Portal Forebay Campground

Closed — Closed for the winter season. Kaiser Pass Road typically closes after November and reopens in late May. The campground operates seasonally, usually from late May or early June through mid-November, depending on snow conditions.

About

Portal Forebay Campground is located at 7,180 feet elevation along Kaiser Pass Road at Portal Forebay Lake in Sierra National Forest. This small, intimate campground features 11 campsites nestled among pine and cedar trees, providing natural shade and a peaceful mountain setting. The 20-acre Portal Forebay Lake serves as a holding reservoir for the Portal Power House and offers fishing opportunities for rainbow trout and eastern brook trout. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, grill, and bear-proof food storage locker. The campground provides vault toilets but no drinking water, so visitors must bring their own. A faint foot trail from the campground descends approximately 2 miles to the San Joaquin River, connecting to the Doris and Tule Lake Trail system. The lake's relatively small size and shoreline trail make it ideal for fishing from a canoe or float tube. Access to Portal Forebay Campground is via Kaiser Pass Road, which includes both paved and dirt sections. The road is not recommended for large RVs or motorhomes due to its narrow, winding nature through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no advance reservations available.

Directions

From Clovis, take Highway 168 east to Shaver Lake. Continue through Shaver Lake to Huntington Lake. At the east end of Huntington Lake, turn right on Kaiser Pass Road at Eastwood Visitor Center. Travel 13.6 miles northeast on Kaiser Pass Road to Portal Forebay Campground.

Nearby Campgrounds