campgrounds.fyiIndependent · federal campgrounds · no paid placements
← All campgrounds
USFSEldorado National Forest · California

Caples Lake Campground

Recreation Opportunity Guides (ROG) - These guides contains information, maps, and directions to assist you in enjoying your trip to the Eldorado National Forest.
Sites0all reservable
Elev.7,864ft
Comf.Jun-Sep4 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Sacramento2h16real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27

At 7,864 ft, Caples Lake Campground has a 4-month comfortable window (Jun-Sep). Winter nights average around 19°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. Within about 4 miles: 2 named hiking routes, 13 peaks, lake or river access.

The campground at a glance

01 · CHARACTER
QuietCoolRoomyShadeRV-fitReserv.

Reads strongest on cool nights and quiet. Softest on quiet.

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
JFMAMJJASOND
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
Jun-Sep
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
86%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
Jun 15
Last spring frost; first fall frost Sep 27.
50°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.

Getting there

03 · ACCESS
01
Sacramento
102 mi
2h16
02
Fresno
178 mi
3h57
03
San Francisco
187 mi
4h09
04
Los Angeles
438 mi
9h44
05
San Diego
578 mi
12h51
By drive time
Sacramento · 2h16Fresno · 3h57San Francisco · 4h09Los Angeles · 9h44San Diego · 12h51Camp

Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 0 mi away.

What's within four miles

05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER

Trails & Peaks

Named hiking routes
2
Trail segments
114
Peaks
13
Viewpoints
5

Water & Access

Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
0 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.

Check availability on Recreation.gov →