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    Diaz Lake Recreation Area

    3.8 (37 reviews)

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    Sunset
    Anthony P.

    For Father's Day, my brother-in-law and his husband reserved 3 spots for us and his husband's cousin. My kids and I love tent camping and dry camping, but my wife is an RV girl (class A if you must know). This was her first tent experience so we wanted to make it memorable. Funny how things work out: careful what you wish for... I'll get to that later... The site we got was amazing. Level, flat with direct access to the lake. We had a tree next to us and a hose bib. Across the way was a fish cleaning sink that we used to wash dishes. The fire pit had a swing away grill which was nice. There were Porta-potties close by, but we brought our own portable toilet and privacy pop up shelter. The view was amazing. The sun set over the lake, and the mountains (the Eastern edge of the Sierra Nevadas) basked in hues of purple, deep red and blue. We called it the Disney mountains because it looked so amazing it must be fake. The night sky was simply awesome. My 8 year-old, who loves astronomy and science, couldn't stop looking up. Shame on me for not bringing our telescope or remembering I had binoculars in the truck. If you wanted to be amazed by the beauty of a star filled sky, just look up. The days brought high temps in the low to mid 90's, so we brought a portable generator and AC, I know, but it was my wife's first tent camping trip and we didn't want to make it her last. Early evening brought some gusts and our first night was windy. The tent held up well, but my wife and kids were cold. We didn't bring sleeping bags, only blankets, and had a large 4 room, 12 man tent, so staying warm was an issue. Luckily, I brought our Mr. Heater Buddy propane heater, so we stayed warm until the propane ran out. We explored the next day looking for a propane fill up station in nearby Lone Pine. The quaint town reminded my boys of Radiator Springs from Disney's "Cars." As is typical for small towns that rely on tourism, the propane was majorly expensive, but we had no choice. The town, though, was nice to explore. Early morning hours brought an almost glassy lake with no waves. Wait until late morning and you got the wake waves from the motor boats, wake boarders and jet skis. Wait until the late afternoon and you got wind and waves. We used a blow up canoe and oars, so the afternoon wind and waves were impossible for us to get through. The winds on our last night really picked up in the afternoon. A 60 mph gust or stronger blew through our site and ripped apart our tent, destroyed our Coleman canopy and blew our raft, life jackets, oars and other supplies at least 30 yards away. With our tent destroyed, we had to pack up everything in the wind. We threw away both our canopy and our tent. I'm spite of our surprise excitement of the wind gust and destroyed camp gear, it was an experience we'd never forget. A memorable one, for sure, that ended up landing me with a new tent for my birthday and shade canopy, something that I wished for for a long time. Careful what you wish for, eh?

    Evening Reflections
    James W.

    We hiked the Alabama Hills but didn't bring mountain bikes so we were looking for somewhere to bike with our folding street bikes. An evening ride was beautiful with the eastern hills lit by golden light reflected on the calm lake. Be sure to use mosquito repellent or cover yourself cause they are swarming in mid-October. Staying overnight costs $8 but day use is free.

    Xavier O.

    Me and my family was there last weekend. We definitely enjoyed our time. Can't wait for another camping trip at Diaz lake .

    Map that shows 119 and 120 together. When we got there they were not.
    Tessa S.

    Check in process was lacked, we had a reservation through Reserve America that stated we were checked in even though we hadn't actually done so. The sites we chose were 119 and 120 that shows right next to each other but when we got there they were not. Everyone kind of just declared a spot and called it theirs. Dry camping only which is fine but had no water access for our rig. Security did not exist, loud music till 12 or 1am would have been fine but till 3:30 AM was too much. Since it was "quiet hours" we didn't want to run the generator for the AC . So we sweated it out. We couldn't open the windows because of the loud music. All dirt/sand area, It was hot but it was July. The lake is small, a lot of tall grass growing from it. ORV kicking up dust with no consideration to those around and camp fire smoke from each site.. smoked us out, lol. So if you're looking for a party spot, this is it. On the flip side, it's a dry campground and cheap. The sky was beautiful!! Stars were AMAZING!! We made the best of it and had a good time. We went in July 2020. Port-a-potty available (I didn't go in so I don't know how clean they were). $14.00 a night, $7.00 reservation fee if you go through Reserve America. You get what you pay for.

    Ronald M.

    A beautiful little lake and campground, we made it a point to stop on our way back from Bishop. Call it Divine Guidance or pure coincidence, though I don't really believe anything is by coincidence. I felt compelled to keep driving around the entire lake and campsite until we reached its furthest end, before getting out for a look around and photos. And right in the mist of my photographing the lake, a gentleman stepped out of the last vehicle parked and started approaching me. Of course I was on alert, especially when he blurted from a distance, " excuse me sir, do you think you could help me?" Which usually means "could I ask you for a little money?" Jumping to conclusions, I know, but it happens all the time. Letting him finish his request, he went on to state that he and his girlfriend had pulled into the campground to take in the scenery and do a little fishing, but on trying to leave his battery had died. He simply wanted to know if I had any cables to possibly give him a jump. I reassured him that I had a portable charger in the back of my SUV, and would be over to help. Not that it matters, but we were the only African-Americans I saw while driving through the entire site. This gentleman appeared to be Hispanic and as we were connecting my charger to his battery (I didn't know that older model BMWs had the battery in the rear trunk area), his girlfriend stepped out from the passengers side. A very attractive African-American woman. What a coincidence? They were a very cordial young couple, whom I learned, after a little chit chat, were in a long distance relationship; she currently living in the Chatsworth area of LA's San Fernando Valley, while he was a local. She even mentioned that her mother use to live in Santa Clarita like my wife and I. And even joked after my asking him whether he had AAA, with her blurting out "I just signed him up for it last November as a gift" due to his previous car failures. But I doubt there would be any phone service in that remote spot. Well after two tries, they were up and running. I told him before driving off, "don't turn off your engine until you reach your destination". We saw them drive away safely back out and onto the highway with a final wave to one another. Such a good feeling to have been of some assistance. Diaz Lake, a beautiful spot with unexpected encounters.

    Josh R.

    Just returned from a three day camping trip and had a great time. Despite the extremely warm weather it was great. The lake kept us cool and let us float on the evening. Was perfect. The camp sites were big and plenty of options. We got a site right next to a shore to the lake so it was really convenient and nice. Bathrooms on site. Site staff was extremely helpful and professional. At night it was gorgeous. And only a few mins drive to town if you need anything.

    Richard H.

    My family and I just returned from visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday. My wife wrote A Blog about our visit. http://www.richandsweetlife.com/rv-ing-eastern-sierra-guide-visit-diaz-lake/

    Beautiful place.

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    2 years ago

    Awesome place to camp. Very laid back atmosphere. It was busy but quiet for the most part. Close to Cerro Gordo.

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    Diaz Lake Recreation Area Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Diaz Lake Recreation Area

    Is it swimmable?

    I wouldn't, dirty, not the best place to swim.

    Is this JUST a campground? Going to be driving past and trying to see if we can stop and let the kids run around for a few minutes here.

    Yes a campground. Dry camp the last time I was there. Yes you can stop & let the kids run around 😊😎

    Are there wild animals that pose a threat? Such as bears, coyotes, or cougars?

    Lion, tigers and bears. Oh my.

    Do they allow RZR's/dirt bikes at the campsite?

    No not allowed 😎

    Are there any showers here at Diaz lake, any by the lake or on the campground?

    No.

    View All 6 Questions

    Review Highlights - Diaz Lake Recreation Area

    “Lol However, we stopped and talked to the host at Diaz Lake to get some info, awesome camp host!!”

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Crystal Cave - Second inside room

    Crystal Cave

    4.3(89 reviews)
    43.3 mi

    Absolutely stunning and incredible experience! I personally don't enjoy tours, but let me tell you…read moreeveryone needs to experience this tour at least once in their lifetime! My 5 year old and 7 year old did just fine. I honestly can't fully articulate how I felt during the experience, but it was 100% worth the drive. Our tour guide was amazing! She explained everything in such simple terms that even my children could completely understand what she was talking about. I was amazed knowing that I was standing underneath a natural cave it was such an incredible experience! It can get pretty chilly inside, but since we went during summer break, it actually felt perfect. Definitely an experience I'm glad we got to share as a family

    First time for us four at Sequoia NP and we loved our experience in Crystal Cave. The staff overall…read moreloved what they do and you can tell. Right from the get go the staff welcomes your group and is telling you instructions to take care of yourself, your group and the caves/park. They greet you with enthusiasm and you learn so much. Please arrive on time! For parking there's quite a bit of spaces. There's restroom nearby so you can go before heading out. You can bring your backpack onto the trail but can't bring it inside the cave. So you can either bring it and leave it on the floor outside the cave or in your car. The trail can be a little challenging for some but very doable. Can be a little challenging for some children and some older adults. This also includes for the caves.The staff are there to watch for your safety but they do warn you about your surroundings. The cave is very cool to explore but there will be some tight spaces you will navigate through. So I don't recommend bringing a stroller and make sure your kids are able to walk and stay near. They will definitely enjoy the cool nature stuff inside! There's a gift shop stand near the entrance of the trail. You can buy nice souvenirs, snacks, and support! Overall we loved our tour and we would comeback again for this. Thank you to all the staff of Crystal Cave for all that you do and taking care of this natural beauty.

    Photos
    Crystal Cave - This one looks like the abominable snowman!

    This one looks like the abominable snowman!

    Crystal Cave
    Crystal Cave

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    Manzanar National Historic Site - Barracks recreation

    Manzanar National Historic Site

    4.9(225 reviews)
    12.7 mi

    As a child I read a story about Manzanar from the POV of a child. That story stayed with me all…read morethese years. The NPS has recreated some of the buildings here including the bath house, school, mess hall and 'improved' living quarters where walls were installed between family living quarters - replacing the blankets that were hungs as "walls". One of the things I remember in the book was how the toilets and showers were communal and how embarrassed they were to have to do such private business in a public space. No partitions, no privacy on the toilet or shower. Meals were also communal and menus were created by persons unfamiliar with an asian diet. Also from the book the author talks about sweet peaches being put over the rice. Definitely not how rice was eaten. Meals were served on a schedule and each 'block' of quarters had their own mess hall menu. Residents could earn a couple of dollars a month by working in the mess hall. Buildings were erected so hastily the wood was not dried creating gaps between boards so the desert sand would blow in covering everything with sand and allowing scorpians inside. Several families were housed in each building, and as mentioned, with no walls between. Camps were not prepared to educate the children and the first classes were held sitting outside on the ground. Over time teachers, furniture and supplies were provided. So much more information is provided. A short film runs on the hour in the visitor center. A self driving tour (one way) around the acres of camp include informational signs and some recreated buildings while other structures are just a sign (bldg 1, bldg 2, etc.) or foundation. The park has also excavated and reestablished gardens created by residents. A poignant and interesting history lesson for us all. Definitely worth a visit. The museum includes a lot of personal stories and information. The park rangers on duty were very helpful. Gift shop includes a number of books and a few other NPS souveniers. Be sure to get your passport stamped. Public restrooms by the entrance. A handicap drop off point is close to the building. On site parking is a short walk to the visitor center.

    I came out here on a field trip with a class I'm taking this summer. It's 95 degrees, windy and…read morearid. Even as a visitor, I find these conditions to be uncomfortable, so I could not imagine being forced to live out here in subhuman conditions for an indefinite period of time. However, that is what over 120,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese Nationals living in the USA were forced to do during WWII - and 10,000 men, women, children and babies were forced to do just that at Manzanar. The Visitors Center is only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday - so we were not able to see it, but we were able to eat our lunches in the Mess Hall. I also explored the barracks, and saw the rest of this historic site by bus and on foot. Don't miss seeing Merritt Park, the Children's Village area, and the Issei Obelisk. This site is a powerful reminder that History repeats itself, and visiting Manzanar is an extremely moving and meaningful experience for everyone. Peace.

    Photos
    Manzanar National Historic Site - Mess hall

    Mess hall

    Manzanar National Historic Site - Healthcare at Manzanar explained

    Healthcare at Manzanar explained

    Manzanar National Historic Site - Origami cranes

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    Origami cranes

    Diaz Lake Recreation Area - parks - Updated October 2026

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