Recreation Information

We continue to recommend that you recreate locally. All visitors should practice self-sufficiency during your visits to national forests. Recreating responsibly will help ensure that expanded access to recreational facilities, services, and opportunities continues. Responsible recreation practices should be maintained at all times.

For the Please Do Your Part poster in other languages go here.

Please see below for the current updates: 

MOKELUMNE WILDERNESS PERMITS

Obtaining wilderness permits has changed due to Covid 19. Check out the new procedures on the Permit page.

CAMPGROUNDS & OTHER FACILITIES

Check out the Campground Status page to determine if your destination is open yet. We will continue to phase in opening of facilities and services as federal, state and county policies and facility preparations allow. 

**Most family campgrounds, day use sites, trailheads, staging areas and boatramps are open.**

• Opening July 3: Woods Lake and Dru Barner Campgrounds (if they pass inspection on Friday).
• Not Open: Martin Meadow, Hell Hole campground, Cole Creek, Big Meadows Campground, Pleasant campground, and upper Hell Hole campground.
• Group camps are still closed. 
• Rental cabins will not be open this season.
• Reservations: The concessionaire (REPM) posted a closure in the Reservation System (not a cancellation) for the campgrounds they manage that are still closed. This gives the visitors that had reservations the option to 1) cancel and receive a refund; or 2)  hold their reservation to see if it's going to be open.  A closure will not allow new reservations to be made but it does save the existing ones. When REPM is given authorization to “reopen” the campground and remove the closure on recreation.gov, existing reservations are still valid and those visitors will get an email from recreation.gov letting them know about the change in status. New reservations can also be made. If the campground does not reopen by the date of the existing reservation, then that reservation will be cancelled and refunded.

Automated Fee Stations: New technology is helping to improve recreation operations, allowing visitors to pay fees with credit / debit cards which also reduces the risk of COVID-19 exposure with cash. Visitors will see new automated fee stations at several locations in the forest.   

• Now in use: Pyramid Creek TH, Pipi CG/Day Use, Pardoes Point CG/Day Use
• Coming soon: Sunset CG, Icehouse CG/Day Use, Wench Creek CG, Yellowjacket CG, Gerle Creek CG/Day Use, Loon Lake CG/Day Use

Know Before You Go

• OFFICES - Our virtual offices are staffed to provide visitor information from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. The phone #s are on the left side of this page.
• CHECK CURRENT CONDITIONS/STATUS - Check out our Current Conditions web page for the status of campgrounds, roads, facilities, weather, fire, forest closure orders and other regulations.
• CAMPING OUTSIDE OF CAMPGROUNDS (Dispersed Camping)
  • ​"Pick Your Own Spot Camping" Recreation Opportunity Guide (pdf)
  • Forest Maps (page link)
  • Motor Vehicle Use Map - MVUM (page link). Our free map available for download.
  • Forest Publications (page link)

Popular Recreation Activities

We have more information about recreation opportunities across the forest!

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Features

COVID19 Information and Links

Continuing our service to you while doing our part to address the COVID-19 Pandemic is very important. This page contains the links to related documents and websites for the Eldorado NF, federal, state and local governments that pertain to this forest.

Spotlights

Facility Construction Activities 2020

Anyone planning a trip to the forest this summer is urged to check the status of recreation facilities and know what areas will be closed before entering the forest. 

What are our Nature's Benefits?

The natural forest infrastructure provides multiple Nature's Benefits to people, plants, animals, and habitat. Find out how the Eldorado positively impacts your daily life!