Crystal Lake Rec Area

Crystal Lake Recreation Area is a Forest Service campground in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Ranger District of Angeles National Forest, about 5,600 feet up in the San Gabriel Canyon country. It sits near the lake and the Half Knob Trail and Lake Trail, which both start about a tenth of a mile away. Campsites are no longer available for reservation on Recreation.gov. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The area has vault toilets, and motorized boats are not allowed on the lake. The most comfortable months are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Wrightwood weather station run from highs around 69°F in May to about 75°F in September, with July the warmest at about 83°F. Nearby, the Crystal Lake Boulders and Deer Group Camp are both about half a mile away. The San Gabriel River, about 7 miles off, offers paddling.