Madrone Tree Hill
CAMPFIRE NOTICE: Effective immediately, we are only allowing propane fire pits. Due to drying conditions and concerns about wildfires, wood-burning campfires will no longer be allowed. Each site is equipped with a propane fire pit; however, this does not include propane. Guests are welcome to bring their own 20lbs./4.5-gallon tank or can rent one from us
CAMPFIRE NOTICE: Effective immediately, we are only allowing propane fire pits. Due to drying conditions and concerns about wildfires, wood-burning campfires will no longer be allowed. Each site is equipped with a propane fire pit; however, this does not include propane. Guests are welcome to bring their own 20lbs./4.5-gallon tank or can rent one from us under the Extras in our listing. (These tanks provide about 6 hours of burn time.)
Camp under the stars in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. (Motorhomes/Trailers/Truck Campers/RV's - DO NOT BOOK UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE PARAGRAPH BELOW. Not all sites can accommodate RVs.) This 50-acre family-owned property is located in the heart of Apple Hill. There are two streams that run through it, with a hill that separates them. It is a working Christmas tree farm that was started in the 1960s and now has many trees that are too big to fit in anyone's home but provide an unbelievable canopy for some of our campsites. Half the property is covered in a pine forest (with some secluded campsites) with the balance being Christmas trees, Manzanita brush, Madrone trees, and open areas (for larger group campers). There are trails throughout the property for visitors to enjoy. There is an Apple Farm across the street that makes the best donuts in Apple Hill! Less than a mile away is a farm brewery and there are wineries throughout the area. There is also a large lake nearby that is a favorite for local kayak and canoe enthusiasts (and some who enjoy fishing) since most non-locals don't know it exists.
Campsites 1 - 14 are centrally located at the top of the hill, sites 15 - 25 are more remote (& quieter) but are also farther from the bathrooms & potable water supplies. (Site 25 is in a tight forest where slender pine trees rub against each other; if there's any wind, they make sounds akin to wooden ships rubbing up against the docks in a harbor. NOTE: The site numbering has changed for 2020 as we have added 5 more sites. Therefore, a site you stayed in previously may now have a different number and past comments regarding these specific sites may no longer be accurate and could refer to a different site. Please ask me if you have any questions.) If you are traveling in a group, we suggest getting two sites next to each other rather than trying to squeeze everyone into a single site - it's actually less expensive to rent two sites with 5 people each rather than putting 10 people into a single site. Site pairs that work well together are 1&2, 4&6, 3&5, and 9&12, (We also have areas specifically for larger groups. Please see our Hipcamp group site listing.)
Motorhomes/Trailers/Truck Campers/RVs - Please note, that there are currently only a few campsites that can accommodate these vehicles: sites 3, 4, 8, 10, 16, and 18. If your RV is longer than 34 feet, please let me know so that we can make sure that we can get you to fit. Please note, that there are NO HOOKUPS. However, potable water is accessible when you arrive - please bring a long hose to make filling easier. (If you have a group of RVs and are looking to all camp together, please check out our Group Site listing - site #1.) Please also note that our roadway is gravel and includes a small hill you must climb. Please do NOT bring a trailer if you are towing with a front-wheel-drive vehicle. Also, if your trailer is pushing the weight limit of your tow vehicle, please have a 4-wheel drive vehicle. (If you have any questions, please message me.) NO MORE THAN ONE RV PER SITE.
Please include all individuals in your booking headcount including all children over the age of 1 year old.
CAMPFIRE NOTE: When wood-burning fires are safe (spring & late fall) fire pits with a grill & mesh cover are provided at every site. All fires must be contained in the fire pit. Open (or uncovered) campfires (on the ground) are prohibited. CAMPFIRES ARE ONLY ALLOWED IN THE COVERED FIRE PITS. Please keep the fire pit covered when in use and always fully extinguish your fire when you leave the campsite. You may collect dead wood to burn from the property, but please bring a handsaw to cut up pieces so they will fit into the fire pit.
AFTER JUNE 7th, propane fire pits will be provided at each site but propane will NOT be included. You are welcome to bring your own or rent a tank from us.
Please see our 'EXTRAS' to make sure you purchase propane so you have fuel for the fire pit, or you can bring your own standard propane tank. (Propane fire pits are NOT FOR COOKING. A $50 cleaning fee will be charged if used for any kind of cooking purposes.)
LATE-NIGHT BOOKING NOTICE: If you are attempting to book for a same-day/late-night visit (booking after 6:00 PM), PLEASE message me first to confirm my availability to let you in. If I do not respond, please DO NOT book as you will not be able to get in.
GROUP CAMPING is available through our group site listings.
Be sure to bring flashlights and lanterns; it does get dark at night!
- Check in: After 4PM
- Check out: Before 2PM
- Cancellation policy: Moderate
- On arrival: Meet and greet
- Minimum nights: 1 night
- Accepts bookings: 6 months out
You know what would make this trip even better?
Take advantage of these offers available to add to your trip to Madrone Tree Hill

Propane tabletop grill
Propane tabletop grill. Please bring your own propane or you can rent a tank...Read more

Tabletop charcoal grills (14")
Tabletop charcoal grill. Please bring your own charcoal.

Trash bag & collection services.
Don't want to deal with packing it in and packing it out? We will provide yo...Read more

Propane for your Fire Pit
Tank rental and 20lbs/~4.5G of propane. (Must return tank.) You will need to...Read more

Portable Restroom
Want your own portable restroom? Concerned about cleanliness? Get your own ...Read more

1000W Generator
Honda EU1000 generator rental w/ 1 Gallon gas. The price is for 2 nights, ad...Read more

Large Generator
Minimum 6K generator rental plus 2.5 additional gallons gas. The price is fo...Read more
Activities
Offered on the Host's property or nearby.
Biking
There are many country roads that can be biked on in the Apple Hill area.
Boating
Slab Creek Reservoir is great for Canoeing & Kayaking and is 4 miles away. (Small fishing boats can also be launched, but boat...Read more
Fishing
Slab Creek Reservoir is 4 miles away. (Small fishing boats can also be launched, but boats on trailers are NOT recommended at a...Read more
Hiking
There are several walking trails that circle and crisscrosses the property. (It is approximately 1.5 miles around the property...Read more
Paddling
Slab Creek Reservoir is great for paddling and is 4 miles away. (The road to Slab Creek is not for the feint of heart.)
Swimming
Slab Creek Reservoir is 4 miles away. (The water can be cold! The road to Slab Creek is not for the feint of heart.) Sly Park...Read more
Whitewater paddling
Chili Bar & Coloma offer up some of the world best white water rafting! Chili Bar is 10.5 miles away.
Wildlife watching
Deer. squirrels, rabbits and birds live on the property; coyotes, foxes & a bear have also been seen, but have always run away ...Read more
Terrain
Natural features you'll find at Madrone Tree Hill in California.
Forest
The property is largely covered by forest, natural pines & firs, and over-sized Christmas Trees.
River, stream, or creek
There is NO river, but a very small stream does flow along the east side of the property.
Wetlands
There are wetlands on the east side of the property, near the small creek.
Farm
We are an active Christmas Tree farm, albeit most of our trees are very large.
Places to see near Madrone Tree Hill
1019 Reviews
Great place to "get away" but still be close to civilization if something happened. There are tent spots and RV spots. Definitely look at the map. Not all spots are very private so look at the map. There are plenty of trails to walk around and even a running creek. Would come back again.
Favorite parts: lots of trees, convenient location, well tended porta potties with real sinks next to them, provided nice propane fire ring and a couple chairs. Well marked and tended trails nearby, fellow campers were good neighbors.
Wish we could have a wood fire but it was kind of them to provide propane ring since CA fire danger too high
Great experience! Easy on site contact and great amenities. The trees are beautiful and each site is well kept . I would come back again.
This location is just lovely- beautiful trees, great campsites, lots of little extras to make the stay super enjoyable. Plus the area is superb. We look forward to the next time.
Fun, well-maintained campground. Frank, the caretaker for the weekend, was friendly and helpful. We had a travel trailer RV in site 4 and the trees kept the site cool. We had a great time and hope to come back again!


Not so ecological as it wants to …
We travel by bicycle. The access to the camp was not so easy….code is sent by mail so when you travel by bicycle you do not have connection all the time…
We have been lucky that some one arrived at the same time as us. And open the gate.
The campground wants to be ecological but We notice that the sink was not connected to any dump station….and the products at disposal to wash dishes was not ecological at all.
We heard RV campers after 9.30 time to respect quiet hours….
Well to resum quite expensive fee for a « ecological place ».Needs to look what’s ecological means ….it is not only a word to make money, it is a way to think with conviction…..
I bring my dog every time I come, and site 18 (or any sites near there) is best for us as there is more space in between the sites. It is also quieter. We were pleased to see more trails were added. All of which were well-maintained and marked. The drive to Tahoe is a little over an hour but we prefer Desolation and generally enter the wilderness a little north of Highway 50 just 15 minutes from basecamp. Frank was a great camp host eager to help and provide recommendations, and Gordon is super speedy with any online exchanges. I will be back in late July and look forward to staying here again!
Awards
- Property
- Madrone Tree Hill
- State
- California
- Country
- United States
- $58/night
- 26 Sites