U.S. Forest Service · Eldorado National Forest · California

Sand Flat

Recreation Opportunity Guides (ROG) - These guides contains information, maps, and directions to assist you in enjoying your trip to the Eldorado National Forest. Sand Flat Campground. Fees and Passes. Hiking/Biking Trails

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov30 sitesPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
A photo of Site 6 of Loop Sand at Sand Flat with Picnic Table, Fire Pit, ShadeA photo of Site 5 of Loop Sand at Sand Flat with Picnic Table, Fire Pit, ShadeA photo of Site 2 of Loop Sand at Sand Flat with Picnic Table, Fire Pit, ShadeA photo of Site 21 of Loop Sand at Sand Flat with Picnic Table, Fire Pit, Waterfront
Photos courtesy of April Moody, Yee cassandra (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Tmu Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 22 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups24
Walk-in6
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonJune to October
ForestEldorado National Forest
BookingNo reservations.
Fees$28/single $56/double

Eldorado National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Sand Flat30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 9.62 inches of precipitation, 10.1 inches of snowFebruary: 8.77 inches of precipitation, 17.3 inches of snowMarch: 8.83 inches of precipitation, 13.5 inches of snowApril: 4.90 inches of precipitation, 5.4 inches of snowMay: 3.17 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowJune: 0.93 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.03 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.55 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.92 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 5.30 inches of precipitation, 3.8 inches of snowDecember: 9.38 inches of precipitation, 7.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 37.9°F averageFebruary: 40.6°F averageMarch: 44.3°F averageApril: 49.3°F averageMay: 57.2°F averageJune: 64.5°F averageJuly: 71.9°F averageAugust: 70.6°F averageSeptember: 65.9°F averageOctober: 53.5°F averageNovember: 42.9°F averageDecember: 36.6°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Pacific House, 10 miles from the campground at 3,450 feet, station USC00046597 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 54 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 58 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates38.7638° N, 120.3245° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    22 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 stationDump station ↗5.1 mi
Outdoor gearSierra ↗20 mi
RV sales & serviceCustom Truck Accessories ↗39.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.3 mi
    Sugarloaf Peak
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.2 mi
    China Flat
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.6 mi
    Ice House Bike Trail
    3.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.8 mi
    Long Canyon 4WD Trail
    4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Eldorado National Forest.

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.

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Sand Flat?

Sites at Sand Flat are reservable on Recreation.gov. No reservations. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Sand Flat?

$28/single $56/double

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Sand Flat open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season June to October.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Sand Flat have?

30 sites, including 24 standard sites without power and 6 walk-in sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Sand Flat?

Yes, pets are allowed at Sand Flat. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Sand Flat?

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.

Source: Fire nearby

What if Sand Flat is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are China Flat (3.1 mi), Ice House (4.5 mi), and Strawberry Point Campground (4.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby