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Tent Camping near Alleghany, CA

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Tent campgrounds near Alleghany, California provide access to the Tahoe National Forest with options ranging from established sites to more remote dispersed areas. Tent camping near Alleghany spans primitive lakeside sites and tent-only campgrounds, giving campers a choice between backcountry solitude and basic developed amenities. Bowman Lake Dispersed camping offers primitive tent sites in a secluded setting, while Fiddle Creek provides established tent-only camping with basic amenities near Camptonville. Several backcountry tent camping opportunities exist around mountain lakes and along forest service roads throughout the region.

    Access to many tent camping areas requires careful navigation of unpaved forest roads. Bowman Lake sites demand high-clearance 4x4 vehicles, with one visitor noting that "the road to get here is rocky, but worth every second." Most established campgrounds provide vault toilets and fire rings, though drinking water is limited. Bear activity is common, with bear boxes available at some locations including Fiddle Creek and Rucker Lake. Tent campsites typically feature dirt pads with picnic tables at established grounds, while dispersed areas offer more variable terrain. Camping season generally runs May through October, with higher elevations inaccessible during winter and early spring.

    Areas around Lindsey Lake and Grouse Ridge offer tent campers particularly scenic settings with lake access. A visitor commented that Lindsey Lake "is exactly what I want in a campsite" with opportunities for dispersed tent camping where you can be "out of ear and eye shot of any other person." Backcountry tent camping requires proper waste disposal and adherence to leave-no-trace principles. Walk-in tent sites at Rucker Lake involve a 300-foot hike from parking areas, so bringing a wagon for gear is advisable. The region provides excellent hiking opportunities with access to the Yuba River and numerous alpine lakes. Most tent-only camping areas see moderate weekend use during summer but remain relatively uncrowded on weekdays when tent campers can enjoy greater solitude.

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    Best Tent Campgrounds near Alleghany (87)

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      1. Bowman Campground

      4.6(7)12mi from AlleghanyTents

      "There are several primitive campgrounds to choose from. Some right near the lake. There is a pit toilet, but no water or fire rings. The drive is long and fairly rough."

      "The road is rough and can be treacherous driving on a cliff side. You will need good clearance on your car. Pit toilet only with no water. lots of hiking, good fishing, great kayaking."

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      2. Grouse Ridge Campground

      5.0(5)14mi from AlleghanyTents

      "Quite a few sites there with fire rings, beat up, bear boxes that didn't open and picnic benches that were in bad shape. They had two pot toilets. This was a very busy campground."

      "There were a lot of people parked around to backpack and camp along the trails bin the area. It took 30 minutes to drive the 5 unpaved miles of grouse ridge road. No issues in my ‘83 2WD Westy"

      3. Bowman Lake Dispersed

      4.8(4)12mi from AlleghanyTents

      "There are tent sites above the boat ramp with bear boxes and fire rings. Left side of tent sites is very loud due to the rushing river."

      "The trail will take you off road for quite some time , but it's well with the adventure."

      4. Lindsey Lake Campground

      4.3(3)11mi from AlleghanyTents

      "It can be little rough to get to requiring careful driving even on the paved road (big potholes!), but that just serves to help feel remote. There are 12 official campgrounds near the lake."

      "We had direct access to lake to launch and swim. Jake, site host, very kind and professional as he answered questions and gave advice when a group member popped a tire coming up to the lake."

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      5. Rucker Lake Campground

      4.0(4)13mi from AlleghanyTents

      "This lake is a quiet getaway, with waterfront access and a warm lake. Short hike in but has picnic tables and bear boxes."

      "Got here on a Friday late afternoon and found a walk in spot close to the lake. Nice, quiet campground."

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      6. Fiddle Creek

      4.0(2)9mi from Alleghany15 sitesTents

      "Tent only. You park and walk to you camping which is with other camps right by. It's not too bad and if you get a group you can get your own little slice of the campground to yourself. "

      from $24 / night

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      7. Grouse Ridge Campground

      4.5(4)14mi from AlleghanyTents

      "The hiking is great, there’s access to about 6 or more lakes, a great backpacking spot. The road to get here is quite rough."

      "But it has some great views and access to great trails."

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      8. Lake Spaulding Campground

      5.0(4)15mi from AlleghanyTents

      "We take our Kayaks and spend the day on the lake. It gets choppy in the afternoon so be aware. The campgrounds are set among huge boulders and can be very private."

      "We stayed here for a night before backpacking to Eagle Lakes, and it was a nice little wooded campground.  Very quiet, spacious sites.  Hiking along the lake is gorgeous. "

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      9. Carlton Flat Campground

      5.0(1)9mi from AlleghanyTents

      "After your hike you can sit on the picnic table enjoy your lunch and watch the woodpeckers and birds fly pass you. This place does get crowded during the summer and during hunting season."

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      10. Loganville

      4.5(2)12mi from Alleghany19 sitesTents

      "The weather was perfect in early October! It was not busy, there was on other occupied campsite not to close to where we were. It has water, bathrooms and a bear box. Beautiful trees and clean sites."

      "The campground itself is pretty standard, sites are decent size, and lots of shade.  There is a path down to the Yuba River, where you can get in the water or float on a tube. "

      from $24 / night

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    Recent Tent Camping Photos near Alleghany, CA

    34 Photos of 87 Alleghany Campgrounds

    Tent Camping Reviews near Alleghany, CA

    856 Reviews of 87 Alleghany Campgrounds

    • Dani P.
      Jul. 12, 2019

      Meeks Bay

      Beautiful and big family oriented campground

      Just a small walk away from Lake Tahoe shore. Big beautiful trees cover the entire campground. A couple bathrooms that surprisingly do not smell bad and have a running faucet. Bears are a real issue, so they have big bear boxes at each site - make sure to use them. Sites close together and not much privacy. Camp Host on site. Very limited parking at the sites, but free parking if you park outside of the campground along the main road and walk in. Do not leave food in your car, especially on the outside. And dont forget to Leave No Trace!

    • Lee D.The Dyrt Pro User
      Nov. 25, 2023

      Lake Clementine Boat In — Auburn State Recreation Area

      Off-season peaceful stay

      General: Normally, there are 18 designated sites that are reservable only from May 1– October 15. What we didn’t know until we arrived was that only Sites 1-7 were open after this date; fortunately, only two other sites were occupied when we arrived at 5:30 pm on a Monday in late October. The access road is about six miles of curvy, hilly, and narrow (sometimes only one lane) pavement. There is a sign prohibiting trailers; our 18-foot camper van did fine but anything much larger would definitely be challenged. 

      Site Quality: Many of the sites are more suitable for tent campers. The parking area is at the top of the hill, and you set up your tent below. Most of the sites that have a “driveway” were not level, except for Sites 5 and 6. We lucked out with Site 6 – it was large and level and directly across from the vault toilets. A fire pit/grill, large concrete picnic table, and bear box complete the site (although there was a fire ban in effect).

      Bath: Only one vault toilet was open, and it was very clean. It was cleaned again the next morning. 

      Activities: This campground is located on the North Fork of the American River. In season, this campground would be very popular with rafters; there is a raft launch and takeout area close to the campsites. The river was crystal clear and beautiful.

      This was a small but beautiful campground. We were surprised that we had a semi-decent cell signal ranging from 1 to 2 bars (Verizon).

    • Summer A.
      Jul. 25, 2018

      Big Meadows Campground

      Sequoia National Forest Lovely Spacious Camp Sites

      It sounds like there are multiple Big Meadow camp grounds in California. This review is for Big Meadow Campground, Sequoia NF - FS, CA. The photos are of site 009B. My visit was wonderful. The camp sites are large. We set up two 8 person tents and one 2 person tent and there was plenty of room for more. The firepits are very well made. They block the wind while allowing good airflow. There is a very large picnick table at each site, a bear box, and plenty of shade. There is a vault toilet that is cleaned daily. The sites boarder a stream. The water level is about 3 inches in July with temperatures in the 80's. This is a dog friendly site. There is no potable water at this site.

    • Lee D.The Dyrt Pro User
      Dec. 15, 2023

      General Creek Campground — Sugar Pine Point State Park

      Available off-season camping near Lake Tahoe

      After October 2, it is first come, first available and only sites 26-72 were open so my review is limited to a small portion of the campground. When I researched ahead of time, it was the ONLY open campground I could find in the Lake Tahoe area. At least the per night rate was decreased to $25 ($23 for seniors). I don’t know about the rest of the loops but most of the sites in the open loop appeared to be “doubles” or even “triples”; the camper pads were paved but appeared to be side-by-side parking spaces. Fortunately, there were not many campers so this was not a problem, however, if the park were more crowded, this layout would only make sense if the camper pads were used to park vehicles and people tent camped. All sites appeared to be level. No hookups. Each site had a large picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. 

      We had been warned multiple times that we were camping in an active bear area and although we did not encounter any, one of the other campers told us they had seen a mama and bear cub, along with a coyote. 

      The showers and dump station were closed for the season. There was no host on-site. The restrooms were very basic: toilet and sink but no soap, paper towels, or air dryers. 

      My rating might have been higher if we could have seen other parts of the campground, but our experience was limited to one night and we did not visit the day-use area.

    • VThe Dyrt Pro User
      Jul. 16, 2026

      Tahoe National Forest Boca Campground

      A nice quiet campground, often with lake views.

      Boca is a comfortable little USFS campground with nice lake views.

      Some of the sites and their trees are oriented a little uncomfortably for me, but I was able to back my trailer in a way that probably wasn't originally intended and open up enough room for my tow vehicle.

      They have picnic tables at every site that I've seen and food storage, trash storage, bear lockers at every site.

      There's gunfire across the reservoir, but I scarcely even noticed it and I'm very sensitive to it.

      The camp hosts seem pretty unobtrusive.

      The sites aren't particularly level, but with a few blocks I was able to get mine close enough.

      I was in site number four, which is just a stone's throw from the bathrooms and dumpster. I'm self-contained, so I didn't bother looking at the bathrooms.

      It's a very quiet campground. In fact, I was feeling guilty about running my generator half the time.

      It was completely booked, so I was only able to get a couple of nights here, but I would certainly stay here again. Moderate levels of shade midday in July, but 83F sure beats 108F in the valley! From Site 4 I had a very clear view to the north, so I had great coverage with Starlink, at least 120 megabits; doing work was certainly a reality for me.

      Checkout time is noon, and that's coming up quickly. So, thus ends my review for the moment.

      [Edit] One more detail worth mentioning: as I was hitching up to leave, a doe and two fawns wandered through the trees right near the site, completely nonchalant. They weren’t begging, approaching, or acting habituated in a bad way, just quietly moving through the forest like I happened to be parked in their campground. It was a lovely little sendoff and exactly the kind of moment that makes a site memorable.

    • Kate A.The Dyrt Pro User
      Feb. 20, 2021

      Thousand Trails Ponderosa

      Great location, but plan ahead

      This is a well maintained RV and tent camping resort. It’s great for kids that want to ride bikes around the sites- but be careful of the river, it’s swift. The RV and tent sites are in two separate areas, with more updated amenities available for RVs like hot showers. Shared pool site. Lots of great trails to weave through the campground on a mountain bike.

      One downside- it can be hot. Not a lot of tree cover for the RV sites- make sure you bring shade with you. Luckily, there’s a nice cool river to swim in!

      Fires are restricted sometimes in the summer. Some sites require a membership.

      Local grocery and pizza, frozen yogurt available within walking distance.

      Lots of great fishing, floating, and kayak accessibly. Bring tubes and life vests. Poles and bait.

    • Patricia O.The Dyrt Pro User
      May. 20, 2018

      Lindsey Lake Campground

      Rustic and remote

      There are only a few campsites here, 12, I think, and a rough road getting (SUV or truck recommended) into the campground. Once you reach camp, you’ll be rewarded with serene and beautiful surroundings. Lots of lakes and hiking in the area. Mosquitos can be a problem so come prepared. Vault toilet. No trash service, no piped water. There are picnic tables and fire rings.

    • Bruce E.The Dyrt Pro User
      May. 6, 2026

      Bradys Campground

      Great scenery

      Looking for seclusion and found it! Nice clean area equipped w/ pit toilets that were as clean as a pit toilet can be. Picnic tables, bear boxes, and 2 fire pit/ BBQ at all 6 sites. Nice lil hike up to the fire lookout and creek for water. No RV access and trailers, well maybe a small tow behind. Pretty tight and no turn around.

    • Lauren H.
      Jun. 20, 2019

      Tahoe National Forest Salmon Creek Campground

      A Dog's Dream

      Nestled against salmon creek and among the gold lake area, just outside of Bassetts. Very large sites, with some hike in with shallow creek crossing. Lush fields and forests. Great views. Can here traffic on ridge. Bear boxes at every site Trash and Recycling receptacles Picnic Tables at every site Fresh water available Bathrooms throughout

    Guide to Alleghany

    Tent camping near Alleghany, California offers outdoor experiences at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 feet within Tahoe National Forest. The region receives significant snowpack from November through April, making most camping areas inaccessible until late spring. Summer temperatures typically range from 50°F at night to 85°F during day, with afternoon thunderstorms common in July and August.

    What to do

    Swimming in alpine lakes: At Rucker Lake Campground, campers find warm water ideal for swimming during summer months. "The lake was very warm and had a epic rope swing if you can find it," notes camper Haidon M. The campground is a short drive from Emerald Pools on the Yuba River for additional swimming options.

    Gold panning: The North Yuba River watershed near Fiddle Creek provides opportunities for recreational gold panning. Camper Amber Q. observes that "people pan for gold and some walk up the road to Jackson Hole to float down. About 5 mins up, pass a few houses on your right."

    Bird watching: Carlton Flat Campground offers excellent bird watching opportunities. "Awesome place for bird watching, hanging up your hammock and enjoying nature. Wonderful views of the mountains and sunset," reports Jessica P., who also notes it's ideal for observing woodpeckers.

    Kayaking on mountain lakes: Several lakes support non-motorized watercraft. At Lake Spaulding, camper John and Trish N. advises: "We take our Kayaks and spend the day on the lake. It gets choppy in the afternoon so be aware." Bowman Lake is also suited for paddling with one visitor stating it offers "great kayaking."

    What campers like

    Privacy in dispersed areas: Lindsey Lake Campground provides seclusion for those willing to seek it. Dean C. explains: "If you are prepared to bury your waste and leave no trace, they're probably better camping spots. You can be out of ear and eye shot of any other person, spread out, and really take a great hammock nap."

    Lake access: Direct water access ranks high among tent campers. At Bowman Lake Dispersed, camper Shawn M. appreciates that: "If you are looking to be near the water and no service, this is perfect. The rough road in I believe must keep some folks out but the lake is amazing."

    Escape from summer heat: The region's higher elevations provide relief from valley temperatures. Linda L. notes about Grouse Ridge: "It was 25 degrees cooler up there than in Sacramento. We loved this campground."

    Established amenities: For those preferring more structured camping, Lake Spaulding offers key facilities. "Tables, bear lockers, fire rings are at all campsites," reports John and Trish N., who also mentions the campground's unique setting "among huge boulders" that creates privacy.

    What you should know

    Road conditions: Most campsites require navigating unpaved, sometimes challenging roads. For Grouse Ridge Campground, Har Rai K. notes: "The road was much more technical than a standard forrest service road, but doable in most stock crossover vehicles or better. We had a borrowed AWD Transit van and did it with some patience and strategic line choice."

    Walk-in site logistics: Several campgrounds require walking gear from parking areas to campsites. For Rucker Lake, Nick K. advises: "300 foot walk from cars to campground so bring a dolly/wagon. $15 a night fee. Bring a lot of drinking/dishes water (no spigots, no sinks)."

    Weather variability: High elevation sites can experience rapid weather changes. Kevin C. shares about Grouse Ridge: "Even in June, there was still mud, and it even snowed on me which was a thrill to wake up to a white wonderland. Did I mention that you're on your own? Have fun."

    Toilet facilities: Most areas have basic toilet facilities of varying quality. April C. reports about Bowman Lake: "The Restroom was scary between the spider infestation and wasps, I'd rather nature potty, but there was little to duck behind."

    Tips for camping with families

    Bring insect repellent: Mosquitoes are prevalent near lakes and streams. Lucia S. emphasizes: "Also, make sure to bring bug spray!! They were no joke" when describing her experience at Grouse Ridge Campground.

    Campground cleanliness: For family-friendly options, Lake Spaulding ranks well. Julie D. reports: "We stayed here for a night before backpacking to Eagle Lakes, and it was a nice little wooded campground. Very quiet, spacious sites."

    Bear safety: Active bears require proper food storage. At Faucherie Lake Group Campground, campers need to be prepared for wildlife encounters. Gaia M. shares: "There's is a pristine lake great to paddle out on and great trails to hike out to pools or waterfalls."

    Cold water sources: While swimming spots are plentiful, water temperatures vary significantly. Amber Q. notes that the river near Fiddle Creek is "cold and refreshing" - perfect for cooling off during hot summer days but potentially too chilly for young children.

    Tips from RVers

    Vehicle clearance requirements: High-clearance vehicles are required for most camping areas. Christopher L. warns about Bowman Lake: "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN OFF ROAD VEHICLE. Great campsite but hard to get to. Not bad if you have a 4x4 that's lifted with some all terrain tires."

    RV size limitations: Standard RVs aren't suitable for most tent camping areas near Alleghany. Hannah R. emphasizes: "Do not attempt to do this in anything smaller than an SUV. Sedans would definitely not be able to make it to this site. Road has lots of holes and rocks sticking up out the ground."

    Safety equipment: For those attempting rougher roads, Chris N. recommends: "Traction boards and a winch could help you through unexpected obstacles and are recommended to have on hand, but you most likely won't need them."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular tent campsite near Alleghany, CA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Alleghany, CA is Bowman Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 7 reviews.

    What is the best site to find tent camping near Alleghany, CA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 87 tent camping locations near Alleghany, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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