Ponderosa Cove Campground
Ponderosa Cove Campground is a national forest campground in California. Hookups: no hookups.
- Type
- National forest campground
- Location
- California
- Coordinates
- 38.87417, -120.60278
- Hookups
- No hookups
- Activities
- Camping
- Map
- Open in OpenStreetMap
- Phone
- 831-245-6891
Amenities
- Reservable sites
Only amenities a source confirms are listed; an amenity missing here is unknown, not absent.
About Ponderosa Cove Campground
Overview Ponderosa Cove greets group campers with shaded campsites close to scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir. The campground provides a pleasant destination for bird watching and nature viewing, in addition to activities at the lake. Recreation Enjoy a picnic in the campground, or head to another picnic area at Stumpy Meadows Boat Ramp. The reservoir is great for swimming and fishing for brown and rainbow trout. Boating is also popular, but this is a no-wake lake. Facilities The campground can accommodate up to 75 guests along a single loop of campsites. Five parking spurs can be used for RVs and trailers. Each of these spurs has a picnic table. Ten walk-to tent pads are provided, and parking for these requires parallel parking on the loop. Vault toilets and two water faucets are provided. Natural Features Ponderosa Pine, the namesake of the campground, is known for its wonderful sweet vanilla aroma and its massive height. The campground sits east of the dam, just opposite the road from the Stumpy Meadows Lake, at an elevation of 4,400 feet. The lake sits in the foothills of the rugged Sierra Nevada high country of California. In the Eldorado National Forest, the climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Nearby Attractions Eldorado National Forest boasts over 400 miles of hiking trails, so hikers have plenty of options to explore. Take a drive on the El Dorado County Scenic Highway or visit the Marshall Gold Discovery
Cell coverage
No coverage data for this location yet.
Nearby RV services
- Dump station
- Sugar Pine · 20 mi
- Water fill
- None mapped within 50 mi
- Propane
- Shell · 7.8 mi
- Low clearances
- None mapped within 10 mi
- Off-road routes
- 268 designated routes (512 mi) within 10 mi
Other places to stay nearby
| Name | Type | Distance | Fee | Hookups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stumpy Meadows | National forest campground | 2.2 mi | — | No hookups |
| Stumpy Meadows Campground | Private campground | 2.2 mi | — | — |
| Black Oak Campground | Private campground | 2.2 mi | — | — |
| Black Oak Group | National forest group campground | 2.2 mi | — | — |
| Black Oak | National forest campground | 2.2 mi | — | No hookups |
| Ponderosa Cove Group | National forest group campground | 2.2 mi | — | — |
Open Ponderosa Cove Campground in DryRig
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Sources. Recreation.gov (RIDB). Updated June 2026. Facility facts only; DryRig does not publish ratings or reviews on this page.