Pipi Campground

Eldorado National Forest — riverside, fishing

Location: Somerset, CA, CA

Price: From $36 per night

Price range: $36–$108 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (147 reviews)

Season: May through October

Pipi Campground (pronounced "pie pie") offers RV and tent camping along the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River, offering great fishing and swimming opportunities. The Cosumnes River flows from the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and runs for about 52 miles through California’s Central Valley and into the Mokelumne River. Historically, the native Miwok people of northern California used to camp in this region in summertime.Rainbow trout are regularly stocked in the river and wheelcha

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

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

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

Pipi Campground offers spacious RV and tent sites along the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River with excellent fishing and swimming opportunities. Campers praise the river access with multiple entry points and shallow areas suitable for families.

Wildlife alert: Spotted Owl, California Mountain Kingsnake, Sharp-tailed Snake, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Douglas' Squirrel documented in the area.

Insider tips for Pipi Campground: Book early as this is a popular federal campground Multiple day-use river access points available for exploration River is shallow enough for safe swimming with children

Skip Pipi Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs. You require flush bathrooms—only vault toilets available. You're visiting outside May-October season.

Best time to visit Pipi Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Capps Crossing (CAMINO, CA), South Shore Campground (Pioneer, CA), Bear River Group Campground (Eldorado National Forest, Ca) (PIONEER, CA), Sly Guard Cabin (Pollock Pines, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Pipi Campground

Cell signal at Pipi Campground (Somerset, 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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Eldorado National Forest — riverside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Pipi Campground

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Somerset, CA, CA★ 4.2 (147 reviews)From $36/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Pipi Campground (pronounced "pie pie") offers RV and tent camping along the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River, offering great fishing and swimming opportunities. The Cosumnes River flows from the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and runs for about 52 miles through California’s Central Valley and into the Mokelumne River. Historically, the native Miwok people of northern California used to camp in this region in summertime.Rainbow trout are regularly stocked in the river and wheelchair accessible fishing is provided from the paved river walkway.

Best for:AnglersFamiliesSites: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
Max RV35 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites1 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

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

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 at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You require flush bathrooms—only vault toilets available✕ You're visiting outside May-October season

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a popular federal campground

Multiple day-use river access points available for exploration

River is shallow enough for safe swimming with children

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months 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: Spotted Owl, California Mountain Kingsnake, Sharp-tailed Snake, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Douglas' Squirrel documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
+1 (209) 295-4414· Eldorado National Forest
Getting there →

From Jackson, California, head east on Highway 88 for 26 miles to Omo Ranch Road. Turn north (left) on Omo Ranch Rd. and follow for 1 mile to North South Road. Turn right on North South Road and continue for about 6 miles into the campground.

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 Pipi Campground cost per night?+
Pipi Campground costs $36–$108 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Pipi Campground open?+
Pipi Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Pipi Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Pipi Campground?+
Pipi Campground can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.
How do I make reservations at Pipi Campground?+
Pipi Campground 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 Pipi Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Pipi Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Pipi Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Pipi Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service ConcessionaireSite Transfer Policy
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.

$36 /night★ 4.2 (147)
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 Pipi Campground cost per night?+
What season is Pipi Campground open?+
Does Pipi Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Capps Crossing

CAMINO, CA

From $28/night

South Shore Campground

Pioneer, CA

From $36/night

Bear River Group Campground (Eldorado National Forest, Ca)

PIONEER, CA

From $115/night

Sly Guard Cabin

Pollock Pines, CA

From $65/night

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