Private camping near South Lake Tahoe
98% (239) • 17 campsites
Top-rated campgrounds near South Lake Tahoe
Kingvale Campground and Disc Golf
1. Kingvale Campground and Disc Golf
94%
(45)
36mi from South Lake Tahoe · 12 sites · Tents, RVs
300 acres at 6200’ elevation. Located on donner summits west slope. Great views and easy access. The sites are spaced very well from each other to give great privacy. Nestled among large pines and granite boulders. Union Pacific tracks at the southern edge of the property. Developed camp sites with no hookups. 36 holes of Disc golf on property. Seasonal creeks and South Yuba river very close. 20 mins to Kidd lake, cascade lake and donner lake. 5 mins from Donner Summit and miles of hiking. 20 minutes from Truckee. 45 mins from lake Tahoe. Great on site pizzeria. Please no check-ins after 10pm.
Pets
Toilets
Potable water
from
$50
/ night
160 Acres amidst National Forest
2. 160 Acres amidst National Forest
98%
(102)
38mi from South Lake Tahoe · 2 sites · Tents, RVs
Welcome to Slate Mountain where you have access to 160 acres of gated, private wilderness with 360 degree mountain views and exclusive waterfront on Slab Creek.
There are two choices of sites to camp: At Site 1 you can park an RV or pitch a tent where you have access to a picnic table, fire pit, vault toilet, and amazing sunset views. At Site 2 you can pitch a tent and have access to a picnic table, fire pit, rocking chairs, and a hammock.
Bring your hiking boots or your off-road toys and explore 160 acres of secluded forest filled with wildflowers, butterflies, ancient Pines and Cedars, wild berries, and wild game. Spend the day relaxing, picnicking, and try your luck at gold panning on pristine Slab Creek where not a single human or road exists for miles. Bring your paddle boards and kayaks and spend an afternoon at Stumpy Meadows, a beautiful mountain reservoir a 25 minute drive from the property. Apple Hill wineries and farms are a 40 minute drive. If you bring the off-road toys you also have access to miles of trails throughout hundreds of acres of national forest. Don’t feel like cooking? Smoke on the Water restaurant at Finnon reservoir in Swansboro is a quick 20 minute drive from the property. If you need supplies, a nice restaurant, or a day of wine tasting to break up the grit, downtown Placerville and Georgetown are both a 45 minute scenic drive.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) To get the most out of your experience, we highly recommend a 4WD or vehicle, ATVs or eBikes.
2) The creek is at the bottom of the canyon, 1.5 miles from the gate at the entrance, and the road down is very steep and lined with blackberry bushes. We highly recommend an off-road vehicle/ATV or eBikes for easy access to creek.
3) Be aware you are in the middle of the forest and wildlife such as bear, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and tics have been spotted on the property. Poison Oak is also common.
4) The property has cell service in the upper quadrant, however once you drop below the tree line toward the creek there is no service.
5) We highly recommend bringing a chainsaw or hatchet. There is an abundance of dead wood on the property that can be gathered for camp fires. Trees also occasionally fall on the trail which can impede access to the creek.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from
$68
/ night
Kirkwood Base Camp
3. Kirkwood Base Camp
100%
(5)
42mi from South Lake Tahoe · 3 sites · Tents, RVs
Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, this property offers a sense of seclusion and a short drive to Kirkwood Ski Resort and convenient to other area amenities including access to world class hiking, fishing, kayaking and other outdoor summer and winter activities in Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe area.
This property is perfect for small families and ski parties looking for comfort and adventure.
Located near the incredibly scenic Route 88 in historic gold country you can also visit museums, historic sites and even try your hand at panning for gold.
Pets
Picnic table
from
$17
/ night
98% (239) • 17 campsites
Top-rated campgrounds near South Lake Tahoe
Kingvale Campground and Disc Golf
1. Kingvale Campground and Disc Golf
94%
(45)
36mi from South Lake Tahoe · 12 sites · Tents, RVs
300 acres at 6200’ elevation. Located on donner summits west slope. Great views and easy access. The sites are spaced very well from each other to give great privacy. Nestled among large pines and granite boulders. Union Pacific tracks at the southern edge of the property. Developed camp sites with no hookups. 36 holes of Disc golf on property. Seasonal creeks and South Yuba river very close. 20 mins to Kidd lake, cascade lake and donner lake. 5 mins from Donner Summit and miles of hiking. 20 minutes from Truckee. 45 mins from lake Tahoe. Great on site pizzeria. Please no check-ins after 10pm.
Pets
Toilets
Potable water
from
$50
/ night
160 Acres amidst National Forest
2. 160 Acres amidst National Forest
98%
(102)
38mi from South Lake Tahoe · 2 sites · Tents, RVs
Welcome to Slate Mountain where you have access to 160 acres of gated, private wilderness with 360 degree mountain views and exclusive waterfront on Slab Creek.
There are two choices of sites to camp: At Site 1 you can park an RV or pitch a tent where you have access to a picnic table, fire pit, vault toilet, and amazing sunset views. At Site 2 you can pitch a tent and have access to a picnic table, fire pit, rocking chairs, and a hammock.
Bring your hiking boots or your off-road toys and explore 160 acres of secluded forest filled with wildflowers, butterflies, ancient Pines and Cedars, wild berries, and wild game. Spend the day relaxing, picnicking, and try your luck at gold panning on pristine Slab Creek where not a single human or road exists for miles. Bring your paddle boards and kayaks and spend an afternoon at Stumpy Meadows, a beautiful mountain reservoir a 25 minute drive from the property. Apple Hill wineries and farms are a 40 minute drive. If you bring the off-road toys you also have access to miles of trails throughout hundreds of acres of national forest. Don’t feel like cooking? Smoke on the Water restaurant at Finnon reservoir in Swansboro is a quick 20 minute drive from the property. If you need supplies, a nice restaurant, or a day of wine tasting to break up the grit, downtown Placerville and Georgetown are both a 45 minute scenic drive.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) To get the most out of your experience, we highly recommend a 4WD or vehicle, ATVs or eBikes.
2) The creek is at the bottom of the canyon, 1.5 miles from the gate at the entrance, and the road down is very steep and lined with blackberry bushes. We highly recommend an off-road vehicle/ATV or eBikes for easy access to creek.
3) Be aware you are in the middle of the forest and wildlife such as bear, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and tics have been spotted on the property. Poison Oak is also common.
4) The property has cell service in the upper quadrant, however once you drop below the tree line toward the creek there is no service.
5) We highly recommend bringing a chainsaw or hatchet. There is an abundance of dead wood on the property that can be gathered for camp fires. Trees also occasionally fall on the trail which can impede access to the creek.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from
$68
/ night
Kirkwood Base Camp
3. Kirkwood Base Camp
100%
(5)
42mi from South Lake Tahoe · 3 sites · Tents, RVs
Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, this property offers a sense of seclusion and a short drive to Kirkwood Ski Resort and convenient to other area amenities including access to world class hiking, fishing, kayaking and other outdoor summer and winter activities in Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe area.
This property is perfect for small families and ski parties looking for comfort and adventure.
Located near the incredibly scenic Route 88 in historic gold country you can also visit museums, historic sites and even try your hand at panning for gold.
Pets
Picnic table
from
$17
/ night
Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community
Ben
2 weeks ago
Tent
With kids
This camp is truly a remote site with amazing views in all directions. We camped at the clearing at the top of the property which was flat with a short walk to the outhouse. Long steep fire trail to the river. The fire pit needed to be cleaned out and the non-potable water was empty. Other than that it was great for our outing. Since all the storms there were several fallen trees and lots of blackberries on the road to the river as others have said. It is a bit of a drive on a windy road to get to this camp. Elly was great at directions and answered all my questions beforehand.
See more
Stephanie
February 2026
Tent
Beautiful quiet peaceful raw land, a perfect getaway to recharge for the weekend. Stunning view, well kept, and very relaxed hosts with excellent communication. LOVE that we had the entire property to ourselves and that it was behind a locked gate. The primary RV/tent site is very level, has some shade coverage, picnic table, well kept fire ring, large water container, and a very clean pit toilet 15-20 yards down a lantern lit path. (The owner’s RV sits at the back of this main site, but they were not there during our stay, and it is very well kept so it is not an eye sore to the gorgeous views.) We setup our rooftop tent in an opening. We did not walk all the way down to the creek, but we took the path down about a 100 yards to watch the sunrise. It was easy and a mild/moderate incline. The sunrise was spectacular! A few reviews mention glass and gunshots. The property is clearly well taken care of and a labor of love. We found the main areas to be mostly glass free. Do your part and clean up after yourself (and maybe even a little extra.) We did hear some very distant gunfire across the valley, most likely target practice, but nothing that disrupted the quiet peaceful vibe. The only other noise was the occasional vehicle and a few airplanes. You’d be hard pressed to find a quieter place within a few hours of the Bay Area. As far as the road, Mosquito Rd on the way in is infamous and has some harry spots. There’s an alternate route if you’re towing or a nervous Nelly.
See more
A
Alex
January 2026
Tent
Great spot. Trail down to the creek is accessible by pickup if you have a chainsaw and don’t mind a few scratches.
See more
S
Shileen
November 2025
Tent
With pets
We had such a wonderful time at this campsite and truly enjoyed the peaceful serenity among the trees. I’ve lived in the Sierra Nevada area my whole life, and as a fairly healthy 26-year-old, I can say the trail is no joke. Definitely read the reviews and plan ahead—bring something to help you get down and back up. I ended up finding two walking sticks and just took my time.
The views were absolutely worth it, and my three dogs had the best time splashing around in the creek! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a beautiful, quiet getaway
See more
CHAD
November 2025
Tent
With pets
Very remote. Loved the isolation. Be prepared for rocky ground. The drive up was kind of gnarly, but that added to the adventure. Bring lots of your own water!
See moreS
Sven
October 2025
Tent
With kids
Had a great time camping on Elly's land with my 6 yr old daughter. Beautiful location and a great river to hike to and play around.
See moreM
Marta
September 2025
Tent
Group trip
Our stay at Elly's property was amazing! The spot was spacious, we had 6 tents and there was plenty of space between them. I really appreciate how secluded it is -- we didn't see a soul. The water tank and the bathroom stall were very convenient and made the camping experience more luxurious. There is a fire ring but no grill. The gravel path to get to the campsite is a bit rough but not too bad. However, I do not think path to the creek is accessible with a regular vehicle -- we had a Wrangler so it was a fun adventure. We saw a small bear in the surrounding area so we put all our food and toiletries in the car and had no issues. I would 100% stay here again!
See more
D
Diangelo
September 2025
Tent
With pets
Beautiful views! The trees provide great shade during the day, and the creek is beautiful! definitely need a 4x4 to get down there though. Elly is a very communicative host; would stay again in a different season.
See morea
andre
August 2025
Tent
With pets
My group had a great time. The first site is accessible by standard car and the views are amazing and very private. You will need to bring plenty of water or a way to filter/purify the water provided in the water tank. The restroom is as good as you can expect for such a remote site.
The hike to the river is 1.5miles each way and is definitely a serious workout. If you're looking for a secluded getaway with plenty of beautiful scenery that's truly off grid (with cell reception) this is the place. I almost forgot to mention the plentiful blackberries!!! They're delicious 😋
See moreT
Ty
July 2025
Tent
If you are looking to get away from it this is the spot. I saw three people the entire time I was there and I had to drive to convenient Georgetown OHV to see them. The property is amazing with 360 degree views and a beautiful creek at the bottom of the canyon. I brought a SxS and was happy I did. The creek is quite a ways down in distance and elevation. I hope this host keeps this spot open for for many years as I plan to add it to my short list of a gems.
See moreK
Katherine
July 2025
30 ft Class C
With pets
Loved the property, I would only suggest that the directions be clarified better. The pin is actually 2.8 miles from the actual property entrance but once we reread the directions and explored a little bit we were able to find it. Also would recommend bringing a chainsaw just in case a tree falls. We would definitely do it again though.
See moreJ
Jacqueline
July 2025
Tent
Group trip
This was our first time being in a private site and I loved it. We like to go with our dogs and the whole trip was planned around them. They could be off leash without me having to worry about other pups around. Luckily there wasn’t any wildlife trying to catch their attention. We did go on a hot weekend and couldn’t have survived without a canopy. The original plan was to go down to the creek but the road was too narrow for my truck and too steep for my elderly dog. Driving down felt like Indiana Jones, EXTREME version. The truck did get scratched up from the bushes and the ten minutes I walked down and back up from the actual creek had me realizing I was WAY out of shape because my heart rate was pounding in my ears. So I guess it was too steep for my elderly dog and me. The cite was 99% clean and it bums me out that some people leave their trash behind. We did pick up some cigarette buds from previous campers and I tried to get some of the bigger chunks of glass. Luckily, that didn’t hurt the dogs. The bathroom is cleaner than regular campsites. We also got a few bees and mosquitoes but they’d come and go. The host, super communicative and helpful.
See more
L
Lindsay
July 2025
Tent
With pets
Elly's land is beautiful and secluded. One of my 2 dogs is highly reactive toward both dogs and people so having the whole place to ourselves gave me peace of mind and the dogs, my husband and I had a great and relaxing time. The river is beautiful and refreshing. Camping on Elly's land was so peaceful and just the quick getaway we needed. Elly is a very responsive host and accessing her property was easy and communication was great.
Other reviewers mentioned overgrown blackberry bushes and I think it was a little unclear to me where the bushes were overgrown (I was thinking closer to the river), but if you travel beyond the first RV/tent site your car will get scratched. I drive a mid-size suv and it's totally scratched up 😭 and will require some professional detailing to hopefully remove the scratches. So just don't drive past the first site if you care about your car. I'm not faulting anyone b/c this is expected out in the woods, camping, etc. just want to make it clear for others where they should park and stop driving.
I would highly recommend staying here and look forward to returning again in the future.
See moreJ
Justin
June 2025
Tent
Group trip
We are returning guests here and plan to keep coming back! Elly is always very communicative and a great host!
See moreW
Wahida
June 2025
Tent
With kids
Elly's camp site was great for a private camping experience. Elly was so responsive and accommodating. We had a great time and enjoyed our time at the lake and the hike to the creek. The only real draw back was the one type of weed/plant (not sure what to call it) around the site that when got on your pants or shoes, would poke you and you have to pull them off, really just a nuisance but nothing too serious. Just some things to be aware of, nothing negative about the site, just normal nature type stuff....we did encounter a rattle snake on our hike down to the lake, give yourself about 1hr or more to get to the creek and there are times it get a little steep but nothing that is not doable with kids. In addition, we did find a few ticks on our kids, so just something to check yourself each day with.
Again, all nature stuff nothing against this specific site.
See moreJ
John
June 2025
21 ft Class B
With pets
Nice view and is very private, take a hike down the old road to the creek.
See more
R
Regina
May 2025
17 ft campervan
Collette was welcoming and accommodating. She pointed us to the lower camping site nestled lower on the property in the woods. Quiet and peaceful for self contained campervan or tent site. The trees here are breathtaking and majestic. Come prepared with mosquito repellent as they were in full force!
See more
C
Christopher
May 2025
16 ft car
With pets
Was a great stay easy to find with provided directions.
We arrived a bit late host was accommodating and very kind
We’d definitely stay again while we’re in the area
See moreC
Carolyn
May 2025
Tent
The camp site was exactly as described. Easy to find and lots of great views.
See moreR
Rebecca
April 2025
Tent
With pets
Beautiful property with great views. If you want privacy and seclusion this is the one! Road in can get pretty bumpy with a dirt road for the last 10-15 minutes to the property so just be prepared, but we had no issue with FWD.
See more
