Gates Group

Tahoe National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Foresthill, CA, CA

Price: From $82 per night

Price range: $82–$165 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (5 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.The campground is situated along the river, just north of French Meadows Reservoir.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/gates-group to be notified when sites open up.

Gates Group Campground offers a remote, quiet camping experience on the North Fork American River at French Meadows Reservoir with excellent fishing, boating, and hiking opportunities. Campers consistently praise its peaceful atmosphere, spacious sites, and pristine forest setting.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear activity reported; also present are mule deer, snowshoe hares, California ground squirrels, red-tailed hawks, western tanagers, and northern rubber boas.

Insider tips for Gates Group: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with only 3 sites. High clearance vehicles recommended; Foresthill Rd to Robinson Flat Rd to Mosquito Ridge Rd is the preferred route (snow permitting). Each site has its own vault toilet; no RV hookups available, so bring a self-contained RV or plan for tent camping. No cellphone service—plan accordingly and bring printed directions.

Skip Gates Group if: You have an RV requiring hookups.. You need reliable cellphone service.. You drive a truck with a trailer—access from Soda Springs via 43 Rd is not recommended for trailers.. You prefer short drives to campgrounds—40 miles from Foresthill on a twisty, remote road..

Best time to visit Gates Group: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Ahart Campground (Foresthill, CA), Coyote Group (Foresthill, CA), Lewis (Foresthill, CA), French Meadows (FORESTHILL, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Gates Group

Cell signal at Gates Group (Foresthill, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Tahoe National Forest — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Gates Group

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Foresthill, CA, CA★ 4.2 (5 reviews)From $82/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.The campground is situated along the river, just north of French Meadows Reservoir.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsBoat Launch

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You have an RV requiring hookups.✕ You need reliable cellphone service.✕ You drive a truck with a trailer—access from Soda Springs via 43 Rd is not recommended for trailers.✕ You prefer short drives to campgrounds—40 miles from Foresthill on a twisty, remote road.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 3 sites.

High clearance vehicles recommended; Foresthill Rd to Robinson Flat Rd to Mosquito Ridge Rd is the preferred route (snow permitting).

Each site has its own vault toilet; no RV hookups available, so bring a self-contained RV or plan for tent camping.

No cellphone service

plan accordingly and bring printed directions.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear activity reported; also present are mule deer, snowshoe hares, California ground squirrels, red-tailed hawks, western tanagers, and northern rubber boas.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-367-2224· Tahoe National Forest
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.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Tahoe National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tahoe National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Gates Group cost per night?+
Gates Group costs $82–$165 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Gates Group open?+
Gates Group is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Gates Group have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Gates Group?+
Gates Group is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Gates Group?+
Gates Group is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Gates Group?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Gates Group is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Gates Group open, and what are check-in times?+
Gates Group is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$82 /night★ 4.2 (5)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Gates Group cost per night?+
What season is Gates Group open?+
Does Gates Group have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Ahart Campground

Foresthill, CA

From $20/night

Coyote Group

Foresthill, CA

From $82/night

Lewis

Foresthill, CA

From $20/night

French Meadows

FORESTHILL, CA

From $24/night

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