On the water
Lakefront campgrounds at Lake Tahoe
8 campgrounds in our data are on or beside a lake: Meeks Bay Resort (on the shore), Tahoe State Recreation Area (beside the lake), Nevada Beach Campground (beside the lake), Badger's Den at Camp Richardson Resort (beside the lake), Alpine Meadow Campground (on the shore), Donner Memorial State Park (beside the lake), Lakeside (Truckee) (on the shore), Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground (on the shore).
Summary
| Campground | Max RV length | Hookups | Dogs | Booking | Agency | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeks Bay Resort | 22 ft (longest Rec.gov site) | Full (water, electric, sewer) | No | Recreation.gov | USDA Forest Service — Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit | [1] [2] |
| Tahoe State Recreation Area | 18 ft (trailer 15 ft) | None | No | ReserveCalifornia | California State Parks | [1] [2] [3] |
| Nevada Beach Campground | 45 ft | Not listed | Campground only | Recreation.gov | USDA Forest Service — Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit | [1] [2] [3] [4] |
| Badger's Den at Camp Richardson Resort | Not listed | Not listed | No | Recreation.gov | USDA Forest Service — Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit | [1] [2] |
| Alpine Meadow Campground | 30 ft (longest Rec.gov site) | Not listed | Yes, leashed | Recreation.gov | USDA Forest Service — Tahoe National Forest | [1] [2] |
| Donner Memorial State Park | 28 ft (trailer 24 ft) | Not listed | Yes, leashed | ReserveCalifornia | California State Parks | [1] [2] [3] |
| Lakeside (Truckee) | 40 ft (longest Rec.gov site) | Not listed | Yes, leashed | Recreation.gov | USDA Forest Service — Tahoe National Forest | [1] [2] |
| Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground | No RVs (boat-in) | None | No | ReserveCalifornia | California State Parks | [1] [2] [3] |
Not on the shore, despite the names: Sugar Pine Point's lakeside day-use area is 3/4 mile south of the campground, and Fallen Leaf Campground is on the north shore of Fallen Leaf Lake, less than a mile from Lake Tahoe. [California State Parks][Recreation.gov]
Campgrounds whose official page or Recreation.gov site list puts sites on the shore ("on the shore") or the campground on the lake side of the road or in a park with lake frontage ("beside the lake"). Campgrounds a walk away from the lake are listed below, not here. We don't estimate walking distances. Distances are straight-line. Official facts checked 2026-10-18; listing facts update with each feed refresh.
Search these stays with dates →How we decide
Recreation.gov flags individual sites as "Lakefront": 21 units at Meeks Bay Resort, 20 sites at Lakeside (Truckee) and all 24 at Alpine Meadow. Emerald Bay's Boat-In camp has lakefront campsites. Nevada Beach's campground and beach are on the lake side of US-50, and Badger's Den is on the lake side of Highway 89. [Recreation.gov][Recreation.gov][Recreation.gov][California State Parks][USDA Forest Service][USDA Forest Service]
445 campsites across 8 campgrounds
Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground
Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground
Closed for the season
Check with California State Parks (Sierra District) · Continue to reservecalifornia.com ↗
Compare at a glance: hookups, RV length, bear storage, season
Computed from official pages (linked tags) and listings; "Not listed" means no source we use states it. Official RV limits override listing lengths.
| Campground | Area | Hookups | Max RV length | Bear / food storage | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeks Bay Resort | West Shore & Emerald Bay (CA) · USDA Forest Service (Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit; Meeks Bay Resort under permit) | 21 full-hookup, 1 electric sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Forest Order 19-24-03: all food and refuse not personally attended must be in a bear-resistant container; use the campground's bear boxes and wildlife-resistant dumpsters USDA Forest Service | 2026 opening May 9 (LTBMU opening dates); closing date not listed USDA Forest Service |
| Tahoe State Recreation Area | North Shore (CA) · California State Parks (Tahoe State Recreation Area) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites Listing · reservecalifornia.com | 18 ft (official limit) California State Parks | Food, beverages, toiletries and scented trash must go in the campsite's metal food locker except while eating or cooking; ice chests may not be stored in vehicles. Bear-proof coolers must be locked (up to a $1,000 fine) California State Parks | The campground has closed for the 2026 season California State Parks |
| Nevada Beach Campground | Stateline & Zephyr Cove (NV) · USDA Forest Service (Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | 45 ft (official limit) USDA Forest Service | Forest Order 19-24-03: all food and refuse not personally attended must be in a bear-resistant container; use the campground's bear boxes and wildlife-resistant dumpsters USDA Forest Service | Seasons of use: May–October (2026 opening May 22) USDA Forest Service |
| Badger's Den at Camp Richardson Resort | South Lake Tahoe (CA) · USDA Forest Service (Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit; Camp Richardson Resort under permit) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Bear-proof food locker at each campsite Recreation.gov | Summer tent campground; 2026 opening May 22 (LTBMU opening dates) USDA Forest Service |
| Alpine Meadow Campground | Truckee & Donner (CA) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | 30 ft (longest listed site) Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Not listed |
| Donner Memorial State Park | Truckee & Donner (CA) · California State Parks (Donner Memorial State Park) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites Listing · reservecalifornia.com | 28 ft (official limit) California State Parks | Not listed | Summer camping; the park itself stays open year-round for trails and winter recreation California State Parks |
| Lakeside (Truckee) | Truckee & Donner (CA) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | 50 ft (longest listed site) Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Not listed |
| Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground | West Shore & Emerald Bay (CA) · California State Parks (Sierra District) | None (boat-in) California State Parks | Not listed | Not listed | Boat In Campground has closed for the 2026 season (California State Parks, updated 08/24/2026) California State Parks |
Hookups & rig specs
Rig length, pull-through, power, water, sewer and dump station. Blue linked tags are official sources; "Listing" tags come from the booking listing; "Not listed" means no source we use states it.
| Campground | Max rig length | Pull-through | Power (amps) | Water hookup | Sewer hookup | Dump station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeks Bay Resort | Not listed | 3 of 66 sites Listing · Recreation.gov | 22 electric sites (amps not listed) Listing · Recreation.gov | 23 of 23 RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | 22 of 23 RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed |
| Tahoe State Recreation Area | 18 ft (official limit) California State Parks | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Nevada Beach Campground | 45 ft (official limit) USDA Forest Service | 0 of 51 sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Badger's Den at Camp Richardson Resort | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | 84 of 84 RV sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Not listed |
| Alpine Meadow Campground | 30 ft (longest listed site) Listing · Recreation.gov | 6 of 24 sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Donner Memorial State Park | 28 ft (official limit) California State Parks | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Lakeside (Truckee) | 50 ft (longest listed site) Listing · Recreation.gov | 17 of 42 sites Listing · Recreation.gov | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground | Not listed | Not listed | None (boat-in) California State Parks | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Booking & price
| Stay | Run by | From Lake Tahoe | Max rig (listed / official) | Hookups & power | Booking | Listed from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeks Bay Resort | Recreation.gov | 6.3 mi | 23 RV-capable sites, no length limits listed | 21 full-hookup, 1 electric sites | Reservable on Recreation.gov | $33/night |
| Tahoe State Recreation Area | California State Parks | 7.7 mi | Official limit 18 ft max RV/camper; 15 ft max trailer — a small, historic campground with small turns and parking pads (California State Parks) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites | Not listed | $35/night |
| Nevada Beach Campground | Recreation.gov | 9.1 mi | Official limit 45 ft maximum vehicle length (Forest Service) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites | Not listed | $47/night |
| Badger's Den at Camp Richardson Resort | Recreation.gov | 11.2 mi | 84 RV-capable sites, no length limits listed | Hookup type not listed for RV sites | Reservable on Recreation.gov | $50/night |
| Alpine Meadow Campground | Recreation.gov | 16.2 mi | Longest RV site listed: 30 ft (24 of 24 RV sites list a length) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites | Reservable on Recreation.gov | Not listed |
| Donner Memorial State Park | California State Parks | 18.8 mi | Official limit 28 ft max camper/motorhome; 24 ft max trailer (California State Parks) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites | Reservable on reservecalifornia.com | $35/night |
| Lakeside (Truckee) | Recreation.gov | 21.2 mi | Longest RV site listed: 50 ft (37 of 42 RV sites list a length) | Hookup type not listed for RV sites | Reservable on Recreation.gov | $20/night |
| Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground | California State Parks (Sierra District) | Not listed | Not listed | None (boat-in) | ReserveCalifornia | Not listed |
Head-to-head
All Lake Tahoe campground comparisons
More ways to camp around Lake Tahoe
- South Lake Tahoe campgrounds
- West Shore & Emerald Bay campgrounds
- North Shore campgrounds
- Truckee & Donner campgrounds
- East Shore & Incline campgrounds
- Campgrounds near Lake Tahoe (nearby areas)
- Full-hookup RV parks at Lake Tahoe
- Glamping & cabins at Lake Tahoe
- Tent camping at Lake Tahoe
- Campgrounds near Sand Harbor
- Campgrounds near Emerald Bay
- Campgrounds near D.L. Bliss State Park
- Campgrounds near Camp Richardson
- Campgrounds near Zephyr Cove
- Campgrounds near Donner Memorial State Park
- Big-rig-friendly campgrounds (40 ft+)
- Pull-through RV sites at Lake Tahoe
- Van & truck camper camping at Lake Tahoe
- Tent-only & walk-in campgrounds at Lake Tahoe
- Dispersed camping at Lake Tahoe: the rules
- Booking California State Parks at Lake Tahoe
- Booking Recreation.gov campgrounds at Lake Tahoe
- Booking Nevada State Parks at Lake Tahoe
- First-come, first-served campgrounds at Lake Tahoe
- Lake Tahoe Rig Fit: check which stays fit your RV
Sources
- California State Parks — Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point SP (checked 2026-10-18)
- Recreation.gov — Fallen Leaf Campground (checked 2026-10-18)
- Recreation.gov — Meeks Bay Resort (checked 2026-10-18)
- Recreation.gov — Lakeside (Truckee) (checked 2026-10-18)
- Recreation.gov — Alpine Meadow Campground (checked 2026-10-18)
- California State Parks — Emerald Bay SP (page updated Aug 24, 2026) (checked 2026-10-18)
- USDA Forest Service — Nevada Beach Campground and Day Use Pavilion (checked 2026-10-18)
- USDA Forest Service — Camp Richardson Resort (checked 2026-10-18)