Pine Marten Campground, near Arnold, California, is a popular spot for families and outdoor lovers alike. With its beautiful surroundings and access to Lake Alpine, it’s a great place to set up camp and enjoy nature.

This campground offers a mix of amenities, including drinking water and clean restrooms, which visitors appreciate. Many campers enjoy the nearby walking paths and the chance to kayak or paddleboard on the lake. One reviewer mentioned, “It’s a good spot if you like to kayak or SUP,” highlighting the water activities available.

While it can get crowded, especially on weekends, the scenery and facilities make it worth the visit. The Inspiration Point trail is a favorite among hikers, offering stunning views of the area. Just keep in mind that the campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so arriving early during the week is your best bet for a good spot.

If you’re looking for a family-friendly atmosphere with plenty of outdoor activities, Pine Marten Campground is a solid choice. Just remember to secure your food, as bears are known to roam the area. Enjoy your time soaking in the beauty of the Stanislaus National Forest!

## Overview

 Pine Marten Campground is located in the Calveras Ranger District, at the east end of Lake Alpine Recreation Area in a timbered setting near several trailheads. 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 recreational opportunities: fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, boating, OHV trails, swimming, and wildlife watching. Interpretive programs are offered by Forest Service rangers during the summer months. 
## Natural Features

 Pine Marten Campground sits at an elevation of 7,400 feet on the east end of Lake Alpine within the Stanislaus National Forest. The forest lies between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite and boasts gorgeous views. Squirrels, chipmunks, deer, marmots, coyotes, bears, eagles, and many different birds make this area their home. The wildflowers are also beautiful! 
## 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 there is Grover Hot Springs, Mercer Caverns, Mountain Adventure Seminars, and the wine country of Calaveras County.

Pine Marten 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

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The campgrounds at Alpine Lake are beautiful and spacious. There are pit toilets and it’s a very short walk to the lake. There’s coin operated showers at the nearby lodge which also has a restaurant and little store. These are first come first serve sites and they are our family’s favorite place to car camp! Remember to always put away your food so it’s not visible. Some years there are bears that cruise by during the night.

Alpine Lake is our fave!

Our family has been camping here for  30 years.  The last few years the amount of people  is  beyond capacity. Cars are crammed in all around the lake.  The campground is first come first serve. Coming up on a Friday late, you  won't get a spot.  The best time to enjoy this beautiful place is in the middle of the week. 

The inspiration trail it's right by this campground. It's  a nice hike that goes up to the top of the mountain overlooking lake alpine. You also will see a spectacular view on the other side. 

There's a small boat launch that's super packed in the weekends. It's almost impossible to  drive a trailer for a small fishing boat thru there.  There's so many cars parked all along the narrow road.  During the week before children are out of  school, no one is there. We've been able to launch our big pontoon boat on the launch. The  speed limit for  boats is  5 mph. I think. 

Beware there's bears possible. There's no  food lockers. We had one in  our camp several years ago. He  took our food.  He  roamed the campground every night and  was  a huge bear.  The  Ranger said it was The biggest male he's ever seen.  Air horn in a can we had on the boat worked good to scare him away.


Lake Alpine

It’s the last campground along hwy 4 with amenities and cell phone reception.   A truly great spot but for these reasons alone it’s far too crowded for my tastes.  Inspiration point trail is an easy hike with amazing views.  Also a hike into Carson Iceberg wilderness into a majestic valley with old log cabins and free range cattle.  Sadly this campground did not open until early July this year and will close after Labor Day weekend.  There are still plenty of other camping options for late season if you continue up Highway 4 towards Ebbetts pass. 

A great spot, but overcrowded

Great family campground but if your in search of solitude this is not the spot. Situated across from the campground is the day use area which is very popular and noisy.  
Facilities are clean and the campground is beautiful, great walking path too! 

Beautiful but crowded 

Like title says, it good if like to kayak or SUP, but there is day use area across the campground and it can get loud. My husband, mom, sister, and I camped here and it was nice but one morning some people showed up at the day use area and just started blasting music at 9am, it made me upset because I went to alpine lake to get the nature sounds and had to deal with loudness. It was good lake to SUP and was an escape from the music, and the hosts were very nice and kept the bathrooms clean, but it loses a star due to loud day use area IMO.

Photos of Pine Marten Campground

Real photos from real campers