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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 group campground

Ponderosa Cove Campground

Forest Service group campground in Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County, California. About 4,400 feet. 14.4 miles from Placerville.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Eldorado National Forest
Elevation
About 4,400 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
1 1 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
45 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
El Dorado County

Overview

Ponderosa Cove greets group campers with shaded campsites close to scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir. The campground provides a pleasant destination for bird watching and nature viewing, in addition to activities at the lake.

Recreation

Enjoy a picnic in the campground, or head to another picnic area at Stumpy Meadows Boat Ramp. The reservoir is great for swimming and fishing for brown and rainbow trout. Boating is also popular, but this is a no-wake lake.

Facilities

The campground can accommodate up to 75 guests along a single loop of campsites. Five parking spurs can be used for RVs and trailers. Each of these spurs has a picnic table. Ten walk-to tent pads are provided, and parking for these requires parallel parking on the loop. Vault toilets and two water faucets are provided.

Natural Features

Ponderosa Pine, the namesake of the campground, is known for its wonderful sweet vanilla aroma and its massive height. The campground sits east of the dam, just opposite the road from the Stumpy Meadows Lake, at an elevation of 4,400 feet. The lake sits in the foothills of the rugged Sierra Nevada high country of California.

In the Eldorado National Forest, the climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

Nearby Attractions

Eldorado National Forest boasts over 400 miles of hiking trails, so hikers have plenty of options to explore. Take a drive on the El Dorado County Scenic Highway or visit the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.

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

What people do here

  • camping

The land around Ponderosa Cove Campground

The ringed pin is this group 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 February 25, 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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