Big Reservoir Campground
Big Reservoir Campground is adjacent to a privately operated lake and associated Morning Star Campground consisting of an additional 100 campsites. Use of the lake and associated facilities at Morning Star are subject to a $25.00 fee not associated with your reserved campsites at Big Reservoir Campground.
More like this: electric hookups in California · reservable in California
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 9 |
| Tent-only | 9 |
| Host/management | 1 |
Site guide
11 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Type | Shade | Power | Water / sewer | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Standard | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 9 | Standard | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 10 | Standard | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 12 | Tent only | Partial | No | 6 / 2 | Yes | |
| 13 | Tent only | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 14 | Tent only | 50 amp | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes | |
| 15 | Tent only | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 16 | Tent only | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 17 | Tent only | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
| 18 | Tent only | Partial | No | No / – | 6 / 2 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | Electric |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | All campsites are $24.00 per night. Extra vehicle parking is extremely limited and is $5.00 per night in the campsite. If there is no space within the campsite, additional parking is available at the Morning Star private campground adjacent to Big Reservoir. Contact (530) 346-3028 for more details. |
Big Reservoir offers vault toilets and drinking water. Each Campsite has one table and a fire ring with cooking grille. Camp supplies like firewood are available at the adjacent Morning Star Campground Office.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Season | May 24 to September 3 |
| Forest | Tahoe National Forest |
| Rules | No boats with gasoline engines; no firearms or any other implement of destruction including sling shots and fireworks; no chainsaws; reservations must be made at least 3 weeks in advance |
Weather by month
Getting there
Follow Foresthill Rd to Sugar Pine Rd. 37 min (28.6 mi). Turn Left onto Sugar Pine Rd. Take Forest Rte 24 to Rd Big Reservoir Campground
| Nearest town | Foresthill, California |
| Coordinates | 39.1437° N, 120.7553° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTmu Rx Support
45 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 2.6 mi |
| RV sales & service | DeMartini RV Sales ↗ | 16.5 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sipes Tahoe ↗ | 26.9 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Big Meadows Reservoir Campground TheWildWaynes
Worth a stop
Morning Star Campground and Big Reservoir are adjacent to this campground. Sugar pine OHV Staging area nearby provides access to miles of Off Highway Vehicle trails. Sugar pine Reservoir offers fishing, boating, and swimming and is located 9 miles away.
- 1.7 mi
- 2.2 miSugar Pine Boat Ramp ↗Boat launch
- 3.6 miEuchre Bar Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 9.6 miRalston Picnic Site ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miBig Reservoir Tie0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.6 miElliot Ranch Tie1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.8 miParker ATV Tie0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.8 miDusty Ridge (loop 7)4.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.8 miShirttail (tie 1-7)0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 0.8 miDusty Ridge Tie (tie 7-5)0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Tahoe National Forest.
- inTahoe National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,181,139 acres
- 12.7 miEldorado National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 793,653 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Big Reservoir Campground?
Sites at Big Reservoir Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Big Reservoir Campground?
All campsites are $24.00 per night. Extra vehicle parking is extremely limited and is $5.00 per night in the campsite. If there is no space within the campsite, additional parking is available at the Morning Star private campground adjacent to Big Reservoir.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Big Reservoir Campground have?
19 sites, including 9 standard sites without power and 9 tent-only sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Does Big Reservoir Campground have hookups?
Yes, electric hookups at some sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Big Reservoir Campground?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. No boats with gasoline engines; no firearms or any other implement of destruction including sling shots and fireworks; no chainsaws; reservations must be made at least 3 weeks in advance
Source: Fire nearby
What is the nearest town to Big Reservoir Campground?
Foresthill, California. Morning Star Campground and Big Reservoir are adjacent to this campground.
Source: Getting there
What if Big Reservoir Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Parker Flat Staging Area (1.1 mi, first-come), Forbes Creek (1.7 mi), and Shirttail Creek (1.7 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby