About Glory Hole Recreation Area
Number of accommodations: 135
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water Access
- Lake Access
- Marina
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
135 Sites Available
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Site Details
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135 Sites Available
No available sites
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Reviews (431)
What Guests Are Saying
Glory Hole Recreation Area is highly praised for its peaceful, clean environment, with spacious campsites and well-maintained bathrooms, including free showers. Many visitors enjoyed the beautiful scenery and wildlife, along with excellent hiking opportunities nearby. While some noted issues like long grass and noise disturbances, overall, the campground is considered a great place to relax and camp, with friendly rangers and convenient amenities.
What Guests Are Saying
Glory Hole Recreation Area is highly praised for its peaceful, clean environment, with spacious campsites and well-maintained bathrooms, including free showers. Many visitors enjoyed the beautiful scenery and wildlife, along with excellent hiking opportunities nearby. While some noted issues like long grass and noise disturbances, overall, the campground is considered a great place to relax and camp, with friendly rangers and convenient amenities.
Review Summary
Brenden W
VerifiedSeptember 3, 2022 • Stayed at: 069, Loop: Ironhorse 1-7, 23-44, 60-69
A lot of the sites are not very level and the picnic tables/fire rings tend to be a bit down a hill. We managed to get out coach leveled enough but it took all of the blocks.
We saw a lot of animals, deer, buzzards, woodpeckers and tons of other birds.
It was quiet, not too busy which we like.
Brandon V
VerifiedSeptember 2, 2022 • Stayed at: 069, Loop: Ironhorse 1-7, 23-44, 60-69
Great campsite!! Wonderful staff that are friendly!
How do you recommend the lake and campsites.
The lake was a little low but that was to be expected. Definitely coming back next year!
Kim S
VerifiedAugust 29, 2022 • Stayed at: 112, Loop: Big Oak 90-112
No one cleans the campsites, they don’t say when you make the reservation that the dump station is closed, you’re held captive because if you go out and are not back by 9pm you can’t get in. I know people who have had to leave due to a emergency and can’t get back in. Price has gone up, you now have to pay for launching and day use. I’ve been coming here for over 20 years and it’s gone horribly down hill. You’re now charged more and get less. I don’t know if the Rangers (who you may see once a day) are friendly, I did get one to wave at me. They need to turn it over to a private concessionaire to get it back in shape.
Courtney M
VerifiedAugust 25, 2022 • Stayed at: 062, Loop: Ironhorse 1-7, 23-44, 60-69
Great little spot clean bathrooms and site
Philipp M
VerifiedAugust 9, 2022 • Stayed at: 057, Loop: Ironhorse 45-59, 80-89
Great panorama, quiet.
Ashley D
VerifiedJuly 30, 2022 • Stayed at: 040, Loop: Ironhorse 1-7, 23-44, 60-69
Great camping area. Clean bathrooms and lots of private space/campsite.
Angela S
VerifiedJuly 30, 2022 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: Ironhorse 8-22, 70-79
The camp sites were nice and paved and the bathrooms in our area were perfect, very clean, shower worked great, and trash picked up daily so dumpsters did not over flow. Water super low so boat launch was risky but once out on the lake it was great!
Elena L
VerifiedJuly 25, 2022 • Stayed at: 012, Loop: Ironhorse 8-22, 70-79
Nicely maintained campsite (#12). Morning sun comes over ridge and fiercely shines on site by 7:00am. The other side of hill might have been better, like site 15. Tree shade is nice in afternoons. You have to drive down to the boat ramp to access lake. No traditional beach for swimming, you can do it but it's muddy/sludge. Good showers and flushing toilets - bring quarters.
Somaeh S
VerifiedJuly 23, 2022 • Stayed at: 018, Loop: Ironhorse 8-22, 70-79
We were in ironhorse campground, campsite number 18 which was next to a bathroom. The experience was horrible. First of all, that campsite had no flat area whatsoever. The whole site in on a slope. We couldn’t find as much flat ground for our very small 2-people backpacking tent! Booking next to the toilet was such a bad idea too. People used that building to socialize for some reason. Until way after midnight, people hung out there, laughed and talked loudly. The annoying noises and sloped ground, made us opt to sleep in the car instead!
Somaeh S
VerifiedJuly 23, 2022 • Stayed at: 020, Loop: Ironhorse 8-22, 70-79
Unfortunately this campground seemed to have no survivors at night. People were playing loud music way passed the midnight. At some point a campsite occupants started hauling very late at night and many other people followed suit which scares the hell out of our little ones.
Location Glory Hole Recreation Area
Address:
Glory Hole Recreation Area, 6503 Whittle Ranch Road
Angels Camp, CA, 95222
United States
From Sacramento take 99 S, 88 W and 12 E to San Andreas. Take 49 S for approximately 15 miles. Turn right onto Whittle Ranch Road and follow the road 2 miles to the recreation area.
From Central California and the Bay Area take 80 E, 580 E then 205 E to 120 E in Manteca. Take the exit for 120 E/99 N. Continue on 120 E, then take 108 E to 49N. Turn left onto Whittle Ranch Road and follow the road 2 miles to the recreation area.
Glory Hole Recreation Area is accessible via State Route 49, which is approximately 10 miles away, providing connection to U.S. Route 50 and other regional roads.
Latitude & Longitude: 38.0075 / -120.54
Elevation: 351 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
3PM
Check out time
2PM
General
- PLEASE HEAD STRAIGHT TO YOUR CAMPSITE UPON ARRIVALThere will be a reservation tag and 1 or 2 vehicle tags clipped to your campsite's post. Please leave the reservation tag on the post and place the vehicle tag(s) inside your vehicle(s) with dates visible. Contact a Park Ranger if you have any questions.
- At New Melones Lake there is a 14-day camping limit within a 30-day period.
- The recreation area entrance gate closes at 9:00pm. Vehicle entry after the gate is closed is prohibited. Exit at any time.
- During quiet hours, loud noise is prohibited. Excessive noise (audible beyond 50ft) at any time is prohibited.
- Camping fees include boat launch and day-use fees. Two vehicles are permitted in standard campsites. One vehicle is permitted in walk-to sites. All vehicles must display a campground vehicle tag or an overflow vehicle parking receipt.Vehicles must remain on paved roads and parking spots. Off-roading is prohibited.
- Campfires are only allowed in fire rings or grills in designated areas. Campfires must be attended at all times and extinguished completely before leaving.Campers may collect only dead and down wood for campfires. Chainsaw use is not allowed on property.During National Weather Service "Red Flag Warning" days and facility fire bans, wood and charcoal fires will not be permitted.
- All pets must be on a maximum six-foot (1.8 m) leash at all times. Leaving your pets unattended is not permitted.
- The dump station is out of order at this time.
- While recreating at New Melones Reservoir: CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY boats and any other recreational equipment that comes in contact with water. Never dump unwanted bait, worms, fish parts or other organisms into the water. For more information visit https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/ STOP THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES. REMOVE plants, seeds, animals and mud from boots, gear, pets, and vehicles. CLEAN your gear before entering and leaving the recreation site. STAY on designated roads and trails and use local firewood. For more information visit https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/
- If New Melones Lake elevation is below 870', boat ramps are not available. "Water front" campsites may also not be available. Park maps depict an elevation around 1050 feet. Current lake elevation: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/dynamicapp/QueryMM?Stations=NML&SensorNums=6&End=2021-07-19&span=1+month
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Last updated: June 5, 2026
