Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)
Eldorado National Forest, California
About this campground
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.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 38.999568° N
- Longitude
- 120.318717° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-in
- Hike-in
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
Features
For campers
- Drinking water
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Food storage
- Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
- Firewood available
- Picnic table
- ADA access
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
- Pull-through sites
- Parking
- Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 50 ft
- Parallel parking sitesCommunity report
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
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.
Facilities
Not separately publishedRecreation.gov does not publish a separate facilities section for this campground.
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.
Natural Features
Not separately publishedRecreation.gov does not publish a separate natural features section for this campground.
Nearby Attractions
Not separately publishedRecreation.gov does not publish a separate nearby attractions section for this campground.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Off Highway Vehicle Trails
- Picnicking
Amenities and facility features
- Potable water
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Wildlife-resistant food storage
- Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
- Pets allowedFollow the exact facility restrictions
- Campfire Rings
- Drinking Water
- Firewood
- Food Storage Locker
- Host
- Lake Access
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
RV Non-Electric
8 sites- Equipment
- RV, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 12
- Maximum vehicles
- 4
- Check-in
- 02:00 PM
- Check-out
- 01:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Standard Non-Electric
16 sites- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 12
- Maximum vehicles
- 4
- Check-in
- 02:00 PM
- Check-out
- 01:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- 1 flagged accessible
Management
1 site- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Check-in
- 02:00 PM
- Check-out
- 01:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Base site allowance
- • 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.
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Scan And Pay
- 1
- Maximum published vehicles
- 4 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 02:00 PM
- Check-out
- 01:00 PM
- Food storage
- Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)'s official facility record states: Keep all foods, soaps, and garbage properly stored.
- Fire and stove use
- Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (CA)'s official facility record states: Fire Restrictions : Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Sep 20, 2026
- Next release
- Dec 19, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- Jun 19, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 20, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-come, First-served SeasonMay 26, 2026 – Jun 17, 2026 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonMay 26, 2026 – Jun 17, 2026 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonMay 26, 2026 – Jun 17, 2026 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonMay 26, 2026 – Jun 17, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 18, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 18, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 18, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 18, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2027 – Sep 6, 2027 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2027 – Sep 6, 2027 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2027 – Sep 6, 2027 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2027 – Sep 6, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2027 – Sep 20, 2027 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2027 – Sep 20, 2027 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2027 – Sep 20, 2027 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2027 – Sep 20, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2028 – Sep 6, 2028 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2028 – Sep 6, 2028 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2028 – Sep 6, 2028 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2028 – Sep 6, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2028 – Sep 20, 2028 | Group RV Area Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2028 – Sep 20, 2028 | Group Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2028 – Sep 20, 2028 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2028 – Sep 20, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Travel Notice : Starting May 2024 and continuing through September 2024, Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs. There will be traffic delays so plan your camping trip accordingly.
- Bears frequent the area. Keep all foods, soaps, and garbage properly stored.
- Keep family pets on a leash at all times.
- Forest Order No. 19-15-01: Prohibits camping for a combined total of no more than 14 days during a calendar year (January-December), forest-wide. Visitors may book campsites annually but the maximum stay may not exceed a total of 14 days each calendar year (January-December)
- Please Note : One (1) vehicle per single site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee.
- Fire Restrictions : Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.
- Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
- 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).
- Don't Move Firewood : Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov .
- There is a fee to move from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy
- Click here for more information on the Eldorado National Forest.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
23 miles east of Placerville on Highway 50 and 31 miles north on Ice House Road (Forest Road 3), take the Loon Lake fork.
Facility contact
530-644-2324 · info@royalelkparkmanagement.com