South Shore Campground

California

Caution todayCalifornia
Caution today

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Conditions: Caution

for campground, today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good

2 factors · 2 sources

Newest 10 h ago · oldest 10 h

  • caution: Agency alerts

    13 active alerts in Eldorado National Forest; most severe: Fire Restrictions are in Effect Forest Wide

    USFSPosted Sep 22 · checked 10 h ago

  • clear: Weather

    Clouds, high 76°F / low 55°F, 0% precip — 98/100 for campground

    OpenWeather10 h ago

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Campsite availability

Live from Recreation.gov for South Shore Campground.

Book on Recreation.gov
Oct 10 – Oct 17
7 nights

We'll watch 2026-10-10 → 2026-10-17 and email you the moment something frees up. No account needed.

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South Shore Campground

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About this campground

Overview South Shore Campground is located next to Lower Bear River Reservoir in the Eldorado National Forest the central Sierra Nevada Mountains. It's a prime location for fishing and boating. Recreation Lower Bear Reservoir covers 166 acres and has 2.5 miles of shoreline. Activities include fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing and picnicking. Anglers may catch rainbow, brown and mackinaw trout. A boat ramp is located within a mile of the campground. The Pardoe Trail can be accessed a short distance past nearby Upper Bear River Reservoir, and borders Mokelumne Wilderness. Facilities Each campsite comes with a picnic table and grill. One campsite is accessible, as is one of the vault toilets. Drinking water is provided. A general store is about a mile from the campground on the northern part of the reservoir. Natural Features The campground is nestled in a mixed conifer forest on a hillside just above the south shore of Lower Bear River Reservoir at an elevation of 5,900 feet. Some campsites offer partial views of the lake through the trees. A Mediterranean climate extends over most of the forest, with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Charges & Cancellations Recreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity. Reservation Fee: A fee may be charged at the time a reservation is made to cover the cost of reservation services. This fee is in addition to the Recreation Fee and is non-refundable. Fees for camping, day use, group sites, cabins and lookouts: $8 if made on-line; $9 if made through the call center; $3 if made in-person. Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes. Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation. Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing reservation. Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below). Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.

Campsite info

Sites
34
Site types
Rv, Tent
Reservable
Yes
Vault toilets
Reserve a site

Directions & GPX

Facts about this campground

When to go

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the South Lake Tahoe Ap, CA weather station, 28 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan43° high18° low
  2. Feb43° high19° low
  3. Mar48° high24° low
  4. Apr53° high28° low
  5. May62° high33° low
  6. Jun72° high38° low
  7. Jul80° high43° low
  8. Aug80° high41° low
  9. Sep73° high35° low
  10. Oct62° high29° low
  11. Nov51° high23° low
  12. Dec43° high18° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Managed by
Forest Service

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1

Conditions

Active alerts for Eldorado National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

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