Free camping near South Lake Tahoe, CA
Within 25 straight-line miles of South Lake Tahoe, CA there are 64 camps: 21 free, 36 fee, 7 unpriced. The closest is Fallen Leaf Campground, 3.8 miles west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Luther Pass Overflow Campground, 9.2 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at. The circle crosses a state line: CA and NV.
Who manages them: 61 on the Forest Service; 2 on the BLM; 1 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallen Leaf Campground | 3.8 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to South Lake Tahoe | — |
| Nevada Beach Campground | 3.9 | Fee | — | 0.8 mi to Stateline | — |
| Bayview Campground | 6.5 | Fee | — | 6.5 mi to South Lake Tahoe | — |
| Luther Pass Overflow Campground | 9.2 | Free | Grass Lake Creek (stream) | 2.9 mi to Little Norway | — |
| Meeks Bay Campground | 11 | Fee | — | 1.9 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Kit Carson Campground | 11 | Fee | Willow Creek (stream) | 0.3 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Scotts Lake Dispersed Camping | 11 | Free | Maxwell Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Lovers Leap Cg & Day Use | 12 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Meyers | — |
| Alpine CountyDave slept here | 13 | Free | Merk Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Crystal Springs Campground | 13 | Unpriced | West Fork Carson River (river) | 1.4 mi to Woodfords | — |
| Hope Valley Campground | 14 | Unpriced | Red Lake Creek (stream) | 3.4 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Wrights Lake Campground | 15 | Unpriced | Wrights Lake (water) | 2.8 mi to Lower Forni | — |
| Wrights Lake Campground | 15 | Unpriced | Wrights Lake (water) | 3.0 mi to Lower Forni | — |
| Wrights Lake Equestrian Cg | 15 | Fee | Wrights Lake (water) | 2.7 mi to Lower Forni | — |
| Bear Lake | 16 | Free | — | 4.7 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Caples Lake Cg | 16 | Fee | — | 1.0 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Kaspian Campground | 16 | Fee | — | 2.4 mi to Sunnyside-Tahoe | — |
| Kirkwood Lake Cg | 16 | Fee | — | 2.1 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Indian Creek Campground | 16 | Unpriced | Indian Creek Reservoir (water) | 3.0 mi to Woodfords | — |
| Woods Lake Cg | 17 | Fee | — | 2.5 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Indian Creek Recreation Area | 17 | Unpriced | Indian Creek Reservoir (water) | 3.1 mi to Markleeville | — |
| Barker | 17 | Free | Middle Fork (stream) | 4.1 mi to Homewood | — |
| William Kent Campground | 17 | Fee | — | 0.9 mi to Sunnyside-Tahoe | — |
| Pleasant Cg | 18 | Free | Mud Lakes (water) | 8.7 mi to Homewood | — |
| Martin Meadow Cg | 18 | Free | Caples Creek (river) | 1.9 mi to Kit Carson | — |
| Tells Equestrian Cg | 18 | Free | Tells Creek (stream) | 6.1 mi to Jones Place | — |
| Loon Lake Group Campgrounds | 18 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Loon Lake Equestrian Group | 18 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Red Fir Group | 19 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Northshore Cg | 19 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Silver Lake Cg | 19 | Fee | — | 3.7 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Wentworth Springs Cg | 19 | Free | Gerle Creek (stream) | 7.9 mi to Gilberts | — |
| Markleeville Campground | 19 | Fee | Markleeville Creek (river) | 0.4 mi to Markleeville | — |
| China Flat Cg | 20 | Fee | — | 12 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Gray Rock Camping Area | 20 | Free | Silver Fork American River (river) | 4.0 mi to Kyburz | — |
| Silver Fork Cg | 20 | Fee | — | 8.3 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Strawberry Point Cg | 20 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Big Silver Group | 21 | Fee | — | 15 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Northwind Cg | 21 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Wench Creek Group | 21 | Fee | — | 15 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Wench Creek Cg | 21 | Fee | — | 15 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Azalea Cove Campground | 21 | Free | Jones Fork Silver Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Jones Place | — |
| Sand Flat Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Ice House Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Airport Flat Cg | 22 | Free | Gerle Creek (stream) | 5.3 mi to Gilberts | — |
| Yellowjacket Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Watson Lake Campground | 22 | Unpriced | Watson Lake (water) | 2.7 mi to Cedar Flat | — |
| Jones Fork Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 13 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Lone Rock Cg | 22 | Free | — | 13 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Gerle Creek Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 15 mi to Tahoma | — |
The other 14 inside the circle are on the live map — open it centred on South Lake Tahoe, CA.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from South Lake Tahoe, 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.