Ponderosa Cove Campground

Eldorado National Forest — lakeside

Location: Twin Bridges, CA, CA

Price: From $175 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (3 reviews)

Season: May through October

Ponderosa Cove greets group campers with shaded campsites close to scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir. The campground provides a pleasant destination for bird watching and nature viewing, in addition to activities at the lake.The campground can accommodate up to 75 guests along a single loop of campsites. Five parking spurs can be used for RVs and trailers.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Boat Launch

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

Ponderosa Cove offers shaded campsites near scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir with excellent group camping capacity and well-organized facilities. Campers praise it as one of the best group campsites with ample parking, properly placed picnic tables, and fire pits.

Wildlife alert: California Ground Squirrel, Bighorn Sheep, Common Sharp-tailed Snake, Sharp-tailed Snake, and Western Fence Lizard documented in the area

Insider tips for Ponderosa Cove Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand Group camping capacity reaches 75 people with dedicated RV parking spurs available No-wake lake ideal for fishing brown and rainbow trout and swimming

Skip Ponderosa Cove Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available, only suitable for self-contained RVs. You plan to visit November through April—seasonal closure. You prefer developed facilities—only vault toilets available.

Best time to visit Ponderosa Cove Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Stumpy Meadows (GEORGETOWN, CA), West Point Campground (Pollock, CA), Bridal Veil Group Area And Picnic Ground (CAMINO, CA), Dru Barner Campground (Georgetown, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Ponderosa Cove Campground

Cell signal at Ponderosa Cove Campground (Twin Bridges, 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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Ponderosa Cove Campground — photo 1
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Eldorado National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Ponderosa Cove Campground

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Twin Bridges, CA, CA★ 4.3 (3 reviews)From $175/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Ponderosa Cove greets group campers with shaded campsites close to scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir. The campground provides a pleasant destination for bird watching and nature viewing, in addition to activities at the lake.The campground can accommodate up to 75 guests along a single loop of campsites. Five parking spurs can be used for RVs and trailers.

Best for:FamiliesSites: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 RV45 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic Tables
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, only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You plan to visit November through April—seasonal closure✕ You prefer developed facilities—only vault toilets available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Group camping capacity reaches 75 people with dedicated RV parking spurs available

No-wake lake ideal for fishing brown and rainbow trout and swimming

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: California Ground Squirrel, Bighorn Sheep, Common Sharp-tailed Snake, Sharp-tailed Snake, and Western Fence Lizard documented in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
831-245-6891· Eldorado National Forest
Getting there →

From Placerville take Highway 49N a half-mile and turn right on Highway 193 to Georgetown. Take a right on Main Street in Georgetown and drive about 14 miles to the campground. Ponderosa Cove is north of the Stumpy Boat Ramp.

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 Ponderosa Cove Campground cost per night?+
Ponderosa Cove Campground costs $175 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Ponderosa Cove Campground open?+
Ponderosa Cove Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Ponderosa Cove Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Ponderosa Cove Campground?+
Ponderosa Cove Campground can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
How do I make reservations at Ponderosa Cove Campground?+
Ponderosa Cove 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 Ponderosa Cove Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Ponderosa Cove Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Ponderosa Cove Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Ponderosa Cove Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapForest Service Concessionaire
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.

$175 /night★ 4.3 (3)
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 Ponderosa Cove Campground cost per night?+
What season is Ponderosa Cove Campground open?+
Does Ponderosa Cove Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Stumpy Meadows

GEORGETOWN, CA

From $36/night

West Point Campground

Pollock, CA

From $36/night

Bridal Veil Group Area And Picnic Ground

CAMINO, CA

From $105/night

Dru Barner Campground

Georgetown, CA

From $3/night

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