Connectivity
- VerizonLTESome coverageVerified by 0 campers
- AT&T5GGood coverageVerified by 0 campers
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Silver Lake East- Eldorado
Eldorado National Forest, California
About this campground
In addition to the trails which connect this campground to Silver Lake and other swimming areas, the Granite Lake Trail, which gives way to the Hidden Lake Trail, begins on the east shore of Silver Lake at the Minkalo TH.
Silver Lake East is located 50 miles east of Jackson, California, just a short distance from the shores of Silver lake, where activities like boating, fishing, swimming and hiking, provide campers with the perfect outdoors retreat.
Silver Lake West is adjacent to Silver Lake East on the other side of Highway 88, and offers additional trails and access to the Silver Fork of the American River.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 38.675000° N
- Longitude
- 119.887500° 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
- Boat-in
- Walk-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
- Group sitesCommunity report
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Food storage
- ADA access
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Firewood availableCommunity report
- Phone serviceCommunity report
- Trash 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
- Sewer hookups
- Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 55 ft
- Back-in sitesCommunity report
- Water hookupsCommunity 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
Silver Lake East is located 50 miles east of Jackson, California, just a short distance from the shores of Silver lake, where activities like boating, fishing, swimming and hiking, provide campers with the perfect outdoors retreat.
Numerous trails leaving the campground connect with the lake and swimming beaches. Silver Lake West is adjacent to Silver Lake East on the other side of Highway 88, and offers additional trails and access to the Silver Fork of the American River.
Facilities
Vault toilets, drinking water, campfire rings and picnic tables are provided. Some sites have bear-proof food storage containers as well.
Single units are limited to a maximum of 2 vehicles and 6 people. A pay phone, restaurant, boat rentals and boat ramp are located at a nearby lodge.
Recreation
Because the campground is already at such a high elevation, hiking is particularly popular, allowing visitors to access high alpine lakes and other destinations through short but spectacular hikes.
In addition to the trails which connect this campground to Silver Lake and other swimming areas, the Granite Lake Trail, which gives way to the Hidden Lake Trail, begins on the east shore of Silver Lake at the Minkalo TH.
The trail ascends and crosses Squaw Creek on a wooden bridge. Approximately one-half mile beyond the bridge is a junction. The right fork will take you to Plasse's and the left fork will take you to Granite Lake. At the southeast end of the lake you will find the trail to Hidden Lake.
Anglers will be happy to know that Silver Lake boasts stocked populations of Rainbow, German Brown and Mackinaw trout.
Natural Features
The campground is situated at the base of Thunder Mountain at an elevation of 7,200 feet, on the north end of beautiful Silver Lake.
A small pond in the middle of the campground attracts ducks, but cannot be seen from any of the camp sites.
Silver Lake spans 200 acres in a large granite basin surrounded by a forest of mixed conifers. The lake's mirror-like waters are known to reflect the colors of the sky above, attracting both hikers and photographers to its scenic shores.
The Silver Lake area blooms with bright wildflowers in the summer months, delighting visitors with their presence around the lakes and high in the mountain meadows.
Nearby Attractions
Take a scenic drive on Carson Pass Highway, which runs past Silver Lake along the mountains and crosses the picturesque Carson Pass. It is a must-do activity for those who love mountain views and landscape photography.
The campground is an easy drive south of Lake Tahoe, the popular lake and ski area.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Potable water
- Picnic tables
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Wildlife-resistant food storage
- Sewer hookups
- Vault Toilets
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
44 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 12
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 55 ft
- Check-in
- 0:00 PM, 2:00 PM, :00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, :00 PM
- Accessible sites
- 10 flagged accessible
Management
25 sites- Reservation type
- Non Site-Specific, Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 12
- Maximum vehicles
- 2
- Maximum vehicle length
- 35 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 1:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Tent Only Non-Electric
3 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 25 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Walk To
2 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 25 ft
- Check-in
- :00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
RV Non-Electric
1 site- Equipment
- RV, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 35 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 1:00 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
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Weekend minimum
- 2 nights
- Reservation cutoff
- 4 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 12 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 2 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 0:00 PM, 2:00 PM, :00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, :00 PM
- Food storage
- Silver Lake East- Eldorado's official facility record states: Some sites have bear-proof food storage containers as well.
- Fire and stove use
- Silver Lake East- Eldorado's official facility record states: Vault toilets, drinking water, campfire rings and picnic tables are provided.
- 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 27, 2026
- Next release
- Dec 25, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- Jun 25, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 26, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-come, First-served SeasonJun 12, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJun 12, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJun 12, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJun 12, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJun 12, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonJun 12, 2026 – Jun 25, 2026 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 26, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 26, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 26, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 26, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 26, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 26, 2026 – Sep 6, 2026 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 7, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2027 – Sep 5, 2027 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2027 – Sep 5, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2027 – Sep 5, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2027 – Sep 5, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2027 – Sep 5, 2027 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2027 – Sep 5, 2027 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2027 – Sep 26, 2027 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2027 – Sep 26, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2027 – Sep 26, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2027 – Sep 26, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2027 – Sep 26, 2027 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2027 – Sep 26, 2027 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2028 – Sep 5, 2028 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2028 – Sep 5, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2028 – Sep 5, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2028 – Sep 5, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2028 – Sep 5, 2028 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJun 25, 2028 – Sep 5, 2028 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2028 – Sep 26, 2028 | Management | $33.97 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2028 – Sep 26, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2028 – Sep 26, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $72 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2028 – Sep 26, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2028 – Sep 26, 2028 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| First-come, First-served SeasonSep 6, 2028 – Sep 26, 2028 | Walk To | $72 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Check the link under Facility Information--> Additional Info Links for an updated facility map. The interactive map has NOT been updated yet.
- Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers
- No electric/water/sewer hookups at this facility
- 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 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 and collected at the campground.
- 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 (1PM) 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.
- First Come First Serve sites remain listed as FF for the entire season. They will not show occupied/available as the status of these sites is ever changing. You must be on site at the campground to claim a FF site. No guarantees upon arrival that these FF sites will be avaiable.
- There is a fee to move from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy
- For more information on Eldorado National Forest, click here
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Pioneer, CA, take State Route 88 east 36.6 miles to campground on right.
Facility contact
209-258-2287