Crystal Peak Campground

I absolutely love this place. There is no other place quite like it in California that I'm aware of, and I'm always looking for a new spot to rockhound and crystal dig. My first attempt to get to Crystal Peak was a failure. I was driving my Zx2..lol, completely unaware of the road conditions. It was sun down, I had my kids with me and decided to turn back. I came back later with a truck. You dont need a 4x4, but depending on which way you come, it and the time of year it can be beneficial. Once you get to the road that takes you to Crystal Peak, you're looking at a good 45 min drive, if not longer. The road is very rough due to all the quartz protruding up from the ground. Definitely make sure you have good tires!!! If you're looking at this place on Google Maps, it looks like snow. Instead, it's quartz, literally everywhere. The entire place is covered with quartz. A lot of digging has taken place here, but that doesn't mean you won't find what you are looking for, if you know how to find it. There is a campground near the bottom of the mountain. If you are the type of person who needs amenities, this campground definitely is not for you. It's not your typical campground, and you are very much in the middle of the woods. Beware that there is wildlife in the area, bear, cougar, deer, etc. You can totally make this a day trip during summertime when the days are longest if you set out early in the morning. I had a great time. If you look carefully, you can find small quarts Crystal points just walking around. Bring plenty of water and food. There is nothing nearby. Dress in layers, which you can peel off in needed. Wear shoes with good tread/ hiking shoes would be ideal. Kid friendly if you have older children. I would not recommend bringing a child under 5 or 6 years old here or if you have children that aren't good listeners or tend to wander off. Dog friendly. However, if you have a house dog that you take only to dog parks and not out to these types of environments by the end of the day, their paws will most likely be sore. The quartz can be sharp, and wearing gloves wouldn't be a bad idea. I don't, but that's just me. Have fun! Good luck! Stay safe!

Great, isolated campground. No potable water, so bring your own, and plan on packing your trash out because it seems like the bins rarely get emptied. We were the only people at the campground and all the bins were full and had trash piled up next to them. It's also COLD at night and there's often a stiff breeze, so bring lots of layers.

Not sure which way is easier, bordertown or verdi, but it's a really nice campground and a hidden gem. I usually come through the bordertown way and my Subaru makes it fine. Bathrooms, tables, fire rings, tent pads, hose for fire, BBQ's and parking. 2 cars & 2 tents per site. $6/night and they have a dumpster.

went deer hunting and found this campground on the map, 1st time staying there, clean and open spaces.

Pretty sure this is the same as Lookout Campground. Not too bad. People make the difference.