Free camping near Lake of the Pines, CA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Lake of the Pines, CA there are 22 camps: 14 free, 7 fee, 1 unpriced. The closest is Watson Lake Campground, 15 miles north-east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Watson Lake Campground, 15 miles out.
Who manages them: 21 on the Forest Service; 1 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watson Lake Campground | 15 | Free | Sugar Pine Reservoir (water) | 2.9 mi to Iowa Hill | — |
| Giant Gap Ridge | 16 | Free | Sugar Pine Reservoir (water) | 3.5 mi to Monte Vista | — |
| Giant Gap | 16 | Fee | — | 5.2 mi to Alta | — |
| Finning Mill | 16 | Free | Pagge Creek (stream) | 1.9 mi to Hughes Mill | — |
| Forbes | 16 | Fee | — | 6.0 mi to Alta | — |
| Shirttail Creek | 16 | Fee | — | 5.1 mi to Alta | — |
| Brimstone Ohv Campground | 17 | Free | Pagge Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Hughes Mill | — |
| Dru Barner Campground | 17 | Unpriced | Dark Canyon (stream) | 0.8 mi to Balderson Station | — |
| Giant Gap Road | 18 | Free | North Shirttail Canyon (stream) | 3.5 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| Big Reservoir | 18 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Alta | — |
| Casa Loma | 18 | Free | Canyon Creek (stream) | 0.5 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| Elliot Ranch | 19 | Free | North Shirttail Canyon (stream) | 3.5 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| Mitchell Mine | 20 | Free | — | 9.5 mi to Alta | — |
| Little Oak Flat | 21 | Free | Middle Fork American River (river) | 3.4 mi to Michigan Bluff | — |
| South Yuba Recreation Area | 21 | Fee | Kenebec Creek (stream) | 2.0 mi to Blue Tent | — |
| Humbug Ridge | 22 | Free | — | 5.3 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| White Cloud | 23 | Fee | — | 4.0 mi to Washington | — |
| Burlington | 23 | Free | North Fork Deer Creek (stream) | 0.5 mi to Junction House | — |
| Peavine Road | 24 | Free | Middle Fork American River (river) | 3.5 mi to Greekstore | — |
| Last Chance | 24 | Free | North Fork of Middle Fork American River (river) | 4.3 mi to Greekstore | — |
| Skillman | 24 | Fee | — | 2.8 mi to Washington | — |
| Inter Bay | 25 | Free | Middle Fork American River (river) | 3.6 mi to Zuver | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Lake of the Pines, CA, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.