A Lake in the Pines — for Annie & Molly

This is the one to bring Molly and Annie on. The solo ridge-run was recon — and it turned up a spot that does everything a family weekend needs at once: a real lake Molly will love, pines big enough for the tree tent, and enough comfort (water on tap, a legal campfire, toilets) that nobody's roughing it. Better still, it sits in an easier corner of the forest — the east side by Wrightwood — so the Highway 2 closure that shapes the solo trip doesn't touch it.

The one: Jackson Lake & the Lake Campground

Jackson Lake is a small alpine lake at ~6,000 ft, ringed in Jeffrey pines and oaks — genuine shade, genuine trees. You can put a kayak, canoe, or inflatable on it (non-motorized), and it's stocked with trout. And the campground is the rare kind that sits right on the shore: Lake Campground — 8 sites with fire rings and tables, piped water, a vault toilet, mostly first-come with about five reservable. You wake up to the water.

Why it fits the three of you

• Molly — a real lake to sit beside, and comfort dialled up from rough dispersed: water, toilets, a fire ring, an easy paved drive. ✓
• Annie — photogenic and mellow, with Wrightwood (coffee, food, phone signal) only ~20 minutes down the hill when she wants it. ✓
• The tree tent — Jeffrey pines and oaks come down near the water, so a three-trunk triangle for the Tentsile is a real possibility. Scout your site for it; bring the big bell tent as the sure thing.

The tree tent, at a lake

This is the whole reason to prefer Jackson over the bare reservoirs: mature trees near the shoreline. Pick a Lake Campground (or Mountain Oak) site with three sound trunks in a rough 13–16 ft triangle and the Tentsile goes up over the pine duff, lake in view. No triangle in your site? The bell tent and the hammock, and it's still a lakeside win. (One admin note: this zone needs a Big Pines Pass — the standard Adventure Pass is not honored here.)

Comfort & the campfire — the nice difference

Unlike the solo dispersed ridge (where no wood fire is allowed right now), Lake Campground is a developed campground — so at the current "Very High" fire level a real wood campfire IS legal in the site's fire ring, with the free California Campfire Permit. Water is piped in. There's a toilet. This is squarely the "bring people who like their comfort" spot — a proper campfire evening by a lake, not a stove-only ridge.

If you want a guaranteed site — or a swim

• Table Mountain Campground (~7,000 ft, ~5 min away) — a big reservable developed campground. Book it if you'd rather guarantee a site than race for a first-come lakeside spot. Pines and comfort, just not on the water.
• Pyramid Lake — the best swimming lake that's open (beaches, boating, waterski). But it's low, hot, and exposed, with no big trees — the pick only if a swim outranks the pines. (Jackson Lake's swimming isn't officially confirmed — see below.)
• Crystal Lake — open and piney, but the lake itself is low, murky, and no-swim. A lovely pine camp, a disappointing lake.

Things to do

• Paddle the lake — kayak / canoe / inflatable (non-motorized only), calm water.
• Trout fishing — Jackson is stocked; grab a CA fishing license.
• Wrightwood — a proper little mountain town ~20 min away: coffee, food, ice, supplies, and signal when Annie wants it.
• The PCT threads Big Pines — an easy, shady leg-stretch with a view.
• Dark skies at ~6,000 ft — bring the hammock and stay up.

Getting there — the easy east side

From LA: I-15 north → SR-138 west → SR-2 (Angeles Crest) through Wrightwood → Big Pines Highway to Jackson Lake. All paved, Forester-easy, ~2 hours. Crucially this comes in from the east and never touches the closed middle section of Highway 2 — so none of the solo-trip road drama applies. (Skip Guffy Road — that one's rough 4WD.)

Map & directions

• 📍 Route file (GPX) — import into onX Offroad / Gaia / CalTopo: download the GPX — the Big Pines cluster (Wrightwood → Jackson Lake → Lake Campground → Table Mountain) plus the Crystal Lake and Pyramid alternates.
• Area map (OpenStreetMap): open Big Pines / Jackson Lake
• Drive up (Google): LA → Wrightwood → Jackson Lake
• Jackson Lake: pin
• Lake Campground (the lakeside one): pin
• Table Mountain Campground (reservable backup): pin
• Wrightwood (supplies): pin

Know before you go — verified Aug 11, 2026

• Fire status "Very High": at a developed campground like Lake Campground, a wood campfire IS allowed in the provided fire ring, and propane anywhere — both require the free California Campfire Permit. It can escalate to "Extreme" (which would ban wood fires) — re-check the day before.
• Pass: the Big Pines area needs a Big Pines Pass (from Mountain High Resort / local vendors). The standard Adventure / Interagency pass is not honored here.
• Water: Lake Campground has piped water — a real upgrade over the solo trip's dry ridge. (Still carry a backup supply.)
• Swimming at Jackson Lake is not officially confirmed — verify locally; if a guaranteed swim matters, aim at Pyramid or Piru instead.
• Verify same-day: Jackson Lake day-use had a brief July fire scare (the fire is out); confirm it's open and ask about swimming — district (760) 249-3504; ANF supervisor (626) 574-1613.
• No cell signal at the lake; Wrightwood has service.

Pre-trip checklist

1. Big Pines Pass (not an Adventure Pass).
2. Free CA Campfire Permit — readyforwildfire.org.
3. Call (760) 249-3504 — confirm Jackson Lake day-use + Lake Campground open, and whether swimming's allowed.
4. Decide: race for a first-come lakeside site (arrive early, ideally a weekday/Friday AM) or reserve Table Mountain for a guaranteed bed.
5. Import the GPX into onX before you leave (no signal up there).
6. Bring the bell tent as the tree-tent backup.
7. Re-check fire level the day before.