Lodgepole Overflow & Group Campground is situated in [Stanislaus National Forest](https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/near/stanislaus-national-forest), featuring forested terrain with a mix of pine and fir trees. Temperatures in this area range from lows in the 30s Fahrenheit during winter to highs in the 80s during summer. Nearby attractions include the scenic Lake Alpine and the hiking trails of Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

## Overview

 Lodgepole Group Campground is located just two miles west of Lake Alpine in northern California. The campground affords breathtaking views of the surrounding Stanislaus National Forest.\_\_ Campground may open earlier and close later on a first come first serve basis as weather (snow level) allows. This information will be posted on this page as soon as it becomes available.\_\_ The current dates for reservations have historically allowed for comfortable camping, but please take into consideration the high alpine location when making a reservation. It is possible to have snow, rain, mud, and overall cold/wet conditions any time of year. 
## Recreation

 Lake Alpine provides a wide variety of recreation opportunities. Hike, bike, or ride a horse on Bear Valley, an accessible trail that winds along the lakeshore to the community of Bear Valley. It connects with the historic Emigrant Trail, the route pioneers once traveled via covered wagon to settle in California. Interpretive programs are offered by Forest Service rangers during the summer months.
## Facilities

 Campsites with room for up to 6 people, 3 tents, and 2 vehicles per campsite. Picnic tables, campfire rings, toilets are available. Hot showers and laundromat available at nearby Lake Alpine Lodge. No electricity or hook-ups. Pets are welcome. Firewood, camping and fishing supplies, food, and apparel is available in the general store at Lake Alpine Lodge. 
## Natural Features

 Lodgepole Campground is situated on a large, flat plain, not far from a creek. It sits at an elevation of 7,290 feet, within the Stanislaus National Forest in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains. The forest lies between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite and boasts gorgeous views of snow-capped peaks and California\'s Great Central Valley. A wide variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including marmots, squirrels, coyotes, deer and many birds. 
## Nearby Attractions

 A restaurant, bar, general store, and boat rentals can be found at nearby Lake Alpine Lodge. The immediate area is suited for forest and wilderness recreation. A short car ride away is Big Trees State Park, Grover Hot Springs, Mercer Caverns, Mountain Adventure Seminars, and the wine country of Calaveras County.

Lodgepole Overflow & Group Campground

Searching for the best camping near Bear Valley, CA? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Bear Valley, CA. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.

Bear Valley

The Best Camping Near Bear Valley, California

**Campground Review** 

Located off Scenic Highway 4 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this small forested campground is a convenient 5 minute drive from Lake Alpine. I camped at site 13 of 30. I headed up to Lake Alpine after work on a Friday afternoon in July. None of the campgrounds in the area take reservations so I planned on trying my luck with first-come first-serve campgrounds. All of the campsite next to the lake were full by the time I got there. Because the campgrounds further east past the lake are quite a bit of a drive, I decided to stay the night in this overflow campground. 

The sites were cramped and there wasn’t much privacy. I had brought my filled 5 gallon water jug and was glad I had as I never could find potable water (though I think the campground had some). The bathrooms were pretty awful. They weren’t pit toilets but rather porta-potties (Chemical toilets) and they were rather old and unpleasant. The campsite didn’t offer any bear lockers though we saw bears on our drive up the mountain. Plus the fee (25$) seemed rather steep for the amenities offered.

Overall it was an OK place to stay for a night but definitely nothing special. Its major perk is its proximity to Lake Alpine which was beautiful! Despite the numerous full campgrounds I had the lake nearly to myself (save a few fisherman) until about 10 AM. It’s a nice clear lake with good fishing. It’s not a huge lake as it took me about 45 minutes to paddle the whole length and back.

For more info about the campground, [click here!](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/stanislaus/recarea/?recid=14849)

**Product Review**

As a Dyrt Ranger, I also get products to test and review in the field. At this campground I tested an assortment of [Mountain House](https://www.mountainhouse.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwoNrMBRB4EiwA_ODYv3YNT6sKq5rnc3GzOSQiGi4WfiHIi1stulty9LP8Z7JIWQDS0GiKRRoCnh8QAvD_BwE) dehydrated meal kits including:

[_Breakfast Skillet_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/breakfast-skillet.html?variant_id=162)

[_Pasta Primavera_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/pasta-primavera.html?variant_id=60)

[_Chicken Fajita Bowl_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/chicken-fajita-bowl.html?variant_id=190)

[_Raspberry Crumble_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/raspberry-crumble.html?variant_id=99)

As a disclaimer, this was not my first go round with Mountain House meals, so I purposely chose meals that I have not previously had to try new things. Just for reference I find their Chili Mac with Beef and Beef Stroganoff meals to be rather delicious and awesome for backcountry dinners.

As a general review, all of the Mountain House meals were very easy to make and filling and most of them had a lot of flavor. The salt intake is a bit on the high end, so be aware if you generally avoid high sodium foods. They are excellent backpacking choices because they are light weight, filled with nutrition and calories, and much more exciting to eat than ramen or peanut butter. A huge benefit is that they cook quickly with minimal equipment. All you need is boiling water, a measuring cup (key to perfectly cooked meals) and a utensil to stir and then eat the contents right out of the pouch!

Now for meal specific reviews:

[_Breakfast Skillet_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/breakfast-skillet.html?variant_id=162): This meal includes potatoes, scrambled eggs, pork sausage, peppers and onions. I ate this as a midday brunch as I’m generally not a huge breakfast eater. Everything heated well though the eggs were a bit runny for my taste. The flavors were good and the meal was very hearty. If weight isn’t a concern I think this would go amazing in a tortilla with some hot sauce as to me it tasted like the inside of a breakfast burrito. Overall I give this meal a solid 4/5 stars.

[_Pasta Primavera_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/pasta-primavera.html?variant_id=60)_:_ This meal includes zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, red and yellow peppers, green peas and spiral macaroni in a parmesan cheese sauce. I was a bit nervous about this one as I can be finicky abuot how my pasta is cooked and I was worried how filling the meal would be without meat. This meal was my favorite of them all. It was cheesy, but not in a mac’n’cheese way and the vegetables and pasta were perfectly cooked. The excess water wasn’t a problem here because it was a saucy pasta dish. It was very filling, though may not be enough for someone who was actually backpacking. Overall I give this meal an overwhelming 5/5 stars.

[_Chicken Fajita Bowl_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/chicken-fajita-bowl.html?variant_id=190)_:_ This meal includes grilled chicken, rice, roasted vegetables and black beans. This meal was actually the first one I tried. The flavor wasn’t as strong as I would want in a Mexican inspired dish. The beans, veggies and rice were all cooked perfectly. I particularly liked the roasted veggies as they kept a lot of the flavor you would expect from roasted vegetables. The chicken however was only OK. One larger piece was still dry and uncooked in the middle. The rest generally lacked flavor. I added quite a bit of hot sauce to help this meal. I imagine adding it to a tortilla and making it a burrito could have also helped. Overall I give this meal an average 3/5 stars.

[_Raspberry Crumble_](https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/raspberry-crumble.html?variant_id=99)_:_ DESESRT!! Yummm. This meal consists of raspberry sauce with chocolate cookie crumbles. This meal was quite sweet and delicious. It cooked very well and became a warm jam of sorts. There was a separate bag of very crushed cookies. I think I would have preferred larger cookie bits or possibly bringing my own cookies next time to eat with the sauce as after a while eating what is basically jam can be overwhelming. Despite this I found it to be very delicious and give it a solid 5/5 stars.

This will definitely not be my last trip with Mountain House meals. They are lightweight, convenient, nutritious and generally delicious, plus they’re very easy to clean. I highly recommend them to campers looking for an easy no fuss meal and especially for backpackers looking for delicious low weight meal alternatives.

Ranger Review: Mountain House Food at Lodgepole Overflow Campground

Water was clean and fresh, sites were fairly clean as well. After those positive things the grounds were sparse and apparently they take reservations because all the posts had reserved signs on them although others say it is first come first serve. We were lucky to get the second to last spot (weekend). And that was after the host said that someone had actually reserved our site and we would need to move if they came. Price was $33 (exact change required, camp host didn’t even try to help us out). Other guests were noisy and kept me up until 3am. Camp host did nothing to quiet them. Overall meh experience. Trees were nice, close to the lake, beautiful mountains. 

Photos of Lodgepole Overflow & Group Campground

Real photos from real campers