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Dispersed Camping near Gold Hill, CA

13 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Several dispersed camping opportunities exist in the forests surrounding Gold Hill, California. Independence Hill offers free primitive sites accessible via a challenging road that one camper described as "terrifying—especially in the dark." The area contains scattered glass and shell casings from apparent shooting activities. Union Valley Reservoir provides multiple dispersed sites with lake access, though recent reviews indicate some locations now require a $10 fee despite previously being free.

    USFS Silver Fork Dispersed area features numerous primitive sites along well-maintained roads approximately 6 miles from US-50. The area was partially affected by the Caldor Fire but maintains many intact camping spots. A visitor noted, "There are infinite amounts of primitive roads to drive down and find camp." Bowman Lake Dispersed camping requires high-clearance 4WD vehicles to access but rewards visitors with excellent fishing and solitude. Loch Leven Lakes offers backcountry camping reached via hiking trails, with sites spread around several alpine lakes. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "All the sites are very dispersed and you have so much privacy."

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    Best Dispersed Campgrounds near Gold Hill (13)

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      1. Independence Hill Dispersed

      3.0(3)23mi from Gold HillRVs, Tents

      "It's really about 2 miles from the village of Iowa Hill, but it is remote. I scared two black bears as I was walking (don't I wish I had that on film...)."

      2. Union Valley Reservoir Dispersed Camping

      3.3(7)40mi from Gold HillRVs, Tents

      "Pulled off Union valley road and set up camp with our Rooftop tent. Little cold up here in November but made for some great pre-snowfall camping!"

      "Luckily there is a lot of Dispersed camping all the way around the lake! So beautiful, and the lake is really warm in the summer"

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      3. Grouse Ridge Campground

      5.0(6)46mi from Gold HillTents

      "I wouldn’t recommend the road without 4x4 or AWD, especially if the road conditions are wet/muddy."

      "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"

      4. USFS Silver Fork Dispersed

      4.1(7)49mi from Gold HillRVs, Tents

      "The coordinates listed on the app are simply for the entrance to the dispersed camping. There are infinite amounts of primitive roads to drive down and find camp."

      "The area is spacious and conveniently located not too far off the main road, making it easy to access without feeling too isolated."

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      5. Cowboy Camp

      Be the first to review27mi from Gold Hill

      6. Mormon Emigrant Trail Dispersed Pull Off

      4.3(3)43mi from Gold HillRVs, Tents

      "I was there on weekdays so was pretty much alone the whole time but even if the main spot is occupied there’s a couple of dirt roads that lead to more areas to camp."

      "Needed a place to camp after driving 12 hours from Washington . Wanted to stay as close to Yosemite . This place did the trick . No one was there . Quiet and serene . Lots of scorched trees ."

      7. Loch Leven Lakes

      4.7(3)45mi from Gold Hill

      "We backpacked up to the high loch levens lake where we found many available campsites."

      "We took Salmon lake trailhead which is shorter trail."

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      8. Bowman Lake Dispersed

      4.8(4)49mi from Gold HillTents

      "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."

      "Found a perfect spot with easy access to water right outside of our tent. Very friendly area for our dog - zero ticks the whole weekend!"

      9. Lake Valley Rd Pullout

      2.7(3)42mi from Gold Hill

      "The weather isn't cold, but the snow plows have pushed all the snow off the road so that it's impossible to get to any pullouts or open dispersed camping areas."

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      10. El Dorado National Forest, off Cal Hwy 88

      4.5(2)46mi from Gold HillTents

      "The ranger drove by briefly both days but didn't stop to give us any feedback. We followed the coordinates using GPS out to this site just fine without losing signal."

      "This is a fairly easy to reach dispersed site in the El Dorado NF, north of HWY 88 and about 1-2 miles from a developed NF campground called PiPi (pr PiePie)."

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    Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Gold Hill, CA

    34 Photos of 13 Gold Hill Campgrounds

    Dispersed Camping Reviews near Gold Hill, CA

    36 Reviews of 13 Gold Hill Campgrounds

    • AThe Dyrt Pro User
      Nov. 8, 2023

      USFS Silver Fork Dispersed

      Endless Possibilities

      The coordinates listed on the app are simply for the entrance to the dispersed camping. There are infinite amounts of primitive roads to drive down and find camp. I stayed at N38.768811• W 120.238630° — on top of a peak that offered 360° views with sunrise and sunset right from my tent. At this specific sight, there are no overhead trees. Despite being primitive, the roads are well kept, even if you have a small SUV. It could get slightly tricky with a car. I stayed here for 7 days (10/31-11/6) and only saw one other person on the primivite roads. The above coordinates are about a 6 mile drive in from US50. You will see a campground on your right about 5 miles down when driving in, about a mile further down the road you will come up on the dirt road leading you up the mountain.

      A couple of notes:

      1. You are required to have a permit for any day/overnight use in Eldorado, including this area. They can be easily acquired at recreation.gov
      2. Cell phone reception is very spotty, in and out of a couple of bars throughout the drive in. — AT&T coverage. At the above coordinates, there were 2 bars of low grade coverage allowing basic texts to send. Not enough service for web browsing or sending photos via text.
      3. This area has been widely burnt by fires last year. There are still large areas unburnt. You will find yourself going in and out of them while driving.
      4. KEEP IT CLEAN — this area is immaculate and besides dug out fire pits, human trace is non-existent. Leave it cleaner than you found it, pick up your trash (and other’s if you see any), respect the area and it will respect you.
      5. NO CAMP SERVICES — There is no trash service or even dumpsters at the signed entrance; pack it in pack it out. There are no restrooms in the area either.
    • Raymond B.The Dyrt Pro User
      Jul. 15, 2024

      USFS Silver Fork Dispersed

      Overnight stay

      We recently spent a night at this campsite and found it to be perfect for a quick overnight getaway. The area is spacious and conveniently located not too far off the main road, making it easy to access without feeling too isolated.

      There are plenty of sites to choose from, catering to different preferences. However, we recommend taking some time to survey the land before setting up camp, as some spots are slightly sloped.

      A huge plus is the gas station just about 5 minutes down the road. It’s well-stocked with all the convenient store items you might have forgotten at home, making it easy to grab any last-minute necessities.

      Overall, it was a delightful stay. Just remember, always practice Leave No Trace principles—pack out what you pack in!

    • MThe Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 4, 2026

      Grouse Ridge Campground

      Great Spot and Hikes, Challenging Road, AWD Recommended

      Place was quite busy over the weekend but we were able to secure the last campsite Saturday afternoon. The drop toilets had a little remaining toilet paper but ran out during our stay (bring your own). I wouldn’t recommend the road without 4x4 or AWD, especially if the road conditions are wet/muddy. Our RWD car made it to the site, however it's the type of road that you could easily get stuck without off roading experience and careful navigation. There are sizable rocks, ruts, and potholes to navigate through. Under carriage scrapping will be unavoidable for lower clearance vehicles. Cell service available at campground. Bear box boxes available at campground, each site had one.

      Amazing hikes and trailhead near campsite.

    • SThe Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 6, 2024

      Bowman Lake Dispersed

      Lake side Campsites

      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.

    • Azizah T.The Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 21, 2021

      Loch Leven Lakes

      Quiet dispersed camping

      We backpacked up to the high loch levens lake where we found many available campsites. But also a lot of the nice view spots were occupied since we didn’t start our hike up early, we started at 5:30pm. The middle lake is very large and had many beautiful spots to camp. But we headed to the upper lake since a lot of day hikers go to the middle lake and don’t always pack out what they pack in. All the sites are very dispersed and you have so much privacy. We saw some people even camping on the boulders! It was very serene and quiet with very respectful campers. The trail up is a bit confusing if you don’t pay absolute attention to where you are going. You can find some orange markings or stacked rocks that help you stay on the path. Reaching our destination was amazing. We swam in the lake and napped in our hammocks. I will say that there was a lot of mosquitos. Even with bug spray I left with 7 bites. But, it’s the outdoors what do you expect? Overall very beautiful area to camp!

    • VThe Dyrt Pro User
      Jul. 6, 2026

      Lake Valley Rd Pullout

      --- Not a legal campsite: confirmed by CAL FIRE ---

      --- Not a legal campsite: confirmed by CAL FIRE ---

      I originally stopped here with an in-progress cargo trailer conversion because this looked like an excellent roadside pullout: large, easy to access, relatively level, and long enough to maneuver a truck and trailer without drama. As a short stop, turnaround, or day-use staging spot, it is genuinely useful. However, this should not be listed or treated as an overnight campsite. While I was on-site, I was contacted by Officer Steve Garcia with CAL FIRE, who advised me that overnight camping is not permitted at this location. I had interpreted the posted seasonal“no parking” signage as suggesting that public use might be allowed outside the snow-removal season, but he clarified that the signage relates to snow removal and does not authorize overnight camping in the Demonstration Forest area. For practical details: the pullout itself is easy to enter and exit, with enough room for a modest trailer rig to get fully out of traffic and turn around. Road noise drops off substantially overnight, though traffic begins again in the morning. The area may be useful for a brief rest stop, equipment check, turnaround, or day-use pause. But as a camping location, the important information is simple: Do not plan to camp here overnight. I’m updating this review so others don’t make the same assumption I did. This is a good pullout, but it is not a legal overnight campsite.

    • Emily C.
      Mar. 20, 2025

      Independence Hill Dispersed

      horrible road up, cool historic town

      The road up to Iowa Hill is terrifying- especially in the dark. We camped in our 4runner as we got there when it was dark and there was so much glass and shell casings everywhere from what seems to be a local shooting area. the town nearby is a bit eerie but fun to explore. it worked for one night! No amenities, but a bathroom and paid campsite down the rugged road so come with everything you need. Hike nearby with waterfall is beautiful

    • O
      Sep. 6, 2024

      Mormon Emigrant Trail Dispersed Pull Off

      Large dirt pull off

      Large pull off area I found and stayed at for 4 days with amazing views of the sunset and sunrise! I was there on weekdays so was pretty much alone the whole time but even if the main spot is occupied there’s a couple of dirt roads that lead to more areas to camp. A couple of level spots and lots of room to hike around. Completely free and peaceful but 0 amenities so come prepared. Currently there is an abandoned red semi truck cab so it’s easy to find not sure if that will ever be moved in the future though!

    • Orion B.
      Dec. 19, 2023

      USFS Silver Fork Dispersed

      Beautiful free camping is a real thing!

      My 9 yr old son wanted to try camping in or near the snow, and the weather was favorable on this December weekend (high 56, low 39). We are pretty new to camping and not hardcore, but this was very easy and comfortable. We camped right at the entrance because nobody was there and there was plenty of flat area. Easily accessible on paved roads. Spotted a rock climber on the nearby rock face when we arrived, who later came by to pick up his car he had parked there.

      Caldor Fire damage was evident everywhere, but this made it easy for my son to chop down a small dead tree that we used for firewood. It was breezy, which made it chillier than the temps indicated, but we were fine and very toasty once in our tent cots.

      We found a few beer bottles around (which we took home to recycle), and small amounts of building waste such as concrete. But overall the setting was peaceful and beautiful. Amazing to have a resource like this that's free. We brought a privacy shelter and portable camp toilet, and our own water. Those are really the only things you need that would normally be provided by a paid campsite.

    Guide to Gold Hill

    Several dispersed camping areas surround Gold Hill, California, with free sites available at Independence Hill, Union Valley Reservoir, and near Silver Fork. Roads to these areas vary significantly in difficulty, with some requiring high-clearance or 4WD vehicles. Independence Hill access is particularly challenging, described by campers as "terrifying—especially in the dark" with a road one visitor called "horrible." The area attracts recreational shooters, resulting in glass and shell casings at some sites.

    Bowman Lake and Loch Leven Lakes offer more remote options, with Loch Leven requiring a hike to reach camping areas. Many sites lack amenities—no toilets, water, or trash service—though Grouse Ridge Campground provides basic facilities including pit toilets and picnic tables. Fire regulations vary by location and season, with some areas currently under fire bans. A camper noted about Silver Fork Dispersed: "There are infinite amounts of primitive roads to drive down and find camp," but warned, "You are required to have a permit for any day/overnight use in Eldorado, including this area."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Gold Hill, CA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Gold Hill, CA is Independence Hill Dispersed with a 3-star rating from 3 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Gold Hill, CA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 13 dispersed camping locations near Gold Hill, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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