Free camping near Shaver Lake, CA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Shaver Lake, CA there are 90 camps: 52 free, 37 fee, 1 unpriced. The closest is Dorabelle, 0.9 miles north of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Radio Camp, 5.9 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 89 on the Forest Service; 1 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorabelle | 0.9 | Fee | — | 0.9 mi to Shaver Lake | — |
| Swanson | 2.8 | Fee | — | 2.8 mi to Shaver Lake | — |
| Radio Camp | 5.9 | Free | Summit Creek (stream) | 3.5 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| Bretz | 6.3 | Free | Providence Creek (stream) | 0.1 mi to Bretz Mill | — |
| Summit | 6.9 | Free | Summit Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| Hatch Lake Staging | 7.2 | Free | Summit Creek (stream) | 2.3 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| In Sierra National ForestDave slept here | 7.6 | Free | — | 4.0 mi to Auberry | — |
| Base Camp | 8.5 | Free | Rock Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| South Fork Tamarack | 9.2 | Free | — | 2.6 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Dinkey | 9.5 | Fee | — | 9.5 mi to Shaver Lake | — |
| Bear Camp | 11 | Free | Nutmeg Creek (stream) | 4.9 mi to Bretz Mill | — |
| Billy Creek, Lower | 11 | Fee | — | 2.6 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Billy Creek, Upper | 11 | Fee | — | 2.7 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Fish Creek | 11 | Fee | — | 7.1 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Gertrude Creek West | 12 | Free | Whisky Creek (stream) | 0.3 mi to Cascadel Woods | — |
| Brewer Lake | 12 | Free | Brewer Lake (water) | 5.8 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| Gertrude Creek East | 13 | Free | — | 5.6 mi to North Fork | — |
| Strawberry Lake | 13 | Free | West Lake (water) | 4.0 mi to Lakeshore | — |
| San Joaquin River Gorge Special Recreation Management Area | 13 | Fee | San Joaquin River (water) | 3.3 mi to New Auberry | — |
| Strawberry Lake Camp 1 | 13 | Free | West Lake (water) | 4.2 mi to Lakeshore | — |
| Mirror Camp | 13 | Free | Mirror Lake (water) | 3.8 mi to Lakeshore | — |
| Catavee | 13 | Fee | — | 5.0 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Kinnikinnick | 13 | Fee | — | 5.1 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Deer Creek | 13 | Fee | — | 5.2 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Rock Creek | 13 | Fee | — | — | — |
| Gigantea | 14 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Shaver Lake | — |
| Miningtown Meadow | 14 | Free | — | 10 mi to Big Creek | — |
| College | 14 | Fee | — | 5.4 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Coyote Camp 3 | 14 | Free | Red Lake (water) | 5.2 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| Mirror Lake Camp | 14 | Free | Mirror Lake (water) | 3.6 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| Strawberry Lake Camp 2 | 14 | Free | Strawberry Lake (water) | 4.3 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| Coyote Camp 2 | 14 | Free | Red Lake (water) | 5.5 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| Rancheria | 14 | Fee | — | 5.9 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Grouse Meadow | 14 | Free | Grouse Lake (water) | 5.2 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| Swamp Meadow | 14 | Free | Swamp Creek (stream) | 5.6 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| Swamp Lake | 14 | Free | Swamp Creek (stream) | 5.5 mi to Dinkey Creek | — |
| Coyote Camp 1 | 14 | Free | Coyote Lake (water) | 5.8 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| Whisky Falls | 14 | Free | Whisky Creek (stream) | 3.9 mi to Cascadel Woods | — |
| Midge Creek Group Campground | 15 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Buck Meadow | 16 | Fee | — | 16 mi to Shaver Lake | — |
| Badger Flat | 17 | Fee | — | 8.7 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Ershim Lake | 17 | Free | Ershim Lake (water) | 5.2 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| Mammoth Pool | 17 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Big Creek | — |
| Wagner Campground | 17 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Big Creek | — |
| East Lake | 18 | Free | East Lake (water) | 8.2 mi to Snow Bend | — |
| West Kaiser Campground | 18 | Free | West Kaiser Creek (stream) | 7.3 mi to Cedar Crest | — |
| West Kaiser | 18 | Free | West Kaiser Creek (stream) | 7.2 mi to Cedar Crest | — |
| Tule Meadow | 18 | Free | House Meadow Creek (stream) | 8.5 mi to Balch Camp | — |
| Wishon Point Campground | 18 | Fee | North Fork Willow Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to The Pines | — |
| Kirch Flat | 18 | Free | Sycamore Springs Creek (stream) | 1.9 mi to Rodgers Crossing | — |
The other 40 inside the circle are on the live map — open it centred on Shaver Lake, CA.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Shaver Lake, 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.