Loon Lake Chalet

Eldorado National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: CAMINO, CA, CA

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 5 out of 5 (2 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Loon Lake Chalet is situated next to Loon Lake in a granite bowl, and offers year-round, drive-to access for excellent backcountry skiing and hiking. The three-story chalet boasts excellent views of the Sierras and the lake. Though the chalet looks fancy, guests should not not expect hotel luxuries, but rather a semi-rustic experience.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing

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

Loon Lake Chalet offers year-round drive-to access with stunning Sierra views and excellent opportunities for backcountry skiing, hiking, and fishing in a granite bowl setting. Highly rated by campers (4.9/5 stars) who praise its natural beauty and access to recreation like the Rubicon Trail.

Wildlife alert: Gray-headed Pika, Humboldt's Flying Squirrel, White-headed Woodpecker, Mountain Quail, Gopher Snake, and Northern Rubber Boa present in the area.

Insider tips for Loon Lake Chalet: Book early — it is a federal campground with high demand Only 1 tent site available; this is a chalet facility, not a traditional campground Swimming at Loon Lake is available during warmer months

Skip Loon Lake Chalet if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You expect hotel-style amenities — the chalet is semi-rustic. You require multiple camping sites — only 1 tent site exists.

Best time to visit Loon Lake Chalet: Winter — Year-round operation with excellent backcountry skiing access. Summer — Lake swimming and hiking available; windy conditions noted toward end of lake.

Nearby campgrounds: Loon Lake (Twin Bridges, CA), Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (Ca) (Pollock Pines, CA), Red Fir (Twin Bridges, CA), Van Vleck Bunkhouse (CAMINO, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Loon Lake Chalet

Cell signal at Loon Lake Chalet (CAMINO, 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Loon Lake Chalet
Loon Lake Chalet — photo 1
Loon Lake Chalet — photo 2
Loon Lake Chalet — photo 3
See all photos
Eldorado National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Loon Lake Chalet

Share:
CAMINO, CA, CA★ 5 (2 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Loon Lake Chalet is situated next to Loon Lake in a granite bowl, and offers year-round, drive-to access for excellent backcountry skiing and hiking. The three-story chalet boasts excellent views of the Sierras and the lake. Though the chalet looks fancy, guests should not not expect hotel luxuries, but rather a semi-rustic experience.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

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 need RV hookups — no hookups available✕ You expect hotel-style amenities — the chalet is semi-rustic✕ You require multiple camping sites — only 1 tent site exists

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

it is a federal campground with high demand

Only 1 tent site available; this is a chalet facility, not a traditional campground

Swimming at Loon Lake is available during warmer months

Best: Winter

Year-round operation with excellent backcountry skiing access

Best: Summer

Lake swimming and hiking available; windy conditions noted toward end of lake

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: Gray-headed Pika, Humboldt's Flying Squirrel, White-headed Woodpecker, Mountain Quail, Gopher Snake, and Northern Rubber Boa present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-644-2324· Eldorado National Forest
Getting there →

Take Highway 50 east of Placerville for 21 miles to Icehouse Road turnoff. Turn left and go 25 miles north to a fork in the road. Take the right fork 6 miles. Pass the Loon Lake Campground turn-off, then go 3/4 of a mile to the chalet.

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 — Eldorado National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Eldorado National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Loon Lake Chalet cost per night?+
Loon Lake Chalet costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Loon Lake Chalet open?+
Loon Lake Chalet is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Loon Lake Chalet have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Loon Lake Chalet?+
Loon Lake Chalet is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Loon Lake Chalet?+
Loon Lake Chalet 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 Loon Lake Chalet?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Loon Lake Chalet is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Loon Lake Chalet open, and what are check-in times?+
Loon Lake Chalet is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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.

$20 /night★ 5 (2)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Loon Lake Chalet cost per night?+
What season is Loon Lake Chalet open?+
Does Loon Lake Chalet have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Loon Lake

Twin Bridges, CA

From $36/night

Northshore Campground - Loon Lake (Ca)

Pollock Pines, CA

From $36/night

Red Fir

Twin Bridges, CA

From $125/night

Van Vleck Bunkhouse

CAMINO, CA

From $75/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$20 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability