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Lake Spaulding Campground California

Lake Spaulding Overview

Lake Spaulding 012

Lake Spaulding is a PG&E managed campground with 25 campsites (13 are walk-in tent campsites) in a beautiful ponderosa pine forest on the shores of Lake Spaulding.  Some sites are reservable but most are usually first-come, first-serve.

Campsites are best suited for tent camping and/or small campers. RVs (up to 30 feet) are allowed over in overflow parking area by boat ramp. Each campsite also has a table, fire ring, rate and food storage locker.

Campground amenities include drinking water, vault toilets and trash collection. Cell service is not available. Generators are okay to use from 8am to 10pm. Check in time is 2pm and check out is 11am.

Lake Spaulding – Area Recreation

Outdoor recreation activities include boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, water sports, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking and picnicking. There is also a boat ramp at the lake, but water level will determine if it is open.

The town of Truckee is about 33 miles from the campground and has many restaurants, shops and stores. Lake Tahoe is also 45 miles away.

Other campgrounds in the area include Hampshire Rocks, Lodgepole (Tahoe), and Indian Springs.

Make a Reservation for Lake Spaulding

Amenities
  • BBQ Grills
  • Boat Launch/Ramp
  • Boat Ramp
  • Campground Host
  • Campsite Tables
  • Cell Service - None
  • Comfort Station
  • Drinking Water
  • Equestrian trail
  • Fire Pit
  • Fire Rings
  • Firewood Available
  • Food Storage Locker
  • Grills
  • Pets OK
  • Picnic Tables
  • Restrooms (Vault Toilets)
  • Trash Collection
Activities
  • Backpacking
  • Biking
  • Bird Watching
  • Boating
  • Boating (non motorized)
  • Canoeing
  • Fishing
  • Fly Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Historic Sites
  • Horseback riding
  • Jet Skiing
  • Kayaking
  • Lake
  • Mountain Biking
  • Nature Trails
  • Photography
  • Picnicking
  • Stargazing
  • Swimming
  • Walking Trails
  • Water Skiing
  • Water Sports
  • Wildlife Viewing
Highway 20
Soda Springs, California 95718
916 386-5164

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Campsite Types
  • ADA
  • Primitive
  • RV
  • Tent
  • Trailer
  • Walk-To
# of Campsites:

25

Campsite Vehicle Size:

30 feet.

Season:

Late May – September (weather permitting)

Elevation:

5,050

Lake Spaulding Photos

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Lake Spaulding 013-019 (Walk In)
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Lake Spaulding Bathroom
Lake Spaulding Boat Ramp
Lake Spaulding Sign
= Our Favorite Campsites (requires Pro Membership)

Lake Spaulding Comments & Reviews

Visited Lake Spaulding Campground lately? We'd love to hear about your adventure. Did you find us useful? Did we forget something? Anything our community should know before heading out to Lake Spaulding?

48 Comments on “Lake Spaulding”

  1. Mary Vang says:

    Can we just visit lake spaulding to go to the lake for a day?

  2. Faith Menig says:

    Is the lake closed this season?

  3. Can I camp in the parking lot with a rv ? Can I reserve a spot in the parking lot ?

  4. Cherie rogers says:

    How early on a friday do suggest we come if we want to try and camp for a weekend?

    • Hi Cherie,

      Lake Spaulding campground is small (25 sites / 13 walk-in) and popular. You should probably try and arrive before 10am on Friday to get an walk-in site.

  5. Scott B. says:

    Someone should speak the truth about the upper campgrounds. They are not the best to say the least. The train coming by with screeching brakes during the night is awful. You can hear the freeway and traffic noise. This Lake is appropriate for day use or as a rest stop only. The campgrounds suck.

  6. Hello! I’m trying to extend my camping reservation by a single day. I made the reservation yesterday and have not been able to get in contact with anyone. Any suggestions?

    • Hi Katie,
      Here are the change policies/procedures for Lake Spaulding campground (A PG&E Campground):

      Changes to the reservation are not allowed within 3 business days of the scheduled check-in date and are subject to a minimum $10 change fee.

      Reservations and their associated fees are non-transferable to other camp sites within the campground or to other recreational facilities.

      If an emergency or natural disaster forces a closure of a campground, we will attement to notify you as early as possible and refund all camping fees.

      If you leave early, stay reductions do not qualify for a refund.

      To make changes please e-mail recinfo@pge.com.

  7. Joy Henderson says:

    Couple of Questions: 1. Are there any OHV trails/roads near Spaulding? 2. Do you think the Day Use area would be super crowded on Saturday of Labor Day weekend?

    • Hi Joy,
      There are a few dirt/OHV roads in the Black Mountain region – about 5 miles south of Lake Spaulding. These can be accessed via Texas Hill Road. And yes, you can expect a pretty big crowd in the Day Use area of Lake Spaulding on Labor Day weekend.

  8. Monica N. Nicholas says:

    The online reservation system will only let me book a minimum of 7 nights. We only want to reserve 2 nights. Is this not possible?

    also, if we reserve a spot, can we move to a walk-up only spot if one is available upon our arrival?

    Thank you so much!

    • Hi Monica,
      Reservations for Lake Spaulding (a PG&E campground) are a bit different than other campgrounds:
      April 6, 2020 at 8:00am PT – reservations will open for camping from 7 to 14 days.
      April 20, 2020 at 8:00am PT – reservations will open for camping from 2 to 14 days.

      So, you can make a reservations for 2 nights, but you won’t be able to try and April 20 at 8:00am.

      Also, you can move to a walk-up site if one is available, but you won’t get a refund on your reserved site.

      Hope this helps!

  9. Julia Pala says:

    Love this place! Family comes back every year. Beautiful campgrounds and awesome lake. 11/10

    • this camp grond is the worst place ever i can not belive
      how dumb it is you have to pay 10 dolers to lanch the bote ramp
      do not get number 6 2 1 or 4 unbelivabl i do noe whant to go back ever agin

  10. Laura Binard says:

    Hi when will you be open for camping? Thank you

  11. any idea when lake spaulding will be open for camping either walk in or reservations?

  12. Is the lake/campground open or closed due to COVID?

    • Lake Spaulding is open.

      • I’m trying to make reservations for this weekend but I don’t see Lake Spaulding on the list from the PG&E website the link on this site takes me to.

      • Hi Jimmy,

        All PG&E campgrounds are closed to reservations for the rest of 2020, but they are starting to open up on a first-come, first-serve basis. Still, not sure why it does not appear in the drop down list. Perhaps they temporarily removed it. You can click HERE for more info.

      • Appreciate the wrong information you gave me. Lake Spaulding was not open. Plenty of signs saying it was shut down for the season. Killed my weekend.

  13. Are the “first come first serve” campsites open for the summer?

  14. David E Stearns says:

    Is the campground at Lake Spaulding still closed? We went by there today and there were “No Trespassing” signs all over the place and a new fence and gate that weren’t there the last time we were there. The gate was open, but the signs looked very intimidating, so we turned around and left.

    • Hi David,
      We just checked and Lake Spaulding Campground opened May 24, 2021. You can click on the “Make A Reservation” button to check availability, pricing and make reservations.

  15. Jessica says:

    I’m not seeing directions to Lake Spaulding. If I input the lat/lon listed above, will this be taking me to the middle of the lake or the check in site for campgrounds?
    Thank you

  16. Is the boat ramp currently open?
    (July 6)

  17. JULIA Elizabeth BOLTON says:

    I have a reservations for july, 6th 7th and the 8th , 2021 but I will not be arriving until the early morning on the 7th I’m just wanting to make sure that they don’t give my campsite away.

  18. Tommy Rosenbluth says:

    Why can’t I make a reservation for Lake Spaulding? Is there something I am missing? The Make a Reservation link keeps sending me to a page where I don’t see how I can select the campground and campsite and make the payment.

  19. Hello! I have plans to stay at Lake Spaulding from August 3 – 7 with a group of 6. Unfortunately, all reserved sites are unavailable. What would you recommend we get there to get a spot that is FCFS on a Thursday?

  20. Is there a store or place to buy ice and or firewood nearby?

    • Hi Kara,
      The town of Truckee is about 33 miles from the campground and has many restaurants, shops and stores. Lake Tahoe is also 45 miles away. Those are the closest locations for ice, firewood, etc.

  21. Gordon Fynn says:

    We does the gate open for kayaking?

    • Hi Gordon,
      I’m not sure when the gate opens for kayaking at Lake Spaulding (no info online). You may try calling PG&E’s Regional Land Department to check: 916-386-5164

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