William Kent Campground

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit — lakeside, fishing

Location: SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA, CA

Price: From $42 per night

Price range: $42–$116 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (574 reviews)

Season: May through October

William Kent Campground is conveniently located on Lake Tahoe’s west shore, a few miles south of Tahoe City. It straddles the highway and features not only a large area in which to camp, but also a day-use area that is popular among visitors. Just minutes away from the campground, 22-mile-long Lake Tahoe provides sunbathing, swimming, boating and water skiing.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Bear Boxes, Fishing

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

William Kent Campground is conveniently located on Lake Tahoe's west shore with 81 sites offering direct access to the lake for fishing, swimming, boating, and water sports. Google reviewers praise the helpful staff and beautiful setting, with a 4.4/5 rating from 235 reviews.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area—practice bear safety protocols. Also present: Western Gray Squirrel, Long-tailed Weasel, Northern Rubber Boa, and various bird species including Red-breasted Sapsucker and Hooded Merganser.

Insider tips for William Kent Campground: Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand. Firewood is sold 9am-5pm only; purchase upon arrival or bring your own. No hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs or tent camping. Staff can provide bear safety advice upon check-in.

Skip William Kent Campground if: You need RV hookups (water, electric, sewer not available).. You are arriving after 5pm and need to purchase firewood.. You require year-round camping access (seasonal May-October only)..

Best time to visit William Kent Campground: May-October — Campground operating season as listed..

Nearby campgrounds: Kaspian Campground (South Lake Tahoe, CA), Silver Creek-Truckee (Truckee, CA), Meeks Bay Resort (Tahoma, CA), Goose Meadows (Truckee, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at William Kent Campground

Cell signal at William Kent Campground (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

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.

CamperWatchCAWilliam Kent Campground
William Kent Campground — photo 1
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

William Kent Campground

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA, CA4.5 (574 reviews)From $42/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

William Kent Campground is conveniently located on Lake Tahoe’s west shore, a few miles south of Tahoe City. It straddles the highway and features not only a large area in which to camp, but also a day-use area that is popular among visitors. Just minutes away from the campground, 22-mile-long Lake Tahoe provides sunbathing, swimming, boating and water skiing.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites: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 RV57 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites4 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesBear Boxes
Family & Pets
Flush 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 (water, electric, sewer not available).You are arriving after 5pm and need to purchase firewood.You require year-round camping access (seasonal May-October only).

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand.

Firewood is sold 9am-5pm only; purchase upon arrival or bring your own.

No hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs or tent camping.

Staff can provide bear safety advice upon check-in.

Best: May-October

Campground operating season as listed.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 100%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 100%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear present in area—practice bear safety protocols. Also present: Western Gray Squirrel, Long-tailed Weasel, Northern Rubber Boa, and various bird species including Red-breasted Sapsucker and Hooded Merganser.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-583-3642· Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Getting there →

William Kent Campground is 2 miles south of Tahoe City on California Highway 89.

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 — Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does William Kent Campground cost per night?+
William Kent Campground costs $42–$116 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is William Kent Campground open?+
William Kent Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does William Kent Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at William Kent Campground?+
William Kent Campground can accommodate RVs up to 57 feet.
How do I make reservations at William Kent Campground?+
William Kent 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 William Kent Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at William Kent Campground is rated strong. Best carrier: T-Mobile. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is William Kent Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
William Kent 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
Data sources on this page
Recreation.govLive site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather ServiceLive hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality APILive AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalistResearch-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen APIToday’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband MapVerizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.orgSunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street ViewCampground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDBADA 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.

$42 /night4.5 (574)
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 William Kent Campground cost per night?+
What season is William Kent Campground open?+
Does William Kent Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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