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

Gates Group

Gates Group Campground is located on the North Fork American River, at the north end of the French Meadows Reservoir in the Tahoe National Forest. It is 40 miles from the town of Foresthill. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, boating and trail opportunities.

Reservable · Recreation.gov3 sitesNo hookupsPets ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Gates GroupGATES GROUPGATES GROUPGATES GROUP
Photos courtesy of Joel Miller USFS November 2018 · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Tmu Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 28 mi away
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Group sites3
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

Site guide

3 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopEntrySurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
01ASPEBack-inPavedPartial25 / 8
02LODGBack-inPavedPartial25 / 8
03PONDBack-inPavedPartial75 / 25

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 1:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed

The campground offers three group campsites. Two sites can accommodate up to 25 people and eight vehicles each. Another group site can accommodates up to 75 people and 25 vehicles. Picnic tables, campfire circles and grills are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.

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

Season & status

SeasonJune to September
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 at www.recreation.gov
Fees$82 for 25 person site,$165 for 75 person site
RulesFirearms or any other implements of destruction (including but not limited to bow & arrow 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 Gates Group30°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, 14 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 recommended for trucks with trailers, motorhomes/RV's or passenger vehicles that are not high clearance vehicles with four wheel drive.

Nearest townForesthill, California
Coordinates39.1414° N, 120.4092° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    28 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 ↗13.5 mi
Outdoor gearUpcycled Adventures ↗14.3 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗34 mi

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

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 2.5 mi
    Campground Water Supply
    0.07 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 3.4 mi
    Soda Springs ↗
    6.4 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 3.4 mi
    Mosquito Ridge ↗
    28.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 4 more
  • 3.7 mi
    Duncan Upstream Gage
    under 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Utility Pole
    under 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.9 mi
    Duncan Creek Dam South
    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 is situated along the river, just north of French Meadows Reservoir. A coniferous forest covers the area. At an elevation of 5200 feet, summertime temperatures are warm in the day and cool at night.

Recreation

The North Fork American River provides fishing and swimming. The reservoir can be accessed nearby. Popular activities include boating, canoeing, fishing and swimming. Two boat ramps are located within three miles of the campground. A variety of hiking and biking trails are found in the surrounding area, including some that provide access to the nearby Granite Chief Wilderness. 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 opportunity for hiker, horseback riders, dirt bikers, and for adventurous maintain 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 Gates Group?

Sites at Gates Group are reservable on Recreation.gov. This site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777), or on-line at www.recreation.gov Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Gates Group?

$82 for 25 person site,$165 for 75 person site

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Gates Group?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Gates Group have?

3 sites, including 3 group sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Gates Group?

Gates Group is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Gates Group?

Yes, pets are allowed at Gates Group. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Gates Group?

The North Fork American River provides fishing and swimming. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Gates Group?

Foresthill, California.

Source: Getting there

What if Gates Group is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Ahart Campground (0.3 mi), Coyote Group (0.4 mi), and Lewis (0.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby