California / El Dorado County

Ponderosa Cove Campground

Closed — Closed for the season. The campground closed September 1, 2025, for essential road repaving work. Typically operates from Memorial Day weekend through early September with reservations available through Recreation.gov.

About

Ponderosa Cove Campground greets group campers with shaded sites near scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir in the Eldorado National Forest. Situated at 4,400 feet elevation in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the campground is surrounded by towering ponderosa pines known for their sweet vanilla aroma. The single-loop campground accommodates up to 75 guests with five parking spurs suitable for RVs and trailers, each equipped with a picnic table. Ten walk-to tent pads are also provided with parallel parking along the loop. Stumpy Meadows Reservoir, located directly across the road, offers excellent recreation opportunities. The no-wake lake is ideal for swimming and fishing for brown and rainbow trout. Boating is popular but limited to no-wake speeds. Visitors can enjoy picnicking at the campground or nearby Stumpy Meadows Boat Ramp. The area is excellent for bird watching and nature viewing. Eldorado National Forest features over 400 miles of hiking trails, providing extensive opportunities for exploration. The Mediterranean-like climate brings warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Bears are active in the area, and proper food storage is required. The El Dorado County Scenic Highway and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park are nearby attractions.

Directions

From Placerville take Highway 49 north 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.

Nearby Campgrounds