California / El Dorado County / Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Badgers Den At Camp Richardson Resort

Closed — Closed for the winter season. Badgers Den Campground typically closes in early October and reopens in late spring. The resort's hotel, cabins, and RV campground remain open year-round, but Badgers Den tent camping is not available during winter months.

About

Badgers Den Campground at historic Camp Richardson Resort offers an exceptional Lake Tahoe camping experience that balances outdoor adventure with convenient resort amenities. Situated on the south shore of Lake Tahoe at 6,225 feet elevation, the campground features 84 tent sites across six loops: Cedar, Lodgepole, Jeffrey, Aspen, Sugar Pine, and Willow. The campground includes 66 single sites (limited to 2 tents) and 18 double sites on Willow Loop (accommodating up to 4 tents). Each site comes equipped with a bear-proof food locker, picnic table, and fire pit with cooking grate. The campground's location within the resort complex provides remarkable convenience. Guests enjoy walking distance access to sandy Lake Tahoe beaches, the resort marina, restaurants, an ice cream parlor, a general store, and recreational equipment rentals for activities like biking, fishing, paddling, and boating. The surrounding area offers access to hiking trails, the Tallac Historic Site, Emerald Bay, Pope Beach, Baldwin Beach, Fallen Leaf Lake, and Mt. Tallac. The campground operates seasonally from late spring through early October, typically closing for winter due to snow and freezing temperatures. Renovated bathroom facilities serve campers during the operating season. The resort enforces a strict no-pet policy with only service dogs permitted. Campfires using wood, charcoal, or other solid fuels are only allowed within the permanent iron fire rings when the campground is open.

Directions

Located 3 miles south of Tahoe City on California Highway 89 (Emerald Bay Road). From Sacramento, take U.S. Highway 50 to South Lake Tahoe and proceed north past the Y intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and Highway 89. Look for the Camp Richardson Resort sign on the right side of the highway. From North Shore (I-80, Reno, Truckee), take Highway 89 or U.S. Highway 50 to South Shore.

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