Free camping near Zephyr Cove, NV
Within 25 straight-line miles of Zephyr Cove, NV there are 44 camps: 16 free, 20 fee, 8 unpriced. The closest is Nevada Beach Campground, 2.8 miles south-west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Luther Pass Overflow Campground, 16 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at. The circle crosses a state line: CA and NV.
Who manages them: 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada Beach Campground | 2.8 | Fee | — | 0.8 mi to Stateline | — |
| Fallen Leaf Campground | 9.1 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to South Lake Tahoe | — |
| Bayview Campground | 11 | Fee | — | 6.5 mi to South Lake Tahoe | — |
| Meeks Bay Campground | 11 | Fee | — | 1.9 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Kaspian Campground | 14 | Fee | — | 2.4 mi to Sunnyside-Tahoe | — |
| William Kent Campground | 15 | Fee | — | 0.9 mi to Sunnyside-Tahoe | — |
| Luther Pass Overflow Campground | 16 | Free | Grass Lake Creek (stream) | 2.9 mi to Little Norway | — |
| Kit Carson Campground | 16 | Fee | Willow Creek (stream) | 0.3 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Bear Lake | 17 | Free | — | 4.7 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Scotts Lake Dispersed Camping | 17 | Free | Maxwell Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Alpine CountyDave slept here | 17 | Free | Merk Creek (stream) | 1.8 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Barker | 17 | Free | Middle Fork (stream) | 4.1 mi to Homewood | — |
| Crystal Springs Campground | 18 | Unpriced | West Fork Carson River (river) | 1.4 mi to Woodfords | — |
| Watson Lake Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Watson Lake (water) | 2.7 mi to Cedar Flat | — |
| Lovers Leap Cg & Day Use | 19 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Meyers | — |
| Hope Valley Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Red Lake Creek (stream) | 3.4 mi to Sorensens | — |
| Pleasant Cg | 20 | Free | Mud Lakes (water) | 8.7 mi to Homewood | — |
| Indian Creek Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Indian Creek Reservoir (water) | 3.0 mi to Woodfords | — |
| Wrights Lake Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Wrights Lake (water) | 2.8 mi to Lower Forni | — |
| Wrights Lake Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Wrights Lake (water) | 3.0 mi to Lower Forni | — |
| Indian Creek Recreation Area | 20 | Unpriced | Indian Creek Reservoir (water) | 3.1 mi to Markleeville | — |
| Wrights Lake Equestrian Cg | 21 | Fee | Wrights Lake (water) | 2.7 mi to Lower Forni | — |
| Mt. Rose Campground | 21 | Fee | — | 4.1 mi to Incline | — |
| Mount Rose Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Tamarack Lake (water) | 4.0 mi to Franktown | — |
| Silver Creek Cg | 21 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Sunnyside-Tahoe | — |
| Red Fir Group | 21 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Loon Lake Group Campgrounds | 21 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Northshore Cg | 21 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Loon Lake Equestrian Group | 21 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Tahoma | — |
| Wentworth Springs Cg | 22 | Free | Gerle Creek (stream) | 7.9 mi to Gilberts | — |
| Tells Equestrian Cg | 22 | Free | Tells Creek (stream) | 6.1 mi to Jones Place | — |
| Caples Lake Cg | 22 | Fee | — | 1.0 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Goose Meadow Campground | 23 | Fee | Deep Creek (stream) | 4.3 mi to Olympic Valley | — |
| Kirkwood Lake Cg | 23 | Fee | — | 2.1 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Woods Lake Cg | 23 | Fee | — | 2.5 mi to Kirkwood | — |
| Markleeville Campground | 23 | Fee | Markleeville Creek (river) | 0.4 mi to Markleeville | — |
| Little Needle Lake | 23 | Free | Little Needle Lake (water) | 3.9 mi to Alpine Meadows | — |
| Head Waters Middle Fork | 24 | Free | Middle Fork American River (stream) | 3.7 mi to Olympic Valley | — |
| Alpine Meadows (Martis Creek) | 24 | Free | Martis Creek Lake (water) | 3.3 mi to Truckee | — |
| Picayune | 24 | Free | Little Needle Lake (water) | 4.7 mi to Alpine Meadows | — |
| Upper Hell Hole Cg | 24 | Free | Lagoon Lake (water) | 7.8 mi to Gilberts | — |
| Mildred Lakes | 24 | Free | Dolly Creek (stream) | 5.6 mi to Alpine Meadows | — |
| Martin Meadow Cg | 24 | Free | Caples Creek (river) | 1.9 mi to Kit Carson | — |
| Airport Flat Cg | 25 | Free | Gerle Creek (stream) | 5.3 mi to Gilberts | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Zephyr Cove, NV, 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.