Best Campgrounds near Bear Valley, CA

The staff here gets the first shout out. Lana Banana and Mary at the front create a real pleasant atmosphere as you roll in. I camped here twice already this year and once a while back. The rest of the staff (shout out Martin) and the rangers who advise on bears like Cinnamon* are all great.

Pros:

• Camp store has some basics like ice, firewood, and s'mores stuff.
• The sites have bear boxes and even though they are very close to each other with little separation, they are big sites with lots of tall trees.
• Flush bathrooms and showers dispersed throughout camp.
• Hiking trails right out of camp.
• Rushing river to the west.
• You can walk or ride a bike across the street to Lake Tahoe, but you are separated from the chaos of the lake, and a bit more insulated from the storms.
• The lake (see below).
• Cell service is unlikely.
• Sites have nice bear boxes, are very well maintained by the hosts (multiple hosts per loop), newer firepits that aren't too tall, and picnic tables.
• Plenty of ground wood to collect to help with the campfire. Make sure you have a a CA fire permit. Takes 4m online and is free.

Cons:

• You really need to pay attention to your food. Bears are not just possible here, they are likely.
• It is hard to get a site. Be ready. Set alerts.
• Traffic getting in and out can be a bit of a pain in the busy season.
• Even in the summer it can snow...BE WEATHER AWARE.
• The store doesn't sell propane.

The lake, oh my, maybe the most beautiful lake in the entire Tahoe region. It isn't as big, but it is flat like glass, deep, and crystal clear. It is cold as an icicle–colder. Cold as a frozen heifers nose. That's probably a saying somewhere. Either way, bring a hammock. Bring a paddleboard (which will get checked for invasives), and bring yourself ready to relax.

Great hiking. Chill vibes. I can't recommend this spot enough. Compared to the parking lot style campgrounds or resorts throughout Tahoe-region, this is really camping and the rates are low comparatively, though not low, actually. $48/night. There are a few yurts if you go for that sort of thing.

Decent little RV park that worked well for us as we were driving through and needed a place for the night. It’s surprisingly nice and cute considering it’s behind the Chevron and the casino.

 It’s well-maintained and clean, though the (free) showers smell like cigarette smoke. The staff at the Chevron where you go to register are really nice and there are some nice things to buy at the mini mart there. You also get a coupon book for the restaurant in the casino, which we did not use.  The wind kicked up from the lake overnight, but nothing too bad.

There's a dump station for use if you aren't staying there, for $10. There are trash dumpsters but no recycling.

thsi place is a wonderful little hide away in the woods along the south fork of the stanaslusec river it has so many different opportunity's to have fun and adventure from gold panning to hiking to small fishing it has it all you can pretty much come here and enjoy your self all the time please make sure to pack out what you pack in.  Form getting in the river and checking under them rocks for that there gold even after that form hiking all around on the 160 acure area your tired and sore why not take a nice hot shower at the rest rooms yes that is right there is hot showers in the middle of the woods waht to wind down there is a wonderful little fire fit for yall to enjoy and have such a wonderful time roasting marshmellows and eatign s'mores