Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Red Fir
Eldorado National Forest, California
About this campground
Situated on the north side of the Loon Lake Reservoir, Red Fir Group Campground offers a primitive group camping experience in the lush Eldorado National Forest.
The campground is part of the Crystal Basin Recreation Area, situated at a 6,400-foot elevation and nestled in a forest of tall pine trees.
The nearby lake provides fishing, swimming and boating, and the campground is just a short walk across the road to the water's edge.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 39.002222° N
- Longitude
- 120.312500° 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
- Boat-in
- Drive-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- Group sites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- Fires
- ADA access
- Phone serviceCommunity report
- 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
No vehicle features are separately published.
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
Situated on the north side of the Loon Lake Reservoir, Red Fir Group Campground offers a primitive group camping experience in the lush Eldorado National Forest.
Facilities
The campground offers tent-only campsites, accommodating a group of up to 25 guests.
A group kitchen area is equipped with multiple tables, a campfire circle and grills. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided.
Recreation
The nearby lake provides fishing, swimming and boating, and the campground is just a short walk across the road to the water's edge.
Visitors also enjoy off-road vehicle and motorcycle riding on the popular Rubicon Jeep trail.
Hiking and wilderness backpacking are popular activities. Day permits are available at the nearby Loon Lake trailhead and overnight permits are available at the Eldorado Information Center.
Natural Features
The campground is part of the Crystal Basin Recreation Area, situated at a 6,400-foot elevation and nestled in a forest of tall pine trees.
Nearby Attractions
The campground is not far from the Desolation Wilderness.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
- Boating
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Potable water
- Picnic tables
- Drinking Water
- Vault Toilets
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric
1 site- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 30
- Maximum vehicles
- 6
- Maximum vehicle length
- 0 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 1:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- 1 flagged accessible
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.
- Minimum stay
- 2 consecutive nights
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Reservation cutoff
- 4 days before arrival
- Maximum published vehicles
- 6 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 1:00 PM
- Food storage
- Red Fir's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Eldorado National Forest.
- Fire and stove use
- Red Fir's official facility record states: A group kitchen area is equipped with multiple tables, a campfire circle and grills.
- 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 6, 2026
- Next release
- Dec 19, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- Jun 19, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 6, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonJun 18, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric | $125 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2027 – Sep 6, 2027 | Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric | $125 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 19, 2028 – Sep 6, 2028 | Group Tent Only Area Non-Electric | $125 | — | — |
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.
- RVs are not permitted
- Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- Click here for more information on Eldorado National Forest
Getting there & contact
Official directions
Take Highway 50 east of Placerville for approximately 21 miles to Ice House Road. At the river take a left and go north 28 miles, then veer right at the fork in the road and continue 9 miles to Red Fir Group campground.
Facility contact
831-245-6891