page_title: Crystal Lake Recreation Area
section_title: Amphitheater
hierarchical_section_title: Crystal Lake Recreation Area / Amphitheater
caption_attribution_description: English: Open Air Amphitheature at Crystal Lake
context_page_description: The Crystal Lake Recreation Area is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, administered by the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument of the United States Forest Service. The Recreation Area consists of a small lake, an open-air amphitheater, a large public campground containing approximately 120 camp sites grouped into "loops," and a group campground called Deer Flats which consists of approximately 25 camp sites. The Recreation Area contains a United States Forest Service visitor center and a cafe which is open to the public from dawn to dusk except for Tuesdays when the cafe is closed. Within the Recreation Area are 16 hiking and nature trails which are well-maintained by volunteers who work under the direction of the Forest Service. The Recreation Area is located approximately 26 miles north on Hwy. 39 heading out of Azusa, California at the headwaters of the north fork of the San Gabriel River at an elevation approximately 5,539 feet above sea level. Crystal Lake is the only naturally occurring lake in the San Gabriel Mountains.
context_section_description: One of the most interesting features of the Crystal Lake Recreation Areas is the amphitheater which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and other agencies and was fully restored after the damage to the facility caused by the Curve Fire of 2002 by contractors.  This open facility is often used by U. S. Forest Service volunteers and employees to give lectures to individuals, Boy Scouts, hikers, campers, and picnickers during the day and often at night.
  The amphitheater area is surrounded by electric lights and there are numerous electrical outlets along the walkway to the amphitheater itself.  Drinking water is piped in to the facility through underground pipes fed from an underground water cistern which is in turn fed from Soldier Creek.
  The theater can seat about 200 individuals and there is a central ring where large fires can be had.  A drinking fountain located on the walkway to the facility provides water taken from an underground cistern fed by Soldier Creek.
  Above the theater are the ruins of the large bandstand / dance floor that used to play host to Big Band Era music groups such as Benny Goodman and, on rare occasion, Elvis Presley—among many other groups.  The dance floor ruins continue to crumble however there is some hope that volunteers will restore the facility so that music groups will once again play, allowing visitors to enjoy Summer music in the open air of the campgrounds.
caption: Amphitheater
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