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
Jon M
VerifiedMay 15, 2021 • Stayed at: 116, Loop: Big Oak 113-132
Pros
- Nice campground and a very large lake
- Fairly level sites (most that we saw)
- Fairly clean bathrooms
- Some showers available
Cons
- Not enough staff available (almost none)
- After a long walk we found a staff employee
- Had a problem with our next-door neighbors breaking campground rules and asked the staff to help with this and they told us that we could change to another site - but that would have meant we paid for two campgrounds
We would stay there again.
Jon M
VerifiedMay 15, 2021 • Stayed at: 116, Loop: Big Oak 113-132
Pros
- Nice campground and a very large lake
- Fairly level sites (most that we saw)
- Fairly clean bathrooms
- Some showers available
Cons
- Not enough staff available (almost none)
- After a long walk we found a staff employee
- Had a problem with our next-door neighbors breaking campground rules and asked the staff to help with this and they told us that we could change to another site - but that would have meant we paid for two campgrounds
We would stay there again.
Ken D
VerifiedMay 13, 2021 • Stayed at: 100, Loop: Big Oak 90-112
This campground is run by the US Bureau of Reclamation. They have a long history of treating campers poorly. The infrastructure is poorly maintained and managed. For example, bathrooms either closed or malfunctioning, fish cleaning stations broken down, launch ramps not open and docks not properly positioned, campsites closed on a whim making campers change dates at the last minute, dump stations closed, routine maintenance not done in a timely fashion, and management won't answer or return phone calls and don't respond to emails. The management wanted to keep the campground closed all summer due to "public safety concerns." They tried to use Covid-19 as an excuse to keep the campgrounds closed so they wouldn't have to due any work. I had to contact the local US Congressman,tom McClintock, who then urged the US Bureau of Reclamation to open the campgrounds.
Lynne S
VerifiedMay 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 052, Loop: Ironhorse 45-59, 80-89
Love this area. The amenities are great and they were kept clean. The view was incredible.
Kristy M
VerifiedMay 8, 2021 • Stayed at: 116, Loop: Big Oak 113-132
The bathrooms were locked overnight, with no indication of when they would be open. No signs pointing to another area. My son pooped his pants trying to find a place to go.
No ranger ever came by. The people across from us were screaming until 3 am.
Wil P
VerifiedMay 8, 2021 • Stayed at: 085, Loop: Ironhorse 45-59, 80-89
need more sitting toilets in mens restroom
Michael G
May 6, 2021
Wife won't leave me alone long enough to finish this review. Sad.
Traci M
VerifiedMay 3, 2021 • Stayed at: 093, Loop: Big Oak 90-112
When I booked the camp ground there wasn’t anywhere that said there wasn’t any working bathroom/showers. I called every number on the Glory holes website, left messages about where to shower and other questions. I never received a returned call, I keep calling thankful I spoke to and “ out of state” operator who wasn’t even sure where the working bathroom were, but guided me to the right bathroom. I didn’t see a camp host or anything tell the next day, she didn’t speak a word to us. So over all one of the worst camping I’ve had at Glory Hole and I come a few times a year.
Mike M
VerifiedApril 29, 2021 • Stayed at: 020, Loop: Ironhorse 8-22, 70-79
Very clean, quiet (was during the week in April). Water wasvery low but that can't be helped. I will be planning another trip in a week or so. Nice staff. Bathrooms were cleaned every morning. Everything was perfect.
Teresa L
VerifiedApril 29, 2021 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: Ironhorse 8-22, 70-79
Beautiful scenery hiking trails were fabulous. Have to keep an eye out for rattle snakes. Camp grounds were clean other than they hadn’t cleared the winter grasses. We will visit again.
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 4, 2026
