Bear River Group Campground

California · Nearby: US-50 west of Echo Summit (CA)

Bear River Group Campground is in Pioneer, CA, listed on Recreation.gov. It has tent sites.

5.0 (9 reviews)Book on Recreation.gov
ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
40.2 mi from the middle of Lake Tahoe29.7 mi to Emerald Baystraight-line

Quick facts

Agency / operatorNot listed
BookingRecreation.gov [Recreation.gov]
Max RV / trailer lengthNot listed
Bear storageNot listed
SeasonNot listed
HookupsNot listed

Sources: Recreation.gov — Bear River Group Campground. "Not listed" means no source we use states it.

This weekend (Fri, Oct 23 – Sun, Oct 25): Book online. Reservations online on Recreation.gov — open dates and rates come from the booking site.

Key facts

Pets
Not listed — check with campground
Booking
Reservable on Recreation.gov Listing
Getting there
40.2 mi from the middle of Lake Tahoe · 29.7 mi to Emerald Bay (straight-line, not driving) Listing
Water
Not listed — check with campground
Price
Lowest listed rate $115/night (live price once you pick dates) Listing
All 15 facts with sources ↓

Why stay here?

  • Public-land campground run by a federal or state agency.

Choose a site

Your dates & setup

Checking 2 nights (your saved dates or this weekend). Tell us what you're staying in to see matching sites and prices.

Site & accommodation options

No recent availability data on Recreation.gov: availability may have changed, so check availability with the provider. Rates are listed rates, not an offer.

Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
3 sites like thisUp to 25 peopleGroup site
Check availability

Enter your dates on Recreation.gov, then choose “Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric”.

$115/night
Continue to Recreation.gov ↗
Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
Up to 50 peopleGroup site
Check availability

Enter your dates on Recreation.gov, then choose “Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric”.

$145/night
Continue to Recreation.gov ↗

Compare booking options

You book with the provider. Each row shows that provider's lowest open option for your dates, and which provider our main button uses.

Recreation.govMain booking button
No recent availability data — check availability on the provider's site
Check availability
Pick your dates again on this provider's site.

Other nearby options

Closest stays by type. Distances are straight-line from Bear River Group Campground, not driving.

View calendar · night-by-night from Recreation.gov

No recent availability data on Recreation.gov: this grid may be out of date, so check availability with the provider.

SiteFr
23		Sa
24		Price
003
group tent only area nonelectric
––$115
002
group tent only area nonelectric
––$115
004
group tent only area nonelectric
––$115
001
group tent only area nonelectric
––$145

✓ available · R reserved · X not available · C closed · W first come, first served · N not yet released

Before you go

CA California rules for campers

Booking
California State Parks book on ReserveCalifornia up to 6 months before arrival. Forest Service campgrounds book on Recreation.gov (individual sites up to 6 months ahead, group sites 12). California State Parks Recreation.gov
Bears
State park campgrounds: food, drinks, toiletries and scented trash go in the site's metal locker; ice chests may not be left in vehicles; bear-proof coolers must be locked (up to $1,000 fine). National Forest land: Forest Order 19-24-03. California State Parks USDA Forest Service
Chains
Caltrans chain controls R-1, R-2 and R-3 apply on CA-89, US-50 and I-80; check Caltrans QuickMap for live status. Caltrans Caltrans QuickMap

Bear River Group Campground: questions answered

What is the maximum RV length at Bear River Group Campground?
No RV sites listed (per the listing)
How do I reserve a site at Bear River Group Campground?
Reservable on Recreation.gov (per the listing)

Recent guest reviews

Roberto R ★ 5 · Sep 2025
Amazing place!! Lots of off-roading trails, spot junk-2 was nice and quiet!
Richard Z ★ 5 · Aug 2025
Excellent group site. When all 4 sites are reserved, it is a private large (125 person) group site completely separated from all other campgrounds
Deja C ★ 5 · Jul 2025
This location was amazing! So much space and spread out from the other group camps. Just a short drive away from the water. Not much cell service besides satellite. Beautiful and easy to get to. Maybe could use a little more signage to help with lost campers, but besides that the written instructions when booking were perfect. Will be booking again with my family next year.

Location

ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST
40.2 mi from the middle of Lake Tahoe (straight-line)
29.7 mi to Emerald Bay (straight-line)
Open in Google Maps ↗

Policies

Check-in
2:00 PM
Check-out
1:00 PM

About

Bear River Group Campground sits on the south side of the Lower Bear River Reservoir in Eldorado National Forest at about 6,000 feet, where mixed stands of pines and cool Sierra air set the scene for group gatherings. There are a total of 4 group campsites, all configured for tent camping only: Site 1 is the largest and will hold up to 50 people, while the three remaining sites each accommodate around 25 people. The campground is roughly a one-mile drive from the reservoir and is positioned just past the South Shore Campground and the dam, giving easy access to shoreline activities without bei…

Nearby activities

Swimming SiteHikingFishingCampingBoatingBiking
At a glance: all 15 facts with sources

At a glance

Official facts link to their source; “Listing” facts come from the Recreation.gov listing. Anything we can't source says so.

Max rig length
Listing No RV sites listed
Road & site access
Listing 4 gravel site driveways
Cell signal
Listing Visitor-reported signal on Recreation.gov (higher is better): T-Mobile 1 (3 reports)
Shade
Listing 0 of 4 sites that report shade are listed as shaded
Booking
Listing Reservable on Recreation.gov
Price
Listing Lowest listed rate $115/night (live price once you pick dates)
Getting there
Listing 40.2 mi from the middle of Lake Tahoe · 29.7 mi to Emerald Bay (straight-line, not driving)
Hookups & power · Pull-through / back-in · Pets · Generators · Quiet hours · Starlink / satellite · Water · Stay limits
Not listed — check with campground

Nearby parks (straight-line): Emerald Bay 29.7 mi

Check availability
Continue to Recreation.gov ↗
Build around it

Things to do near Emerald Bay

All activities →
No rig? Fly & Drive

RV rentals for this stay

This listing doesn't publish RV length limits — confirm your rig fits. Fly into Reno (~33 mi, ~55 min to Lake Tahoe, approx.) or rent locally.

Find an RV that fits →
Pick up near RNO

2022 Minnie Winnie 22M

Class C motorhomeSleeps 6 4.6 (10)
Sparks, NV · 8 mi from RNO airport (straight-line)
Drivable — no tow vehicleDelivery up to 40 miPets OK
Availability not connected · to estimate
from $217/nightvia RVRentals.com

Compare Bear River Group Campground with alternatives

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Public-agency campground

vs Big Silver Group

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Where Bear River Group Campground fits

Area
Campgrounds near Lake Tahoe (nearby areas)
Nearest alternatives
Lake Tahoe KOA Journey (23.9 mi) · Tahoe Valley Campground (28.4 mi) · Fallen Leaf Campground (28.7 mi)

Other stays nearby