TRUCKEE SUMMER STAYCATION

Truckee’s backyard may be the answer when you don’t have time for an epic, faraway journey but you’re itching to spend a night under the stars for a few days. With so many campgrounds within 25 miles of downtown, an accessible family adventure or solo weekend of unplugging is right around the corner. Many of the campground recreation sites also have day use areas, so you can play by the lake or river and then go home to sleep in your own bed.

While most campsites may already be reserved, there are some ways to get in if you’re persistent and flexible. Continuous monitoring of campground websites will reveal cancellations, but timing can be tricky. Consider signing up for Campnab (Campnab.com), a convenient service that asks where, when, and for how long you want to camp, and they’ll crawl the reservation sites every 10-15 minutes and send you an alert when a spot opens up. We’ve tested it, and it works. Plans start at $10.

You can also check or post on the Tahoe Truckee People Facebook page. Sometimes people can’t make their reserved campsite date and post openings there. Otherwise, save this article for reference when planning next summer’s adventures, and mark your calendars now. Most campsites reserve on a 6-month rolling basis, which makes it easy to plan ahead.

Here are some of our favorite campsites for a Truckee Summer Staycation.

Jackson Meadows Recreation Area

Jackson Meadows is part of the Tahoe National Forest and sits just above 6,000 feet. About an hour from Truckee, head down HWY 89 toward Sierraville and take a left on service road #7. Stay left and follow this road for about 17 miles until you find the Jackson Meadows recreation area.

While remote, access is effortless, making it great for families. Truckee-Tahoe is a base camp for mountain adventures, including boating, hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail, fishing for rainbow and brown trout, mountain biking, swimming, water skiing, equestrian camping, and exploring via off-highway vehicle (OHV). Reservations managed by recreation.gov operate on a 6-month rolling basis; however, you can always check back for cancellations.

Family Campgrounds

Family campgrounds include East Meadow (46 sites), Findley (11 sites), Fir Top (10 sites), Pass Creek (25 sites), and Woodcamp (16 sites). Most come with toilets, piped water, picnic tables, fire rings, grills, and bear-proof boxes.

Reservations: (877) 444-6777 or at recreation.gov.

Group Sites

Aspen Campground offers two sites for up to 25 people and one for up to 50.

Reservations: Nevada Irrigation District at (530) 265-5302.

Silvertip Group Campground offers 2 group sites, each holding up to 25 people.

Reservations: Nevada Irrigation District - (530) 265-5302

Boat-in Campground

Access to the ten campsites on the Jackson Reservoir peninsula is by boat only. The grounds offer vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. There is no piped water.

Reservations: No reservations are needed, and no fees!

Horse Camp

Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp offers 11 campsites, vault toilets, piped water, picnic tables, fire rings, and grills.

Reservations: (877) 444-6777 or Recreation.gov

Prosser Recreation Area

Prosser Reservoir Campground is located off HWY 89, just a couple of miles out of Truckee, heading toward Sierraville. Campers enjoy open space, OHV trails, and views of the reservoir. Several of the campsites have waterfront beaches.

The campground is known for being quiet and is excellent for standup paddle boarding, fishing, and kayaking. Small motorboats are allowed with an enforced 10 mph speed limit.

Prosser Ranch Group Campground

This tent-only campground is situated on the western shore of the reservoir, up on the hill with a great view of the reservoir in all directions and Northstar to the south and Mount Rose Range to the east. Naturalists will enjoy Jeffrey Pine, fir trees, and sagebrush. One site can accommodate up to 50 people and ten vehicles. It is not suitable for RV camping. Amenities include tables, a large BBQ, a campfire circle vault toilets, and drinking water.

Reservations: Operates on a 12-month rolling basis, so you’ll have to plan to get the weekend reserved. Reserve at recreation.gov.

Lakeside Campground

The Lakeside campground offers 30 single-family campgrounds with picnic tables and campfire rings. Some sites are situated on the reservoir shore, depending on water level. If you look directly across the campground for a tall crag, you can often see a bald eagle perched there.

Vault toilets and potable water are also available.

Reservations operate on a 6-month rolling basis at recreation. gov.

Prosser Family Campground

Note: Prosser Family Campground will not offer potable water for the 2023 season.

The Prosser Family Campground offers 29 individual sites within walking distance of the reservoir’s western shore. The grounds can’t accommodate large RVs. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with a grill. Vault toilets are provided, and drinking water is usually provided; however, it will not be available for the 2023 season.

Reservations: Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis at recreation.gov.

Boca Reservoir

Boca Reservoir is located just outside the Glenshire neighborhood. Visitors enjoy boating, water skiing, swimming, and fishing. The Little Truckee River is nearby for catch-andrelease fly-fishing. Other activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, and trails for OHVs. History buffs will love the Boca Townsite Interpretive Trail, which showcases the “boom and bust” of Boca. This historic town was home to a construction camp for the Central Pacific Railroad, the Boca Mill and Ice Company, and the Boca Brewery. You’ll find it between Boca Dam and the railroad tracks.

Boca Campground

Located on a plateau above the western shores of Boca Reservoir, campers will enjoy sites that overlook the welcoming water. A boat ramp is located less than a mile from the campground. Choose from 20 single-family sites equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with a grill. Vault toilets are provided, but there is no drinking water.

Reservations: Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis at recreation.gov.

Boca Rest Campground

Find this campground on the northeastern shores of the reservoir where it meets the Little Truckee River. Twenty single sites are equipped with picnic tables and a campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are available.

Reservations: Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis at recreation.gov.

Stampede Reservoir

Stampede Reservoir is located 30 minutes from Truckee past Boca Reservoir. The area is a beautiful spot to enjoy boating, swimming, water skiing, fishing, hiking, and OHV trails. Anglers will find rainbow and brown trout and kokanee salmon. Hikers and mountain bikers enjoy the nearby Commemorative Emigrant Trail.

Logger Campground

The campground is located on the south side of Stampede Reservoir on the Little Truckee River, approximately eight miles above the confluence of the Little Truckee and Truckee Rivers. Enjoy the forest of ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, and fir trees. Launch your boat from the Stampede boat ramp, less than a mile away.

The large campground offers over 200 single, double, and triple-family campsites. Picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are provided, along with vault toilets and drinking water. Groups can use the campground’s amphitheater, accessible by car or the shoreline hiking trail.

Reservations: Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis at recreation.gov.

The Little Truckee River

Along HWY 89 toward Sierraville are two campgrounds with locations that offer fishing, hunting, hiking, and biking. Enjoy the flowing river and a forest of lodgepole pine, aspen, and juniper trees. The surrounding area offers hiking and biking trails.

Upper and Lower Little Truckee Campgrounds

Both campgrounds offer sites equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. The Lower Little Truckee Campground offers 15 single-family campsites, while the Upper Truckee Campground offers 21 single sites and one 20-50 person group site.

Reservations: Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis at recreation.gov.

Goose Meadow

A paved trail that runs along the Truckee River and offers access to Olympic Valley and Tahoe City makes Goose Meadow a fantastic staycation. Bike into Olympic Valley for an early dinner, or head down to Tahoe City and enjoy the Lake Tahoe shoreline for day trip adventures.

Goose Meadow Campground

Goose Meadow Campground is located between the Truckee River and Highway 89, five miles south of Truckee. It’s situated on the banks above the Truckee River, with forested and shaded sites within walking distance of the river. The 24 single-family campsites have a picnic table, campfire ring, and grill. Each site has a bear box that must be used for food and scented items. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are also provided.

Reservations: Individual sites at this campground operate on a 6-month rolling basis through recreation.gov.

Webber Lake

Only 25 miles from Truckee, Webber Lake takes you to a place far from the noise of everyday life. Enjoy stargazing, swimming, bird watching, paddle boarding, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, or simply doing nothing. This area was closed to the public for many years, making it a natural sanctuary before Truckee Donner Land Trust purchased it for public use.

Watercraft are welcome, but boaters must observe the 5-mph speed limit. Your craft is likely to be inspected—Sierra Country requires an AIS form to be completed before launching. A boat ramp and trailer parking are available.

From Hwy 89, take Jackson Meadows Road west, about 8 miles to the sign for Webber Lake (before you reach Jackson Meadows Recreation Area). Turn left and proceed down a dirt road for about a quarter mile.

Webber Lake Campground

Webber Lake Campground’s 46 sites are open, spacious, and shaded. Each comes with a table, fire pit, and bear box. Hookups and a dump station are not available. Two campgrounds, one on the north shore and one on the west shore, offer lakeside access.

Reservations: Opened on March 1. If booked, check back frequently for cancellations. Book at truckeedonnerlandtrust.org.