Camping around Lake Tahoe varies from secluded plots in the woods, riverside parcels, sites right in the middle of town, and even lakeside spots. Campgrounds in the Lake Tahoe Basin are generally open from mid-May through mid-October. Take your pick at some of our suggestions for camping in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin, starting at the furthest north point on the lake, then heading down the West Shore and back out to Truckee. For back country camping, contact the U.S. Forest Service.

This campsite is right smack on the North Shore, located in Tahoe Vista near a great sandy beach (like the name says), makes a great jumping off point for East Shore excursions since there are no campsites on Tahoe’s northeast shore, privately owned, 44 campsites, RVs up to 40 feet permitted, restroom and shower facilities.

Lake Forest Campground is your special spot in North Lake Tahoe. Campsites are available on a first-come first-serve basis and located just a few blocks away from the Lake Forest Beach. Feel free to visit Pomin Park during your stay for some baseball or soccer. With 20 camp sites, pump water, portable restrooms and located just a few blocks away from the Lake Forest Beach.

When convenience is key, choose this roadside and lakeside spot right in Tahoe City, walking distance to everything in town, 34 campsites, trailers up to 24 feet and RVs up to 28 feet permitted, restroom and shower facilities. The campground has 23 campsites with picnic tables, required-use food storage containers, and fire pits. Tahoe SRA does not have hook-ups or dump stations and is best for tent camping or the use of smaller trailers and RVs.

This spot is right by the famous Sunnyside Resort, across the main road from the lake, 95 campsites surrounded by big pine and fir trees, trailers up to 30 feet and RVs up to 57 permitted, and restrooms. A day use area is located across the street from the campground for lake access activities. William Kent Campground is on Forest Service land and is operated by the private concessionaire, California Land Management.

Kaspian Campground is located in a mature forest of pine trees overlooking the beautiful Lake Tahoe. The campground is situated in a former picnic area, across the street from the lake. Campsites are spaced for privacy and surrounded by tall ponderosa pine and white fir trees. Some sites offer spectacular views of Lake Tahoe through the trees. Kaspian Campground is ideal for visitors planning a full day of biking around Lake Tahoe. Bike trails that traverse the western shores of the lake begin near the campground. The campground offers multiple single-family sites for tent-only camping. Sites are equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided.

Great beach and hiking trail access, secluded and tucked into the deep West Shore trees of Lake Tahoe, 175 campsites, restrooms and shower facilities, trailers up to 24 feet and RVs up to 30 permitted, open year-round. Reservations can be made 6 months in advance of the date you would like to arrive. The Lake Tahoe area is a popular destination and reservations are recommended.

In the summer months, there are 10 group campsites and 120 family campsites. Fees for on-season camping are $35 per night. Fees include one vehicle. Extra vehicles are $10 per night. Group sites are $165 a night and include 10 vehicles in the fees. The campground does not have hook-ups, but there are showers and a dump station for registered campers.

Meeks Bay Campground is situated between two popular California State Parks at a 6,225 foot elevation, adjacent to beautiful Lake Tahoe. The crystal clear waters and sandy beaches, just steps away from the campground, provide a recreational escape for outdoor enthusiasts. The campground offers multiple single-family campsites for tent and RV camping. Some sites offer sweeping views of the lake. All sites are close together, some even sharing parking spurs, offering limited privacy between sites. Each site is equipped with tables, campfire rings and grills. Accessible flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Food storage lockers are available at each site in order to keep food packed away from a variety of wildlife.

If you’re a climber, this is the campsite for you! Located right next to some of the best bouldering at Lake Tahoe, D.L. Bliss State Park encompasses one of Tahoe’s most beautiful stretches of shoreline. It is also home to one California’s premier campgrounds. Much of the park’s 165-site campground is within a half-mile walk to D.L. Bliss’ popular summer beaches, Rubicon Point and the Rubicon Trailhead. Open between May and September only, this seasonal campground offers a diversity of sites, some much harder to reach than others. The 20 or so premier lakeside campsites at Beach Camp get booked well in advance, and they are slightly more expensive at $45/night. It’s best to plan early if you are hoping to secure a site near the lake. The remainder of the campsites are split among loops situated uphill from Beach Camp and set within the pine forest. The campground has restrooms with coin showers. Depending on drought and water conditions, water must sometimes be treated before drinking and cooking at D.L. Bliss State Park. Check with the ranger. All campsites are within a mile of the family-friendly beaches of Lester Beach and Calawee Cove. Personal water-craft are popular here. Nearby hiking options include the Rubicon Trail, the Lighthouse Trail and Balancing Rock Trail. Leashed dogs are permitted within the campground.

The Eagle Point Campground is a drive-in campground near Emerald Bay run by California State Parks. Fees vary by site. Some sites are smaller that will only allow one car and 4 people.

The Emerald Bay Boat Campground (boat access only) during the summer, sites are $35 per night. Reservations may be made at reservecalifornia.com, or by calling the number above. The campground is located on the north side of Emerald Bay, at the site of the old Emerald Bay Resort. Buoys are available, and camping takes place on land in the lakefront campsites. There is no designated boat launch area in Emerald Bay or at D.L. Bliss State Park. Overnight parking is not allowed at the Vikingsholm Parking lot or the D.L. Bliss State Park Beach area. Boat campers with reservations may launch non-motorized vessels at D.L. Bliss and may park their vehicle overnight in the Balancing Rock overflow parking lot with a valid camping receipt displayed.

Silver Creek Campground is located along the Truckee River and adjacent to Highway 89 South, seven miles south of Truckee, and not far from Tahoe City. The campground offers several single-family sites. Sites range from shaded by large trees to very open. Seven sites are designated for tent-camping only. These sites are a short walk-in and overlook the Truckee River. Other sites are close to Highway 89. All sites are a short walking distance to the river. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring and grill. Each site has a bear box that must be used to store food and other scented items such as toiletries and pet food. Currently firewood is not available for purchase at the campground. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Most roads within campground are paved. Larger RVs not recommended.

Goose Meadows Campground is located between the Truckee River and Highway 89, five miles from Truckee, and not far from Tahoe City and centrally located between the Prosser, Boca and Stampede reservoirs to the north, and Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley to the south. A variety of outdoor recreational activities is available at each location.. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing and hiking opportunities, as well as its proximity to Lake Tahoe. The campground is situated on the banks of the Truckee River. A scenic forest of lodgepole pine and fir trees covers the area. Fly-fishing for rainbow trout in the Truckee River is a popular activity enjoyed by visitors to the campground. Campers also enjoy swimming and tubing. The surrounding area offers hiking and biking trails. The campground offers single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring and grill. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

Prosser Family Campground is located on the picturesque Prosser Reservoir within the Tahoe National Forest, 10 minutes from Truckee, Calif. Visitors enjoy the area for its boating, canoeing, fishing and abundant hiking and off-road trails. The campground is situated within walking distance of the western shore of the reservoir. A scenic forest of Jeffrey pine and fir trees covers the area, while sagebrush dots the forest floor. Some sites have views of the reservoir and the surrounding mountains can be seen through the trees. Prosser Reservoir is a popular location for canoeing, swimming and fishing. Power boating is allowed but a 10-mph speed limit is enforced. A boat ramp is located a half-mile away at Prosser Ranch Group Campground. The surrounding area offers many hiking, biking, horseback riding and off-road vehicle trails. The campground offers single-family campsites, a few of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

Boca Campground is located on beautiful Boca Reservoir in the Tahoe National Forest, 15 minutes from Truckee, California. Visitors enjoy the area for its boating, swimming, fishing and abundant trail opportunities. The campground is situated on a peninsula on the western shore of Boca Reservoir. Mature Jeffrey pine and fir trees provide some shade in this open campground overlooking the reservoir. Boca Reservoir is a popular location for boating, water skiing, swimming and fishing. A boat ramp is located less than a mile from the campground. The Little Truckee River is nearby and offers some of Northern California’s best catch-and-release fly-fishing. The surrounding area offers hiking, biking, horseback riding and off-road vehicle trails. The campground offers single-family sites, a few of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets are provided but there is no water.