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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

Loon Lake

Forest Service campground in Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County, California. 6,471 feet. 19.1 miles from South Lake Tahoe.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Eldorado National Forest
Elevation
6,471 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
60 49 standard non-electric, 8 equestrian non-electric, 3 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
67 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
El Dorado County

Overview

Loon Lake Campground is situated on the south shores of Loon Lake, and attracts many visitors with its variety of campsites and beautiful waterfront setting. Popular activities include boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and exploring off-road vehicle trails.

Recreation

Anglers delight in fishing for rainbow and brown trout, while boaters head out for water skiing. Five picnic areas in the campground and a day-use area provide visitors with nice lake views.

Facilities

Campsites come with picnic tables, grills, campfire rings and bear-proof food storage lockers. Firewood is sold on-site.

Natural Features

The campground sits just west of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains at an elevation of 6,500 feet. The climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

Nearby Attractions

The 18-mile Rubicon Jeep Trail begins nearby. An exciting stretch of scenic, un-maintained, rocky road awaits off-road thrill seekers.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking

The land around Loon Lake

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated May 2, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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