U.S. Forest Service · Mokelumne Wilderness · CA

Silver Lake East- Eldorado

Thunder Mountain above Silver LakePhoto · USFS
Not publishedStatus
ReservableAccess
66Sites
55 ftMax rig

The place

Silver Lake East is located 50 miles east of Jackson, California, just a short distance from the shores of Silver lake, where activities like boating, fishing, swimming and hiking, provide campers with the perfect outdoors retreat. Numerous trails leaving the campground connect with the lake and swimming beaches. Silver Lake West is adjacent to Silver Lake East on the other side of Highway 88, and offers additional trails and access to the Silver Fork of the American River. Keep reading

Recreation Because the campground is already at such a high elevation, hiking is particularly popular, allowing visitors to access high alpine lakes and other destinations through short but spectacular hikes. In addition to the trails which connect this campground to Silver Lake and other swimming areas, the Granite Lake Trail, which gives way to the Hidden Lake Trail, begins on the east shore of Silver Lake at the Minkalo TH. The trail ascends and crosses Squaw Creek on a wooden bridge. Approximately one-half mile beyond the bridge is a junction. The right fork will take you to Plasse's and the left fork will take you to Granite Lake. At the southeast end of the lake you will find the trail to Hidden Lake. Anglers will be happy to know that Silver Lake boasts stocked populations of Rainbow, German Brown and Mackinaw trout. Facilities Vault toilets, drinking water, campfire rings and picnic tables are provided. Some sites have bear-proof food storage containers as well. Single units are limited to a maximum of 2 vehicles and 6 people. A pay phone, restaurant, boat rentals and boat ramp are located at a nearby lodge. Natural Features The campground is situated at the base of Thunder Mountain at an elevation of 7,200 feet, on the north end of beautiful Silver Lake. A small pond in the middle of the campground attracts ducks, but cannot be seen from any of the camp sites. Silver Lake spans 200 acres in a large granite basin surrounded by a forest of mixed conifers. The lake's mirror-like waters are known to reflect the colors of the sky above, attracting both hikers and photographers to its scenic shores. The Silver Lake area blooms with bright wildflowers in the summer months, delighting visitors with their presence around the lakes and high in the mountain meadows. Nearby Attractions Take a scenic drive on Carson Pass Highway, which runs past Silver Lake along the mountains and crosses the picturesque Carson Pass. It is a must-do activity for those who love mountain views and landscape photography. The campground is an easy drive south of Lake Tahoe, the popular lake and ski area. Charges & Cancellations Recreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity. Reservation Fee: A fee may be charged at the time a reservation is made to cover the cost of reservation services. This fee is in addition to the Recreation Fee and is non-refundable. Fees for camping, day use, group sites, cabins and lookouts: $8 if made on-line; $9 if made through the call center; $3 if made in-person. Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes. Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation. Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing reservation. Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below). Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.

The sites · 66

LoopSiteTypeMax rigElectricADA
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXXmanagement35 ft
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX1management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX10management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX11management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX12management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX13management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX14management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX15management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX16management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX17management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX2management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX3management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX4management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX5management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX6management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX7management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX8management
AREA SILVER LAKE EAST, ELDORADOXXX9management
SILV001standard nonelectric45 ft
SILV002standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV003standard nonelectric30 ft
SILV004standard nonelectric45 ft
SILV005standard nonelectric30 ft
SILV006standard nonelectric40 ft
SILV007standard nonelectric30 ft
SILV008standard nonelectric35 ft
SILV009standard nonelectric45 ft
SILV010standard nonelectric45 ft
SILV011standard nonelectric40 ft
SILV012standard nonelectric30 ft
SILV013standard nonelectric35 ft
SILV014standard nonelectric50 ftyes
SILV015standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV016standard nonelectric30 ft
SILV017standard nonelectric55 ftyes
SILV018standard nonelectric40 ftyes
SILV019standard nonelectric35 ftyes
SILV020standard nonelectric35 ftyes
SILV021standard nonelectric40 ftyes
SILV022standard nonelectric40 ftyes
SILV023standard nonelectric45 ft
SILV024standard nonelectric30 ftyes
SILV025standard nonelectric35 ft
SILV026standard nonelectric45 ftyes
SILV027standard nonelectric30 ftyes
SILV028walk to25 ft
SILV029walk to25 ft
SILV030standard nonelectric35 ft
SILV031standard nonelectric45 ft
SILV032rv nonelectric35 ft
SILV033standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV034standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV035standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV036standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV037standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV038standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV039standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV040standard nonelectric50 ft
SILV041tent only nonelectric25 ft
SILV042tent only nonelectric

SHOWING 60 OF 66 SITES

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

Your representative

This campground sits in CA-03. This member’s public-lands record →

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