0
Pull-thru
USFSTahoe National Forest · California
Calpine Lookout
Overview Calpine is a forest fire lookout tower that was constructed in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and is one of three remaining examples of the enclosed windmill-style lookout in Califo
Sites1all reservable
Elev.5,876ft
Comf.May-Oct6 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Sacramento2h43real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 5,876 ft, Calpine Lookout has a 6-month comfortable window (May-Oct). Winter nights average around 22°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. All 1 sites are reservable in advance, so plan ahead. Popular weekends book out. Within about 4 miles: 1 peak, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and cool nights. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
May-Oct
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
96%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 2
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 11.
53°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Sacramento
122 mi
2h43
02
San Francisco
219 mi
4h52
03
Fresno
268 mi
5h57
04
Los Angeles
530 mi
11h47
05
San Diego
670 mi
14h53
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 0.3 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
1
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
2
Peaks
1
Viewpoints
1
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
0.3 mi
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.