Lake Tahoe Travel Guide

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Lake Tahoe Campgrounds, Tent Camping and RV Parks

Map of Lake Tahoe Campgrounds

Looking for that once in a year experience? We got you covered!

Our guide to Lake Tahoe camping can help you to quickly review Lake Tahoe’s most popular campgrounds, RV Parks, and primitive tent campsites. Please click on one of the areas below to search for your preferred location.
  

Desolation Wilderness Area

Desolation Wilderness Area — Lake Tahoe Area Wilderness Camping

United States Forest Service –

Eldorado National Forest 100 Forni Rd., Placerville, CA 95667  (530) 622-5061
   

Click the link to learn more about Lake Tahoe’s famed Desolation Wilderness Area.
  

South Lake Tahoe Campgrounds

Campground by the Lake   — City of South Lake Tahoe Rec. Dept.

1150 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 542-6096

The Campground by the Lake has 157 campsites.  The park can accommodate RVs. Some of the amenities include: dump station, free showers, sites with or without electric, BBQ’s, picnic tables, and fire rings.

Camp Richardson  — Privately Operated RV Parks & Campgrounds

Hwy 89 and Jameson Beach Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA   (530) 541-1801

Camp Richardson features a variety of accommodations including: 220 campsites, 110 RV sites, historic hotel with deluxe rooms, year-round cabins, beachside Inn, a marina duplex on the lake, and a restaurant.

Camp Richardson can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet long. RV hook ups are available that range from water, electricity, and sewer to only water and/or electricity.

Camp Shelly  — Privately Operated RV Parks & Campgrounds

Hwy 89 and Jameson Beach Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA   (530) 541-1801

Camp Richardson features a variety of accommodations including: 220 campsites, 110 RV sites, historic hotel with deluxe rooms, year-round cabins, beachside Inn, a marina duplex on the lake, and a restaurant.

Camp Richardson can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet long. RV hook ups are available that range from water, electricity, and sewer to only water and/or electricity.

Chris Haven Mobile Park Highway

50 & East Street, South Lake Tahoe  (530) 541-1895

Privately Operated, it has full hook-ups, disposal, water, showers, restrooms, laundry, cable TV, phone.  Fee: daily, weekly, monthly & package rates.  Open All Year

D.L. Bliss California State Park — Camping

Hwy 89, South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 525-7277

D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parks Cover 1,830 acres in California’s Sierra Nevada and include some six miles of Lake Tahoe shoreline. From promontories such as Rubicon Point in D.L. Bliss State Park you can see over one hundred feet into the depths of Lake Tahoe. From the top of Eagle Falls, in Emerald Bay State Park, you can see a brilliant panorama of Emerald Bay, Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, and the distant Nevada shore.

D.L. Bliss’ campgrounds offer over 150 campsites, and it can accommodate campers up to 21 feet long and trailers up to 15 feet.  Sorry, no RV hook ups are available, but the park does have showers and flush toilets.

For more information on the park and its campgrounds visit their Web site. The park’s campsites can be reserved by calling the California State Parks reservation hotline at (800) 444-PARK, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) seven days a week.

Emerald Bay State Park  — Boat Camping Only

Hwy 89, South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 525-7277

Emerald Bay State Park’s Boat Camp campground has 20 campsites with mooring buoys. Boaters can either sleep on board their boat, or camp in a designated site on shore. Each campsite has a table, storage locker, and fire ring. Water is available in the campground, and there are chemical toilets. There are no showers.

The Boat Camp is normally open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, depending upon weather conditions. All campsites–with buoy–are available on a first come, first served basis, and require a nominal fee and registration. For more information on the campgrounds, campsite fees, regulations, and reservation system, visit their Web site or call (530) 525-7277.

Emerald Bay State Park also features the Vikingsholm–one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the western hemisphere. Touring the Vikingsholm is like a stepping back into medieval times. The Vikingsholm home may be toured from mid-June thru Labor Day. Tours are given from 10:00 am thru 4:00 pm, every half hour. Tour fees are $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for children, and children under 6 are free.

Emerald Bay State Park  —  Eagle Point Family Campground

Hwy. 89, South Shore Lake Tahoe, Tahoma, CA 96142       (530) 541-3030

The campground has about 100 sites.  Water, restrooms, showers.

Fallen Leaf Lake — Camping

Hwy 89, South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 544-5994

Fallen Leaf Lake Campgrounds have over 208 campsites. The park can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long. Sorry, no showers or RV hook ups. Flush toilets are available.

Holly’s Place A resort nestled among the pines in the Sierra Nevada. Cabins and rooms, outdoor activities, hot tub. Non-smoking, clean & private.

Kaspian Recreation

Hwy 89 5 miles south of Tahoe City, CA      (530) 583-3642

The 9 available campsites are walk-in only and are spaced for privacy and surrounded by ponderosa pine and white fir trees.  The campground offers tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided.

KOA of South Lake Tahoe  — Privately Operated RV Parks & Campgrounds

Hwy 50, South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 577-3693

KOA of South Lake Tahoe provides a heated pool (May – Sept.), playground, hot showers, modern restrooms, fully stocked general store, disposal station, and propane. KOA offers a variety of campsites that can accommodate anything from RVs to tents to pick up camping. RV campsites have full hook ups with electric, water and sewer. Cable TV is also available at select sites.

For those that prefer to rough it, KOA has campsites for tents, tent trailers, and pick ups. All campsites have a picnic tables, campfire rings and bbq grills.

Lakeside Mobile Home & RV Park

3987 Cedar Ave., South Lake Tahoe  (530) 544-4704

Privately Operated, it has full hook-ups, disposal, water, showers, restrooms, cable TV.  Fee: daily, weekly, monthly & package rates.  Open All Year

Tahoe Pines Campgrounds — Camping & RV Parking

860 Emerald Bay Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 577-1653

The campground has 31 RV sites and 20 tent / RV campsites. The campground can accommodate RV’s up to 40′ long. Full RV hook ups are available.  Some of the campground’s other amenities include: showers, flush toilets, dump station, playground, store and laundry.

Tahoe Valley Campgrounds — Camping & RV Parking

1175 Melba Dr., South Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 541-2222

Tahoe Valley Campgrounds have 415 available campsites. The park can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet long with full hook ups. Additional amenities include: flush toilets, hot showers, swimming pool, tennis courts, store, and laundry.

Woods Lake — Camping

Hwy 88, Kirkwood, CA  (530) 622-5061

Wrights Lake — Camping & Equestrian Campgrounds

Desolation Wilderness — South West Edge  (530) 647-5415

A fee is charged. There is piped water, picnic tables, handicapped accessible toilets, grills, and fire-rings, but no hook-ups. Call 1-877-444-6777 for campsite reservations. Reservation season in the first Friday after the Fourth of July weekend through Labor Day. Usually open first-come, first served into early October.   For a USFS Equestrian brochure, click here. For more information on the lakes of the Crystal Basin Recreation Area (Loon Lake, Union Valley, Ice House and Wrights Lake), click here.

Zephyr Cove Campground  — Privately Operated RV Parks & Campgrounds

Hwy 50, Zephyr Cove, NV  (775) 588-6644   (South Lake Tahoe)

Zephyr Cove campgrounds offer a variety of campsites that can accommodate anything from RVs to tents to pick up camping. RV sites have full hook ups with electric, water, sewer and coin-operated laundry.

For those that prefer to rough it, Zephyr Cove has campsites for tents, tent trailers, and pick ups. The campsites Include nearby water, restrooms, showers and coin-operated laundry.
  
  

Click the link to view a complete list of South Lake Tahoe Campgrounds & Campsites that are located in State & Federal Parks and Privately Operated RV Parks.
  

West Lake Tahoe Campgrounds

Meeks Bay Campgrounds — Camping & RV Parking

Hwy 89, West Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 544-5994

Meeks Bay Campgrounds has 40 tent & RV campsites. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 20 feet long. Sorry, no RV hook ups are available, but the campground does provide showers, water, bbq rings, and flush toilets.

Meeks Bay Resort — Camping & RV Parking

Hwy 89, West Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 525-6946

The resort’s campground has 10 RV sites and 20 basic campsites. The park can accommodate RV’s up to 30′ long. Full hook ups are available at some–but not all–of the RV sites.  Some of the resort’s other amenities include: showers, marina, store, and snack bar.

Sugar Pine Point California State Park — Camping & RV parking

Hwy 89, West Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 525-7982

Home of the Ehrman Mansion, Sugar Pine Point State Park’s campgrounds have 175 campsites, and it can accommodate RV’s up to 30 feet and trailers up to 24 feet long. Some of the campground’s  amenities include: hot showers (during the summer), flush toilets, dump station, museum, pier, nature trails, and cross country skiing. Open year-round.

With over 2,000 acres of conifer forest, the park has many miles of hiking trails within the park and a swimming beach that provides visitors with a variety of relaxing summer activities. The park also contains General Creek which has some of the clearest waters flowing into Lake Tahoe. The stream is open to fishing from mid July to mid September.

For more park and camping information visit their Web site. The park’s campsites can be reserved by calling the California State Parks reservation hotline at (800) 444-PARK, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) seven days a week.    

William Kent — Camping & RV Parking

Hwy 89, West Lake Tahoe, CA  (530) 544-5994

William Kent Campgrounds have 95 available tent & RV campsites. The park can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long. The park’s amenities include: lake swimming and dump station.
 

Click the link to view a complete list of West Lake Tahoe Campgrounds & Campsites that are located in State & Federal Parks and Privately Operated RV Parks.
   

North Lake Tahoe Campgrounds

Blue Waters Lodge & RV Park

221 Chipmunk, Kings Beach  (530) 546-7884

Privately Operated.  The spaces rented weekly – monthly

Boca Rest Campgrounds

10811 Stockrest Springs Road,  Truckee, CA 96161 (530) 587-9281

The campgrounds is located on the northeast shore of Boca Reservoir. Elevation: 5,700 feet. Facilities: 25 campsites, piped water, vault toilets, hand-off boat launching, concrete ramp on southwest shore, three miles away.

Boyington Mill

I-80, Hirschdale Exit, Truckee   (530) 587-3558

The campground has 11 RV’s up to 15′ restrooms, fishing

Coachland RV Park

10100 Pioneer Trail, Truckee, CA   (530) 587-3071

Coachland RV Park has 131 RV sites. The park can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long, and RV hook ups with cable TV are available. Some of the park’s amenities include: showers, new club house, craft room, horse shoes, ballfield, and flush toilets. Coachland is a family park.

Donner Memorial California State Park — Camping & RV parking

Hwy 80, Truckee, CA  (530) 582-7894  (Located 13 Miles North of Lake Tahoe)

The Donner Memorial State Park’s campground has 150 campsites and a day-use area along the lake with picnic tables, restrooms, and a beach. Campsites can accommodate campers up to 28 feet and trailers up to 24′ long.

The park has also almost 2.5 miles of hiking trails within its borders–more enthusiastic hikers can explore even further by visiting the neighboring Tahoe National Forest. Other park activities include fishing and a lakeside interpretive trail. For a small fee, a public boat ramp–operated by the Truckee Donner Recreation & Parks District–is available in the northwest corner of Donner Lake.

For more park and campground information visit their Web site. The park’s campsites can be reserved by calling the California State Parks reservation hotline at (800) 444-PARK, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) seven days a week.

Goose Meadows Campgrounds

Hwy 89, 6 miles south of Truckee on the Truckee River (530) 587-3558 or (877) 444-6777

The campground has 24 sites.  Water, restrooms, swimming, fishing

Granite Flat Campgrounds — Camping & RV parking

Hwy 89, North Lake Tahoe  (530) 587-3558

Granite Flat Campgrounds has over 65 campsites (7 text only / 58 RV). Sorry, no hook ups are available, and be prepared, there are no showers or flush toilets. Vault toilets only.

Logger Campgrounds — Camping & RV parking / North Lake Tahoe

Dog Valley Road East Sierra, California 96161 (530) 587-9281

Logger Campground sits on beautiful Stampede Reservoir on the Tahoe National Forest, 30 minutes from Truckee, California. Visitors enjoy the area for its boating, fishing and abundant hiking and off-road trails.

Martis Creek Campground

Hwy 267 1 mile south of Truckee Airport (530) 639-2342

The campground has 25 sites. Water, restrooms, catch & release fishing are available.

Prosser Recreation Sites 

Hwy 89  two miles north of Truckee  (530) 587-3558

Prosser Family Campground is located at Prosser Reservoir, 10 minutes from Truckee, California. Visitors enjoy the area for its boating, canoeing, fishing and abundant hiking and off-road trails.  It has 23 sites.

Sagehen Creek Field Station

Hwy 89 1 mile north of Truckee  (530) 587-3558

The campground has 10 sites.  Rough road to campground.  Fee: None

Sandy Beach Campground  — Closed for 2011 ?

6873 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe Vista, CA 96148     (530) 546-7682

It has 44 sites.  RVs to 40′  full hook-ups, dump station, restrooms, showers, swimming, hot showers

Silver Creek

Hwy 89 (Eight miles south of Truckee)  (530) 587-3558

The campground has 23 sites (11 RV / 5 tent / 7 walk to).  Available services include: water, vault toilets, swimming, fishing

Tahoe State Recreation Area — Camping & RV parking / North Lake Tahoe

Tahoe City, CA  (530) 583-3074

Tahoe SRA Campgrounds have 31 available tent & RV campsites. The park can accommodate campers up to 21 feet and trailers up to 15 feet long.  Park’s amenities include: flush toilets,  showers, picnic sites, fishing pier, store, and laundry.

Tahoe National Forest — Camping & RV parking / North of Lake Tahoe

Truckee Ranger District (Located 13 Miles North of Lake Tahoe) 10342 Hwy 89 north, Truckee, CA  (530) 587-3558 

United Trails

10068 Hirschdale Road Truckee, CA 96161 (530) 587-8282

United Trails is an RV resort with a Deli, Coffee shop and gas station located across the street from the Truckee River. United Trails provides a central location to all the great outdoor activities that the area has to offer.

 

Click the link to view a complete list of North Lake Tahoe Campgrounds & Campsites that are located in State & Federal Parks and Privately Operated RV Parks.
 

East Lake Tahoe Campgrounds

Mt. Rose Campgrounds

Hwy 4317 miles from Incline Village (775) 882-2766

The campground has 24 sites that can accommodate trailers & motor homes up to 40′ .  Available services include: water, restrooms, disposal.

Nevada Beach

Elk Point Road, off Hwy 50 Zephyr Cove  (775) 588-5562

U.S. Forest Service Owned, operated by Calf. Land Management, Inc.  No. of sites: 54 trailers & motor homes up to 35′  water, restrooms, swimming

 

Zephyr Cove Campground  — Privately Operated RV Parks & Campgrounds

Hwy 50, Zephyr Cove, NV  (775) 588-6644   (South Lake Tahoe)

Zephyr Cove campgrounds offer a variety of campsites that can accommodate anything from RVs to tents to pick up camping. RV sites have full hook ups with electric, water, sewer and coin-operated laundry.

For those that prefer to rough it, Zephyr Cove has campsites for tents, tent trailers, and pick ups. The campsites Include nearby water, restrooms, showers and coin-operated laundry.
  

Click the link to view a complete list of East Lake Tahoe Campgrounds & Campsites that are located in State & Federal Parks and Privately Operated RV Parks.

 

 

What’s on Tap

Events

Lake Tahoe Festivals & Events:

 

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival—7/8 – 8/21

North Lake—Imagine your toes in the sand, a fantastic bottle of wine nearby, a gourmet meal in hand and first-class entertainment before you…

Labor Day Lake Tahoe Fireworks Extravaganza—9/4/16 @ 08:30 PM

South Lake—This pyrotechnic exhibition explodes over Lake Tahoe after dusk and features a variety of patterns, shapes, and designs.

Big Band Jazz Concert at the Sugar Pine Point State Park—9/4/16

West Lake—Concert goers are encouraged to bring a picnic, low-back chairs, blankets, and be prepared to have fun.

The Great Reno Balloon Race—9/9 – 9/11/16

Reno—This is the 35th year for one of Reno’s most colorful and spectacular events! It attracts nearly 100 hot air balloons

For more event information, click on our Festivals & Events page for Half Moon Bay.
  
  

Attractions

Top Attractions:

Winter Outdoor Activities  – 2015/16

The ski areas were finally blessed with SNOW! The recent drought took its toll, but finally were seeing some action…

Summer Outdoor Activities – 2016

Lake Tahoe  – In a couple of months, Lake Tahoe will be bursting with outdoor activities!

Desolation Wilderness Area 

Awesome hiking from late spring to late summer. 

 

For more information on local attractions, click on the Lake Tahoe Attractions or Recreational Activities.
  
  

 

Advisories

The Region’s Fall Advisories:
  

Traffic Conditions. During the summer months, Lake Tahoe is inundated with tourists making driving challenging. Another issue, is the warm summer months are the best to complete road work. This combination can create very long delays in certain sections. Go to www.caltrans.com to learn about road conditions. 

Yes, It’s Still Water! California’s extreme drought has created some long-term consequences. If you are planning a lake vacation be sure to check about water levels. That rafting trip, fishing, or skiing may be impacted. It has also create EXTREME fire conditions, so be sure to check with local authorities about campfire and camp stove regulations.   

The Plague! It sounds medieval, but chipmunks and squirrels around Lake Tahoe can carry the Plague and health officials urge caution. Click here to learn more.

Yellow Jackets! I don’t know why it’s so bad this season, but from Tahoe City south  along the beaches the bees are everywhere! Click here to learn more.
  
  

  
  
  

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