U.S. Forest Service · Tahoe National Forest · Foresthill, CA

French Meadows

French Meadows Campground is located along the shores French Meadows Reservoir, about 40 miles from the town of Foresthill. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, boating and trail opportunities. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.

Partly reservable63 sites85 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in California · reservable in California · big rigs in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
French Meadows on the Tahoe National Forest.French MeadowsFrench Meadows Boat RampFrench Meadows
Photos courtesy of USDA 180115-FS-Tahoe-MW-002 |by Michael Woodbridge, Forest Service · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Tmu Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 27 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups61
Host/management2
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 85 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

61 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
001Back-in32PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
002Back-in50PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
004Pull-through85PavedPartial6 / 2YesYes
005Back-in40PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
006Back-in42PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
007Pull-through40PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
008Back-in39PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
009Back-in45PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
010Back-in43PavedPartial6 / 2Yes
011Back-in39PavedPartial6 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length85 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 004, 016, 017, 018 and 3 more are listed accessible

The campground offers single-family campsites, a few of which are wheel chair accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, fire ring and food locker. Flush and vault toilets as well as drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are paved. Several campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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

Season & status

SeasonJune to October
ForestTahoe National Forest
BookingThis site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777), or on-line www.recreation.gov
Fees$24 per site $5 for extra vehicle
RulesFrench Meadows is located within a State Game Refuge. Firearms or any other implements capable of taking game (including, but not limited to, bows & arrows and slingshots) are prohibited in this area; camping outside designated campground is prohibited in this area.

Tahoe National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near French Meadows30°40°50°60°70°January: 6.21 inches of precipitation, 37.9 inches of snowFebruary: 5.72 inches of precipitation, 41.3 inches of snowMarch: 4.95 inches of precipitation, 34.7 inches of snowApril: 2.23 inches of precipitation, 14.0 inches of snowMay: 1.57 inches of precipitation, 2.8 inches of snowJune: 0.61 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJuly: 0.17 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.30 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.42 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowOctober: 1.89 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowNovember: 3.21 inches of precipitation, 9.4 inches of snowDecember: 6.00 inches of precipitation, 36.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.1°F averageFebruary: 30.8°F averageMarch: 34.3°F averageApril: 38.9°F averageMay: 46.6°F averageJune: 54.6°F averageJuly: 62.0°F averageAugust: 61.4°F averageSeptember: 55.4°F averageOctober: 45.9°F averageNovember: 36.8°F averageDecember: 30.2°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 in50 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Tahoe City, 16 miles from the campground at 6,230 feet, station USC00048758 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 33 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 179 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

High clearance vehicles may take Foresthill Rd to the 43 Rd (Robinson Flat Rd) to Mosquito Ridge Rd, snow permitting. Access from Soda Springs and the 43 Rd is not recommoned to trucks with trailers, motorhomes/RV's or passenger vehicles that are not high clearance vehicle with four wheel drive. The campground is on the south shore.

Nearest townForesthill, California
Coordinates39.1139° N, 120.4239° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    27 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 ↗14.4 mi
Outdoor gearAlpenglow Sports ↗15.6 mi
RV sales & serviceDeMartini RV Sales ↗34.2 mi

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

Explore

Video

French Meadows Campground - Tahoe National Forest, CA

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.4 mi
    Campground Water Supply
    0.07 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 2.7 mi
    Mosquito Ridge ↗
    28.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 4 more
  • 2.9 mi
    Hellhole 4WD Trail
    3.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
  • 3.1 mi
    Tevis Cup ↗
    19.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 3.3 mi
    Duncan Upstream Gage
    under 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.3 mi
    Utility Pole
    under 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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 Tahoe 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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground sits on the southern shore of French Meadows Reservoir, in a pine/fir forest. Summer days can be hot, but evenings are usually cool.

Recreation

Popular activities on the reservoir include boating, canoeing, fishing and swimming. A boat ramp is located adjacent to the campground. The North Fork American River can be accessed nearby and provides additional opportunities for fishing and swimming. A variety of hiking and biking trails are found in the surrounding area, including some that provide access to the nearby Granite Chief Wilderness and The Western States Trail. Just down the road is the Granite Chief Wilderness which provides amazing hiking opportunities for an adventurous party to explore historic aspen trees and secluded mountain passes and trails. The Western States Trail provides great opporunity for hiking, horse back riding, dirt biking, and for adventurous mountain bikers.

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 French Meadows?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at French Meadows?

$24 per site $5 for extra vehicle

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at French Meadows?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does French Meadows have?

63 sites, including 61 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at French Meadows?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at French Meadows?

Yes, pets are allowed at French Meadows. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at French Meadows?

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. French Meadows is located within a State Game Refuge.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at French Meadows?

Sites 004, 016, 017, and 018 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 7 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at French Meadows?

Popular activities on the reservoir include boating, canoeing, fishing and swimming. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to French Meadows?

Foresthill, California.

Source: Getting there

What if French Meadows is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Poppy Campground (0.8 mi, first-come), Mumford Bar Campground (0.8 mi, first-come), and Lewis (1.3 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby