Bear River Group Campground (Eldorado National Forest, CA)

Bear River Reservoir
BEAR RIVER GROUP CAMPGROUND
Bear River Reservoir
BEAR RIVER GROUP CAMPGROUND
BEAR RIVER GROUP CAMPGROUND

Featured amenities

River Access River Access

Sites & Rates

Average nightly rates

4 total sites

Tent Sites

4 sites

About Bear River Group Campground (Eldorado National Forest, CA)

The Bear River Group Campground offers four separate group campsites on a site above the south side of the Lower Bear River Reservoir. The proximity to water and the mixed pine setting in the fresh Sierra Nevada air, makes this campground an excellent group retreat destination. Upriver from the campground is the Upper Bear River Reservoir. This lake is smaller and spans 166 surface acres with 2.5 miles of shoreline.

Number of accommodations: 4

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Jun 19 to Sep 26

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

River Access River Access
Water Access

Water Access

  • Lake Access
  • River Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

4 Sites Available

Site
Price
001, Loop: KOKA Tent
50 guests
Price not available
002, Loop: JUNC Tent
25 guests
Price not available
003, Loop: CHIP Tent
25 guests
Price not available
004, Loop: SMOK Tent
25 guests
Price not available

Reviews (14)

What Guests Are Saying

Bear River Group Campground is a spacious and clean site ideal for group camping, offering plenty of shade and amenities like fresh water and picnic tables. The camp host, Steve, received praise for his friendliness and helpfulness, contributing to a positive experience for campers. While some found navigation to the site challenging, the beautiful surroundings and off-roading trails made it a worthwhile destination for families and friends.

Review Summary

4.9
14 reviews
5
92.9%
13
4
7.1%
1
3
0.0%
0
2
0.0%
0
1
0.0%
0

Zuzanna S

Verified

August 16, 2026 Stayed at: 001, Loop: KOKA

5

This is one of our favorite group spots for friends camping. Spots are spacious and clean, trees offer shade. We love to come back here.

Jorge S

Verified

August 7, 2026 Stayed at: 004, Loop: SMOK

5

Host was awesome 👌.. we also saw bears twice and the water is clean and warm..

Parameswaran M

Verified

August 2, 2026 Stayed at: 004, Loop: SMOK

4

Excellent except the flushable toilet. Lot of shades picnic table are avaliable.

Roberto R

Verified

September 28, 2025 Stayed at: 002, Loop: JUNC

5

Amazing place!! Lots of off-roading trails, spot junk-2 was nice and quiet!

Richard Z

Verified

August 31, 2025 Stayed at: 003, Loop: CHIP

5

Richard Z

Verified

August 31, 2025 Stayed at: 003, Loop: CHIP

5

Richard Z

Verified

August 31, 2025 Stayed at: 003, Loop: CHIP

5

Richard Z

Verified

August 31, 2025 Stayed at: 001, Loop: KOKA

5

Excellent group site. When all 4 sites are reserved, it is a private large (125 person) group site completely separated from all other campgrounds

Deja C

Verified

July 22, 2025 Stayed at: 001, Loop: KOKA

5

This location was amazing! So much space and spread out from the other group camps. Just a short drive away from the water. Not much cell service besides satellite. Beautiful and easy to get to. Maybe could use a little more signage to help with lost campers, but besides that the written instructions when booking were perfect. Will be booking again with my family next year.

suzanna p

Verified

June 30, 2025 Stayed at: 001, Loop: KOKA

5

We reserved at 001, Koka( Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric )
Part of Bear River Group Campground (Eldorado National Forest, CA)
Our party of 45 people had plenty of space between us and other campers. We had plenty of bear boxes and even a shed to load our ice chests in at night for safety. The rocks that lined our campsite made a great place for our kids to explore while giving us peace of mind. We brought our own grills but there is a huge grill there and a dish washing station. While the bathrooms are vaulted there was never a smell or any issues. The camp host STEVE was amazing and accommodating. He let us have our space after he came over to welcome us and answer all questions we had! This place was lovely and healing for our family who had not been together since a loss of a family member. We all came back refreshed and as the one who plans these yearly trips i have never received so much positive feedback.
We had no bees, no flies and no bugs!!
literally everyone got lost finding this site. If you follow the signs and drive further than you think the site should be you will find it. I promise.

Location Bear River Group Campground (Eldorado National Forest, CA)

Address:
Eldorado National Forest
Pioneer, CA, 95666
United States

Highway access

Bear River Group Campground is accessible via State Route 88, which connects to other major roads in the region.

Elevation: 2071 feet

Distance to downtown

27 mi drive to downtown Pioneer (about 42 min)

Policies & Rules

General

  • Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers
  • Motorized boats are not allowed on lake
  • Forest Order No. 19-15-01: Prohibits camping for a combined total of no more than 14 days during a calendar year (January-December), forest-wide. Visitors may book campsites annually but the maximum stay may not exceed a total of 14 days each calendar year (January-December)
  • Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).
  • Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.
  • Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
  • For more information on Eldorado National Forest, click here

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: September 1, 2026

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