0
Pull-thru
USFSEldorado National Forest · California
Ponderosa Cove Campground
Overview Ponderosa Cove greets group campers with shaded campsites close to scenic Stumpy Meadows Reservoir.
Sites1all reservable
Elev.4,275ft
Comf.Apr-Nov8 months
Max rig45 ft
Electricnonesites
From Sacramento1h31real 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 4,275 ft, Ponderosa Cove Campground has a 8-month comfortable window (Apr-Nov). Winter nights average around 30°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: 6 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on shade and reservability. Softest on big-rig fit.
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
Apr-Nov
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
95%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
May 14
Last spring frost; first fall frost Oct 21.
57°F
Average July low. Bring a fleece.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Sacramento
68 mi
1h31
02
San Francisco
162 mi
3h36
03
Fresno
200 mi
4h27
04
Los Angeles
465 mi
10h20
05
San Diego
607 mi
13h29
By drive time
Routed road time (OSRM). Nearest major highway 7.8 mi away.
Picking your site
04 · 1 SITES
0
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
1
Sites
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
5
Peaks
6
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
To nearest major road
7.8 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.