Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)
Campground · 24 bookable sites ·
Managed by the USDA Forest Service
Eldorado National Forest (NF) · Open Access
- 24
- Bookable sites
- up to 12
- People per site
- 1
- Accessible site
- 6,457 ft
- Elevation
Overview
23 miles east of Placerville on Highway 50 and 31 miles north on Ice House Road (Forest Road 3), take the Loon Lake fork.
Recreation
- Swimming and Fishing
- Boat Ramp at Loon Lake Campground
- Picnic Area (5 sites) at the Loon Lake Boat Ramp
- Rubicon OHV Trail (summer)
- Hiking and horseback riding in Desolation Wilderness, permits available in Recreation.gov or the Placerville Ranger Station on Highway 50, Exit 54 in Camino. Day use permits area available at the Loon Lake trailhead in the summer and Placerville Ranger Station year‐round.
- Loon Lake Chalet rental cabin, reservations required.
Facilities
Nearby Attractions
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (831) 245-6891.Charges & Cancellations
- Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes.
- Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.
- Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing reservation. Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below).
- Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.
- Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).
The facts
- 24 bookable sites
- 25 sites in total, including non-bookable
- 1 accessible site
- Up to 12 people per site
- Loops: 1, Loop 1, Loop 2
Site types
- 16 Standard Nonelectric
- 8 RV Nonelectric
- 1 Management
Amenities
- Campfires allowed
- Fire pits
- Picnic tables
- Pets allowed
Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, grills, shade.
25 campsites at Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)
Check-in 02:00 PM · Check-out 01:00 PM
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Surface | Access | Max rig | People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host Site | 1 | Management | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | |
| 10 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 11 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 12 | Loop 1 | Rv Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 13 | Loop 1 | Rv Nonelectric | Pull Through | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 2 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 3 | Loop 1 | Rv Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 4 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | |
| 5 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | |
| 6 | Loop 1 | Rv Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 7 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | |
| 8 | Loop 1 | Rv Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 9 | Loop 1 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 14 | Loop 2 | Rv Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 15 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 16 | Loop 2 | Rv Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 17 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
| 18 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 19 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 20 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Paved | Hike In | — | 6 | ♿ 🐾 |
| 21 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Hike In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 22 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Hike In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 23 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Hike In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 24 | Loop 2 | Rv Nonelectric | Back In | Paved | Drive In | — | 6 | 🐾 |
| 25 | Loop 2 | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Paved | Drive In | — | 12 | 🐾 |
Getting there
23 miles east of Placerville on Highway 50 and 31 miles north on Ice House Road (Forest Road 3), take the Loon Lake fork.
38.99957, -120.31872 · 38°59'58.4"N 120°19'7.4"W
Typical weather
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Low °F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Precip in | 7.1 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 7.1 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 10.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
Fees and stay limits
Recreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity. Reservation Fee: A fee may be charged at the time a reservation is made to cover the cost of reservation services. This fee is in addition to the Recreation Fee and is non-refundable. Fees for camping, day use, group sites, cabins and lookouts: $8 if made on-line; $9 if made through the call center; $3 if made in-person.
From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)
- Can you reserve a site at Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)?
- Yes, Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA) is reservable through Recreation.gov.
- How many campsites does Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA) have?
- 25 sites in total, of which 24 can be booked.
- Are pets allowed at Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)?
- Yes, pets are allowed at Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA).
- Are campfires allowed at Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)?
- Campfires are allowed at Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA). Check for a current fire restriction before you go.
Camping near Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)
- Red Fir 0.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Loon Lake 1.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Loon Lake Chalet 1.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Gerle Creek 4.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Van Vleck Bunkhouse 4.9 mi · Campground · we watch it
- South Fork Group - Eldorado NF (CA) 5.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Northshore Campground less than 0.1 mi · Campground
- Wentworth Springs Campground 0.9 mi · Campground
- Pleasant Campground 1.7 mi · Campground
- Airport Flat Campground 3.5 mi · Campground
- Van Vleck Bunkhouse 4.4 mi · Campground
- South Fork Group Campground 5.8 mi · Campground
Contact
- Phone 530-644-2324
- Email info@royalelkparkmanagement.com
- Book Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-05-02.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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