily hand picked our site that was awesome. Two tables were provided and we got a fire pit with huge rocks around it, (site 27) making it less stressful to camp with a toddler. There was plenty of space for our son to roam and there was a good mix of sun and shade. The sun comes up behind the site so the morning was a little chilly but mid afternoon is perfect. There is plenty of hiking including a kid friendly trail called Golden Cup which we didn't explore. We did however hike Soldiers Loop and it was pretty cool, some hills, cliffs, and really nice views. So the Lake.....in it's defense there was a fire in 2002 that impacted the water quality of the area and it's the only naturally occurring lake in the San Gabriel Mountains. It was more of a pond...a green, slimy pond (my husband so eloquently described as a "poop pond"). We still sat at the Lake and enjoyed a picnic lunch. It was a pretty laid back campground overall and that is nice because nothing is worse than escaping the grind only to have a ranger up your butt the whole time. The store has higher prices (to be expected) and it takes about 30 minutes to get back into town for supplies but the convenience of the cafe/store was well worth the prices and they were extremely friendly and helpful. read more

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Dope camping spot. I'm absolutely obsessed. Great hiking trails. Nice store if you forget anything. Every site has a fire pit and everything is first come first serve which is awesome. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Grounds - Campgrounds Near Me - Azusa, California

I went on 6-26-20 due to covid 19 the chain was on so you cannot drive in. But according to some camper he said he been there for days the rangers said its unofficially its open. So you park on street walk in to camp ground & have a good time. read more

Great spot for camping in the winter pitched a tent like a real man and stayed for 3 days enduring rain at night and snow in the morning. 5/5 would go again. read more

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The lake is more like a puddle and the campground is disgusting . Feces on the walls of the restrooms, graffiti everywhere, trash all around the campground, noisy campers blaring music until 3 am and drag racing through the campground. There are no camp hosts, forest service personnel or law enforcement anywhere...The employees at the cafe/general store are completely rude. I asked if the water in the campsite was potable and he didn't answer...he just said "if you don't like it, go back to the city." I've been camping for over 40 years and this is easily the worst experience ever. read more

Stayed for 2 nights and we loved the campground! Coming from Torrance area it took about 1.5 hours to get there. You definitely feel like you're way farther from LA than you actually are nestled so deep in the mountains. We arrived around 2pm on a Saturday and it was pretty packed, we had to circle around awhile to find an open site. We settled in loop C at a perfect camp site close to the bathrooms and the general store. Each site has a picnic table & a fire pit. What I liked most was that the sites are well spaced out, we could play our music pretty loud without worry. There were a bunch of signs saying that no campfires/charcoal grills were allowed although we saw tons of people lighting up. I didn't notice any rangers hassling anyone either. The general store does not sell firewood or any kind of meat (at least while we were up there). This campground was brimming with wildlife! We saw a few deer, tons of squirrels, blue jays and lizards and yes there are bears here! One brown bear snuck up pretty stealthily to the campsite adjacent to ours mid afternoon and I probably wouldn't have known unless a bunch of kids came out to take pictures...our dog didn't even alert us. The bear didn't seem aggressive and just moseyed around for awhile. We also had some type of animal get into our food at night since there are no bear boxes here. The animal only made a small hole in our bag & took our bread and left everything else. I would highly recommend hiking from the campground itself to Crystal Lake. It was only about a 3 mile hike round trip and had gorgeous views! You can drive up to a parking lot close to the lake but the hike is worth it. The lake was nothing I would swim or fish in but was pretty none the less. When we walked down to the waters edge there was thousands of tiny frogs. All in all it was a nice & close get-a-way that I would recommend to anyone looking to get away from that LA smog. read more

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Enjoyed camping here. We stayed in loop A, and came early Friday afternoon, which gave us our pick of the grounds as there were only a couple of other sites that were occupied at the time. An adventure pass saves you money on your site ($2 per night I think). Each site is allowed 2 cars per night with a maximum of 8 people. This may be because we came earlier on in the season, but we were spoiled with clean vault toilets and bathrooms. Also if you plan on coming before summer come with lots of water as the faucets are not working. There's a cafe on site if you want someone to cook you up a nice "camp meal." Boyfriend and I enjoyed Nachos with nacho flavored tortilla chips and chili. Cafe also sells some food and water (and wood) but it is very bare bones (we ended up buying the only 2 liter gallon they had that weekend). Also close to some trails- we opted for the shorter one to crystal lake and back. We were warned that there were ticks out because the weather has gotten warmer, but none of the people in our group experienced any problems. Average amount of noise for a campground. Great not-so-far (1.5 hours) escape away from LA! Per my "parks and rec" list, 5 Knopes I say! read more

Beautiful campgrounds with plenty of firewood, nice hiking spots, and a lake filled with fish. I'm subtracting stars for the lack of ranger presence which I would normally like, but during my stay there was a large group of around fifteen people that blasted their mariachi music until 1am. If you hike the rivers leading up to the campground you will see another example of beautiful wilderness destroyed by inconsiderate, ignorant, and selfish people. Where there once was wild rainbow trout the waters are now filled with hot Cheetos bags, abandoned clothing, and the rocks are painted with graffiti. Keep that shit in your own neighborhoods don't ruin public places for everyone else or we'll soon have none. read more

Since there isn't much information about Crystal Lake Campgrounds I'll write as much detail as I can. :) Crystal Lake Campgrounds isn't as bad as it may seem. It's really far up in the San Gabriel Mountains which isn't that bad of a drive given the scenery. Only one out of three of the sections are actually open for campers. There are no reservations, its first come first served. Each site per night is $10-$12 and is paid through the honor system. You literally fill out a paper, and place the money inside of a dropbox at the office. We got there early evening (4ish) on Friday and most of the spots were already taken we managed to find a decent site for two tents. Most sites looked like they didn't have a lot of room because they were up against the mountain or around a ton of rocks. We got a site in the inner loop of the campground which was pretty open and spacious. The ground has a ton of rocks . . . which makes it really hard to set up your tent especially when it comes to nailing down the spikes. Each campsites comes with a picnic table and a fire-pit with a built-in grill. Their are plenty of trees so I wouldn't worry about bringing a canopy for shade. There is a cafe/convenience store right across the campgrounds that has anything you might need or have forgotten, and yes it is a little pricey but that's because its convenient. There are tons of hiking trails Crystal Lake Trail: I would avoid. . . its honestly nothing special. It's literally right along side the paved road and isn't worth the trip. Everything the person below me said is true. Soldier Creek Trail & Pinyon Ridge: are absolutely beautiful. They link together so you can do both in a round trip. We started on Solider Creek which was pretty easy and had a ton of greenery to see . . . it almost looked like you were in a canyon. As we continued on Pinyon the hike got harder and was pretty much all uphill but the trail allows you to walk along side a creek which is amazing and refreshing. Crystal Lake Campgrounds is also around ATV grounds . . . which can allow you to "kill two birds with one stone" if you want to take a trip down there. The only complaint about Crystal Lake Campgrounds is that there are no showers. . . which isn't that bad if you can handle taking body showers. The bathrooms aren't bad but make sure you bring your own toilet paper. read more

Spent the 4th of July weekend in a cabin at the Crystal Lake Campgrounds & had a blast! The cabin was "cozy" but it had all the essentials for a comfortable stay! Who wouldn't want a toilet & shower while camping. Lol ! I took enough food for 3 days 2 nights & decided to cook outdoors on the BBQ & the fire pit to give it a more "camping outdoorsy" feel to the trip. We drove down a little way to watch the fireworks throughout the city at 9pm & saw deer a fox & raccoons on our way back. :) We did a few hikes on a daily but what saddened me the most was seeing "Crystal Lake". What once was a beautiful & great for swimming & fishing lake, is now nothing what it looked like in 2011 when the campground reopened & fish were stocked & the lake actually looked like a lake! (We went camping in our tents 3 years ago here & again great experience!) anyway, The California drought has really taken a toll on this beautiful forest area & Crystal Lake is now "Crystal Puddle"! :( Back to our stay at the campground...We made friends with those in the cabins around us because they were all so nice & friendly. :) We talked for hours & hours about what we did for work, hobbies, movies, Bigfoot, life on other planets (aliens), the stars, constellations & even told some ghoststories while we sat at the old amphitheater in the dark & acted silly while making Bigfoot calls with the kids after our 11pm night hike! Adam & Rula at the cafe are the nicest & made sure on a daily we were enjoying our weekend! I highly recommend staying at this clean & spacious campground even if u don't stay in a cabin! Oh & don't forget ur graham crackers, marshmallows & chocolate for S'MORES!!! It's not a proper camping trip if u haven't had s'mores! Lol One more thing...Watch out for the 200 lb baby bear looking for food!! He isn't the least bit shy! Lol !!! read more

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As of 08/24/13: $12/night, $10/night if you have an Adventure Pass or Annual Pass. Loops A,B, and C were fully open with running water. Loop D road is open but does not have water. The remaining few loops appear to be cleaned out and usable but are officially closed. Rumor is that you can walk-in camp on these loops and nobody will give you a hard time... I'm inclined to believe it, because it seems there is minimal/no ranger presence. Sites include a picnic table and a fire pit with a grille on the edge that's hinged to flip off the edge if you're not using it. Went up late on Saturday and still had a few sites to choose from. We packed in water and found a nice site on the edge of D loop. There's numerous trails to take, but because the campground is so large (especially with all the closed loops) it makes it seem like they're far, far away. Windy Gap is a great trail, but long. Pinyon Ridge and Soldier Creek are supposed to be shorter and more reasonable for a short afternoon trek while camping, but I've never been on them... heard they're nice. From the campground, the trail to Crystal Lake is a nice short trek that is mostly shaded... if you've seen the lake before then you know what to expect... it's really become more of a pond than a lake, unfortunately. The crowd is mixed and, like most campgrounds that are conveniently accessed from urban areas, can probably be hit or miss. We had somebody who had their super loud car stereo going for brief periods, but it was only mildly annoying. If I were down on loops A or B (Where it seemed it was coming from) it might've been pretty unnerving, but come sun-down, they were courteous enough to keep the booming car stereo OFF (thank you!). In fact, come sun-down everything quieted down considerably. Up on D loop, the sound of crickets overwhelmed everything from our neighbors. The pit toilets up on loop D are about as clean and good smelling as you could possibly hope for... I didn't explore the higher volume ones on A and B. The cafe is open everyday except Tuesday, and provides a good variety of sundries and has good food... during my winter hikes (most of the time I end up in the Crystal Lake area) Adam's Chili with a Coffee and Hot Chocolate have become staples to warm up with! Overall a great experience, and a great value for what it is and where it is (so convenient to the San Gabriel Valley!). The double edged swords of convenience and minimal/no ranger presence (which I also enjoy, really) will always have me a a tiny bit prepared to settle for bad neighbors, but it seemed like most everybody there was courteous and there to enjoy the nature. It's a great place for the quick overnight getaway. read more

This place is a great camp ground!!! Except for the part that I saw what I believed to have seen as a man in a white mask saying "ki ki ki ma ma ma" in the background behind the trees at night. Eh! I think it's nothing the camp ground will be completely safe to visit! read more

This is a nice area to come up for some relaxation. Lots of trails and areas to explore. Although, if you are going to use the trails, I would suggest carrying pepper spray. Unfortunately, I was charged by two large aggressive dogs that were not on leases. Their reckless, disrespectful, irresponsible owners could not control their overly aggressive, untrained dogs. read more

I've been coming here for a few years now but mostly for day use. Finally got to camp! Don't forget about area E. You can't drive to your site in this area but it's a short walk. Best part about this is if you have kids, you don't have to worry about traffic and yell "CAR!" Every time one comes by. Not all sites in area E have a pit or table, not sure why. Park in the dead end near the amphitheater and hump your gear in. Would've given this 5 stars but there wasn't any running water after mid day our 2nd day there. Frustrating,lol, but we survived. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Grounds - 3rd site up from the dead end in area E. 2 tables, pit, plenty of shade. - Campgrounds Near Me - Azusa, California

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I went there this past weekend with a large group of friends, and I am very pleased to report that the experience exceeded my expectations. I had previously camped at Coldbrook Campground with my boyfriend (excellent site as well!), but I decided to try Crystal Lake this time because I would be camping with a few first time campers. In searching for the ideal campground, I identified a few criteria: easy access to amenities, short hikes, recreation, clean bathrooms, close to home, and around some other campers so the dark night would be less scary. I camped at site B. The site (#8) is super close to the restroom which as some of the reviewers wrote, IS NOT STINKY! HOLY COW! That is seriously amazing. It is also only a 5 minute walk to the general store/ cafe where we hauled back a wheelbarrow of firewood. Our neighbors were pretty quiet, and this was my first camping experience where they don't sleep earlier than 10 PM. The moonlight alleviated the fear of darkness that I have. For recreation, half the group took a short hike on the Pinyon (?) loop trail. After dinner, the group headed over to the amphitheater to count stars and had a blast with a bonfire. Perhaps the most disappointing thing (even though we expected it) was that Crystal Lake was really a puddle....filled with algae and tiny frogs. So...really don't expect much from that.... but the frogs were fun to play with. read more

Crystal Lake Camp Ground now has 4 sections open and I understand several more sections are soon to open. It is very pristine and a nice peaceful place to camp. The price is right (10-12 dollars per nite). The Cafe is open throughout the week, except Tues. It has a small store and the food is good. Many hiking trails and a lot of history/. (Look up the Haunting of Crystal Lake). There are also cabins available and a stable if you want to bring your steed. The lake is a lil shy of water, but I understand they are still catching fish. Grab the family and go camping. Don't forget your firewood. read more