Sierra Nevada camping near Alta offers riverside and reservoir locations with varied terrain at elevations between 2,500-6,000 feet. Most campgrounds open May through October with closures during winter due to snow accumulation. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F during daytime with cooler 45-55°F nights at higher elevations.
What to do
River swimming: South Yuba Campground provides direct access to clear water pools along the Yuba River. "This river trail is the best in the state. Clear water, lovely pools. Expect nudity as it is Northern California. The river is beloved by kayakers and swimmers. Perfect snow melt means August is the prime time," notes one camper.
Fishing opportunities: French Meadows reservoir offers trout fishing from shoreline or small boats. A reviewer states, "Great trout fishing. Bear country be advised. Extreme fire danger the summer months and closed due to snow in winter." Bring appropriate tackle and check local regulations.
Watersports: Lake of the Springs RV Resort offers paddle boats and non-motorized water activities. "We spent practically the whole wknd in the lake. It was the perfect temperature to sit in for hours. No motorized water craft kept it quiet. I really wish I'd brought my canoe," writes a visitor who camped during 100°F weather.
What campers like
Lake swimming: Thousand Trails Lake of the Springs provides a beach area for swimming and recreation. "We love Lake Francis. Nice quiet lake. Good campsites. Good general store and even a little restaurant and ice cream shack," reports a regular visitor who has camped there for years.
Wildlife viewing: Thousand Trails Lake of the Springs offers opportunities to see deer and other wildlife. "Each day a family of deer came thru our site and were so tame they ate fruit right out of the kids' hands. So cool!" notes one camper who visited during August.
Natural swimming holes: Ponderosa RV Resort sits along the American River with access points for swimming. "The best thing about this campground is its location on the river. But the sites are packed in and many have little or no cover. We spent most of our time lounging at the edge of the river. It really moved along and was fun to float down in a tube," shares a summer visitor.
What you should know
Campsite terrain: Many rv sites near Alta, California have uneven surfaces requiring preparation. At French Meadows, "two thirds of the campsites were on a slope with no where to setup a tent on level ground. We got lucky and reserved a site with a 'decent' spot to place a tent but if you have never been and don't know what sites to pick while making reservations online then you are rolling the dice."
Cell coverage: Limited connectivity exists throughout the region. At Lake of the Springs RV Resort, "cell coverage is nonexistent outside of one small area," according to a visitor. South Yuba Campground has "no cell signal here - speed test is from starlink," reports another camper.
Bear awareness: Most campgrounds in the Alta region require proper food storage. French Meadows and neighboring areas have active bear populations. Coyote Group Campground provides "3x Bear food and 4x trash/recycling bins" though one visitor noted "there could be an additional bear bin to support as much food/scented items as a group of 25 would need."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Tahoe Valley Campground offers a pool and organized activities. "They put on a ton of events like karaoke nights, live music, and smores nights. Hot showers and well lit clean bathrooms. Hard to find solitude or silence," reports a visitor noting its popularity with families.
Kid-friendly activities: Lake Francis Resort has facilities beyond camping. "We spent our time at the pool which is near the flushable toilets and the ice cream parlor, restaurant, and camp store. The pool goes from 3.5' ft to 5' back to 3.5' ft. There is also a small game room with a pool table, a baseball field, paddle boats, and kayaks to rent."
Toilet conditions: Facilities vary widely between campgrounds. At South Yuba, "the composting toilet is a wreck. Not usable. Use cat holes instead (200 ft from water please). Poison oak is everywhere. River views are spectacular," warns one visitor who camped with scouts in June 2019.
Tips from RVers
Electrical reliability: RV sites near Alta, California sometimes experience power issues. At Lake of the Springs, "there wasn't a single day when some campsite didn't have electrical issues, in fact they turned a lot of their RV sites into Tent Sites because of electrical issues," according to a 2020 visitor.
Dump station waits: Thousand Trails Snowflower in Emigrant Gap has limited dump facilities. "Only one dump station was open (there are 3) so waited 30+ minutes to dump, hopefully management is working on that… they do offer a honey wagon service for $40.00 available 2 times a week," notes a visitor.
Site selection strategy: For Thousand Trails properties, advance planning helps secure better spots. "Thousand Trails does not reserve campsites so it can be quite a scene to find a site especially in the summer," explains a member who regularly visits Snowflower. This applies to most rv campgrounds near Alta during peak season.
