This year my family & I camped here & we reserved 4 & 5 which was right by the entrance next to the camp host. We enjoyed how shady this area was, & how large this area was for our group. We were able to place 5 tents in this area, two tents which were large tents for families of 6. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, is near a rinse of station and bathrooms. There are bathrooms and well maintained but they are the definition of out houses. Bring a flash light at night as there is no lights inside. No showers here. The trail to the water is not to long, id say its half a mile, very do-able if your not bringing much or have little ones. If you dont take the trail, you can always drive 3 minutes down the road to the boat launching area & park there for a day by the reservoir. The parking fee there is $10 in cash. By the water it's very rocky, so do bring good water shoes. There was a bear cub that roamed this campground, the host let is know it has been around since April , and that there hasn't been sight of momma bear since, meaning either momma bear abandoned him or was left behind, he really doesn't want anything to do with human interaction according to them. From our experience he comes around mostly in broad day light and not at night but still kept us on our toes especially because our group had littles ones. This is the only reason I am ranking this campground to be a 4/5 stars. read more

We stayed on sites 11, 12 and 13 in month of July. The weather got up to at least the 90's but would hit around the 70's which was perfect for late night smores! Each site had its own grill and fire pit with plenty of room for at least 2 tents. The restrooms are decently maintained and as a tip - use them in the morning (they're nice and cleaned)! Camp ground supplies toilet tissue. The water is near and accessible by going through a dirt path. FYI flat ground by the water is scarce. We ended up setting up just above the water and made our way down anytime we wanted to take a nice dip. Lots of rocks so make sure to bring water shoes to protect your feet! There were two sightings for bears according to others but we did not encounter one while we were there. We also locked up our food in the cars as there are no bear lockers. I saw some reviews mention getting tons of bug bites and getting dirty easily. Yes, that's true and we are also outdoors so it's to be expected! :) Just make sure to bring lots of bug spray and body wipes - there are no showers. We enjoyed this campground and its beauty! I took off a star because of all the car drifting/racing we heard late at night. Other than that, it's a great place for friends and families especially if you're looking to "unplug". read more

Awesome campground. Very few bugs end of August. Lake views at sites 24, 23, 21, 19. Every campsite has both a barbeque and fire pit. Most private site is probably 31 read more

We recently stayed at Stumpy Meadows Campground. Upon arriving, we were greeted by name by the camp hosts, David and Elizabeth. We can't say enough about how accommodating they were for our group. They knew that the site we reserved (#18) was pretty sunny and offered us other options if we wanted more shade. We took them up on their offer and selected sites #6 and #8. Our spots were great, plenty of flat ground for our tents, close to water and the restrooms. Restrooms were clean and well stocked. Unfortunately, halfway into our trip, the sheriff came through the campground at 4:30 a.m., issuing an evacuation warning. There was a fire developing in the area. David and Elizabeth kept us updated on the info until we absolutely knew we had to go. We made our reservations through recreation.gov and saw they automatically refunded our unused part of the trip without even requesting it. We hope to go back soon and spend more than a couple of days here!! read more

See all

My family has camped at Stumpy Meadows (which was called Lake Edson back in the day) since my dad was a teenager. This lake is my happy place, and is the one spot in the whole world where I've always felt at peace. In 2014, the King Fire did a lot of damage. It's still beautiful and peaceful, though, and I get to come back year after year and watch it recover. Stumpy Meadows will always be in my heart. Now, for an objective review: Water sprouts frequently spaced so that no one has to walk too far. Bathrooms are always stocked with toilet paper and clean. Camp Manager is awesome af, riding around to check on everyone and welcoming campers. The lake water is cool enough to break the heat of day, but not breath-stopping cold. Once the forest recovers, I know the water will clear up. It used to be crystal clear, but the fire has reduced the visibility a bit. It's still really clear compared to other reservoirs. It's a small lake, so you don't have tons of loud boaters and party-goers. Everyone is quiet after 10pm. This place is for the true camping crowd, not the people looking to howl at the moon from their parents' RV's during spring break while shit-faced. Stumpy Meadows is still my favorite place to camp. read more

Beautiful lake and hidden gem near Georgetown. Must visit with the family if you're wanting to play in the snow without all the heavy foot traffic. read more

See all

Beautiful spot to take a rest. Nice and quiet. Next time we will have to pack a lunch and have a nice quiet picnic. Just to enjoy the view. If you continue on you drive thru where the King fire ripped thru the forest. It is so crazy to see all the devastation from that fire. It exposed a lot of the hills. Very beautiful area. read more

Stumpy Meadows - At the end of the lake all bare mountains. - Campgrounds Near Me

See all

Although the staff was friendly and restrooms were clean the campground was terrible.. Sites are on top of each other and Very very small we had site 38 which was basically just red dust. It was everywhere on everything. I am fine with getting dirty camping but this was beyond that. Tried to make the best of it. No accesses to the lake at all. We drove down the road and there is one spot if you park on the side of the road the whole campground is trying to get there. We finally surrendered and left a day early.. Don't go read more

My partner and I are locals to the area, only living about 15 minutes from Stumpy. We loved seeing how well-kept and respectable this campsite is. The new management company was AWESOME. They helped us to find an empty campground, helped us with payment and gave us a great opening speal about being respectful. They let families have their fun, but kept everyone save. We will definitely be coming back again! read more

I love this place! We usually plan our group camping trip at somewhere different every year. But this year, we opted to go to Stumpy Meadows again because it was so much fun! Plenty of shade, weather was great in late-July. the reservoir was a short 5 minute walk away from our site, and it was CLEAN. There's only vault toilets there that kind of stink, but its really all you need. If you can handle mosquitos, this place is ideal! University Falls is nearby and going there is a definite must. It's about an hour hike there, and hour back, but the man-made slides are worth it. read more

See all

hi-ya! So the waterfall thing that everybody raves about is NOT accessible. Apparently it was closed off due to people leaving trash or ruining the area for the privately owned land. Now signs are up telling you that it's trespassing if you want to go and see the falls. However if you like rocky beaches, cold lakes, albeit really beautiful this is a good location. It's sad that wild fires have ravaged this area, but none of that really negatively effected our all-guy camping trip. While it was over 100 degrees in Sacramento, our campground was well shaded. Not many bugs/mosquitos. The bathrooms started out good (on Friday) and stunk like bathrooms by Sunday. Overall the place is fun for a night or two and the adjacent guests were quiet and friendly. read more

Camped at Site 24. We was able to fit 2 mid size vehicles safely within the spurs. This site was well shaded. We fit 2 tents and a 10 x 10 canopy. There was a lot of stumps which made it a little tricky to find a spot to put up the tents. Make sure to bring extra pairs of socks. The mosquitoes weren't as bad. Maybe because it was the lower side of the camp grounds. It's a short hike to down to the lake, very steep. If you got young ones swimming, they should wear a life vest , the water drops off pretty deep. Overall, we enjoyed Stumpy Meadows Campground. Watch my youtube video: https://youtu.be/fvMjwOspw7I read more

See all

I've never been to a camping ground where you could literally walk to the next site. I hardly ever see people at other campgrounds besides the people I came with. This place is pretty SMALL. Toilets are outhouses. No showers. GROSS GROSS GROSS. A steep walk to the lake. I had to literally climb back with my bare hands from the lake. Guess who wakes you up??? BUSY BEES!!!! They buzz around the faucets in the morning, but thank goodness I didn't get stung by then. But got bit by mosquitoes...Bug spray with deet doesn't work for me, I guess... I hate camping and I always have. I don't know why I go...this review probably isn't the best one for this place, since I despise camping. read more

Stumpy Meadows - lake - Campgrounds Near Me

This campground is so much fun and so pretty! It's near a reservoir, however, it's a bit of a hike to get to it. The camp hosts are very kind and very helpful. The restrooms are very clean. My family loved this place, and we will return again in the near future! read more

See all

We Camped there Memorial day weekend and was ready for nice relaxing time. But that was not possible since there was an extremely loud generator running from 7 am to 10 pm non stop all weekend! Turned out it was the CAMP MANAGER! I asked him about it and his reaction was a sorry with a eye roll and was told that the rules allows him to run it all those hours and his demeanor was "how dare you confront me about it" It's too bad because it is a nice and what would otherwise be a quiet campground and the lake is nice to swim and kayak in. The bathrooms with pit toilets, we found that our Poo pouri covered the bad smell (suggestion for pit toilets when camping) ;) But the irritation with the camp manager with his noise and attitude is just not worth it!!! read more

Sooooo I gave it four stars. We stayed at site number seventeen, and it was large enough for 5 tents so that was good. It was beautiful and had a fire pit that had a grill ontop of it. So we didnt need to used our electric stove. The lake was nice and not freezing either. However, I have to say that our campground was a little closer than I would like and the people who where next to us were a bit too noisy. Other then that it was a great trip. The place is easy to find. Bring too buckets to wash and rinse your dishes in. OH, and also, the outhouses stink! buuuuuut its camping so its no big deal lol I would recommend this site. But some of the sites are a bit smaller in area than others. So look at a picture of the site before you buy it. It really helps. read more

Stumpy Meadows - Site 17 - Campgrounds Near Me

Lake Edson was my back yard as a child so I gotta love it. Camping here is great but I've never camped in the campground. Fishing is good because they stock the lake often and later in the summer months the lake can be a little empty so the shore line can be huge but I've never taken a boat out. Swimming is excellent because this is a relevantly shallow reservoir so it isn't that cold. Hiking sucks here, go a few miles up the road to the Rubicon. Clear cuts suck. read more

1st time camping and this place was awesome! There's a cute lake nearby, multiple rest areas & plenty of shade. They're first come camp sites & luckily my family for one. read more

Stayed in group camp unit 2 in July 2022. Group camp has 4 units with their own restrooms and water spigot. The restrooms were locked and had to get the camp host (at a different location down the road) to unlock them. Two days after we got there a person from another group site came to our canp and wondered how we got the restrooms unlocked, so it wasn't a one time event. The water spigot didn't work and we had to go to a different campsite to get water. The camp host was friendly but seemed clueless. The camp restrictions were 75 people and 8 vehicles. So unless you could fit 9 people in each vehicle there is no way to fill the camp. It's unlikely I would return. read more

Many of the campsites on the outskirts of the loop are very small. Our campsite (38) could only fit one six person tent. There was absolutely no room for another tent. The site also lacked shade. The available shade was on the slope that backed up to our site. We just made due and set up a spot to relax in this area. The sites are also very close together. Although things were a bit tight we still enjoyed ourselves. The reservoir is really pretty and the campground clean. The star gazing at night is beautiful! I think this is a good spot for first time campers and families. There are larger sites that are in the center of the campground but I'm pretty sure they go fast. read more

See all

Don't go here if you like to eat the fish you catch and are partial to hospitality. We came up here to check out the site a few months back and thought it was perfect. The camp host lady was nice and chatty. So we booked the sites and were very excited for our 3 day weekend of family/friends fun. Each family trickled in on Friday and Saturday. The camp host guy just let us thru with no car pass. The next day we walked up and gave cash to the same guy for the extra vehicles. Still no car passes were given. We were told to turn our music down at 7:30pm. Turns out, they had 'family friends' that were in an RV next to our sites and anything they thought was slightly wrong, they tattled on us. On Sunday we fished and found that the trout we caught were covered in parasites! GROSS!!! The camp host lady (first time I've seen her all weekend) drives up and asks us if we've paid for the extra vehicles. I told her we gave the cash to her husband. She also told us that one of our sites had music playing too loud the night before and that it's OK if we played motown or Marvin Gaye...seriously? I also asked her about the fish and she told us that we could just scrape the parasites off and still eat the fish if we chose. Are you kidding? Not two hours later she was back at our camp site asking if we had paid for our extra vehicles AGAIN! She was very mouthy with us and disrespectful. We have tried to find the perfect campground the past couple of years to celebrate the end of summer with family and friends and we are very disappointed that this wasn't it. If our kids can't swim in the water or we eat the fish because of parasites or be left alone by the unorganized (I have a feeling drunk too) camp host, then this is not the place for us or YOU! WE WILL NEVER COME HERE AGAIN! read more

One word: AWESOME! We went camping over Labor Day. The last time I camped here, I was a kid so I didn't remember anything about it. Here are the detes: -no off-roading required, but the parking situation isn't great if you have more than one car (we had two). -Sure, some of the campsites are a little close. I'll acknowledge that. But the actual campsites themselves are fairly large. We had two huge tents, and still had room for a big blanket in the middle of the tents to hang out on (we called it the living room - complete with coffee tables). -Fire pits w/ rings AND free standing BBQs. Bring wood. We didn't see any for sale by the host, and the closest place to get it (or any provision) is Georgetown (30 min) -Trail to the lake isn't bad at all. There are a few trails that splinter off to the right that are a bit steeper. Avoid that by staying on the main trail. It is dusty though. Prepare for brown boogers! -The lake itself is beautiful. Clear, cold water. Thankfully, no boat noise (5mph speed limit for the whole lake). We caught (and released, thank you!) a 12" rainbow. We didn't spend a whole lot of time trying. -Vault toilets (get over it, it's better than a hole in the ground) and no showers (again, get over it! camping=stinky!) read more

The reservoir is one of the most perfect bodies of water I've had the luxury of swimming, floating, being in EVER (and I take pride in dipping in any and every body of water I come across)! So clear and quiet. And the campground is beautiful and calm with lots of privacy... Wonderful place. I'll see you there, darlings! read more

Funny name- Great little camp ground! We had a group of 5 at one site and it was spacious. The grounds are set up in a circle of camp sites just above the lake. Every site is different and there are Fire rings with removable grates and raised charcoal BBQ's at each site. All my cons are debunked with the simple argument: IT'S CAMPING!!! Vault Toilets-Yuck (They were in pretty good condition till day two) No Showers- Hop in the lake No fire wood for sale-chop down a tree Trail to the lake is really dusty-I'll take it over red dirt any day All in all we had a really nice time over Labor Day Weekend and it was nice to go to a campsite where the majority of people were actually camping rather than rolling in in their Mobile Monstrosity of a trailer or 5th wheel. FYI- University Falls(pictures linked above) is a short car ride and a few mile hike to get to from Stumpy Meadows Camp Ground read more

I gave this place a 4 star for a couple of reasons..... 1. There isn't any "real" beach to hang out on the lake... its better to bring a boat (and i don't have one ) 2. The forest itself it beautiful, green and lush - but - there are huge piles of dead, chopped down trees everywhere. 3. The dirt you are camping on is like flour - very fine and powdery. You WILL get dirty. We were greeted by an old man who id'd himself as the owner, and refused to see my id or and reservation paper. He said find your spot and if you didn't really reserve it, then the right person will be there to kick you out. lol. He pointed us in the right direction and wished us a great weekend, and we did! Maybe we were just lucky to go the weekend we did, but it really was perfect. Nice people, great weather and total seclusion. Depending on the campsite, some are very large, some are small...some are close to each other and some are secluded. We stayed at #33 which was tiny but secluded (which was perfect for the 2 of us). The restrooms are clean but still smell since you don't flush.. its like a permanent port-o-poty built into the ground. There aren't any showers, so bring your bathing suit for the lake! The hike to the lake is about 8 minutes but again.. not too impressed with the beach - or lack thereof. Bring a boat or kayak, CZ there's barely anywhere to go swimming off the campground. Still fun, though, if u don't mind that kind of thing. Also, Someone old us that Stumpy meadows reservoir is known for being able to spot bald eagles, so bring some binoculars! I paid 45$ for 2 days/nights + 1 dog. All in all, totally worth it and I will definitely go again. read more

See all

This place is awesome, and I know what I'm talking about cuz I've been camping since I was about 3mos old! It's nicely shaded, so the temperature was just right. There are hella bugs so be sure to bring your bug spray! There aren't any showers, and the toilets are the kind where you drop the rock and wait and wait to hear it, but the campsite itself makes up for that small piece. I was a tad worried when we were there because of a bear warning, but we didnt see any furry friends during our stay. It's a very short walk to the water, and a short drive to the reservoir. The water is pretty clean, and there are bathrooms at the reservoir. Also, there are a whole bunch of trails all around there, or drive a few minutes and hike to university falls. Anyhows, this place is great. This is what camping is supposed to be like! read more

I love camping and I love California, so when I go to a campground I've never been to and see something like Stumpy Meadows Lake it just reminds me how beautiful California is. Funny because I never knew this place even existed and it's simply beautiful! The lake is very clear so you can take a dip or jump in a kayak. Most people go out to fish so there a small fishing boats, but nothing really more, it's a 5mph speed limit out there for boats. The campground is quite small and sites are somewhat close to each other, but nothing too bothersome. Almost all sites a shaded so you can leave your EZ-up at home! There are vault toilets here, but I will say these are the fanciest vault toilets I've ever seen! Remember though that they will only stay clean depending on your neighbors. The camp host comes and checks on them twice a day, so you can't blame them. Getting to the lake is a bit of a walk and getting to the shore is usually a pretty steep trail. I just wore my boots down and took em off once I got there. The host I didn't care for. She wasn't very friendly and it seemed like she wanted to argue with us even though we told her we had no problem putting our second car in overflow. Lastly, I think this place gets it name because there are so many stumps from cut down trees. This area is used for logging and it's sad when you come across a big pile of brush from the loggers. read more

Cons: Dusty The campsites were pretty close to each other and lacked privacy- but really who gives a crap! You don't spend all day at the campsite right? Where do you spend it?.... see Pros Pros: You go to the lake!!! The lake is quiet and the water isn't ice cold (not in Sept). There is a speed limit on the water so you really get to enjoy a quiet time with out fools zipping around on skis and what not. Fish! Not only are they leaping all over but people are actually catching them... from the shore no less! Really sweet spot that does not feel overcrowded, even on a holiday weekend. A few pointers... Vault toilets - P.U. No showers - but that is why you swim in the lake Ice- you have to grab your ice in Georgetown (16miles from camp) Wood- lots of wood to gather but you can purchase some for $8 from the host read more

Wow! What a great camping area. We went camping up here for the weekend and upon driving in (very late) the scenery was magical, there were pine on both sides of the small windy road and with the white mist in the air it was truly serene. 3 days we wached it rain, snow and get super hot...crazy weather that weekend. Upon arrival, we checked in and the camp managers were super nice. They sell fire wood for $6/bundle. 4 bundles will last you all day. There are limited sites, so they are very spaced apart. We were bumping sublime and cheech and chonging all night and there were no complaints. Bring a hookah, highly recommended. The lake is a nice 10-15 minute walk and there are many trails and fishing areas--no boats allowed which means no loud noisy engines. It's NOT super dusty!! Thats just something I read that would have been a major disappointment. Truly a campers campground! read more

Once you get there you really understand why it's called Stumpy Meadows. Theres stumps everywhere! I found it charming... Anyways, a group of us went up for two nights, Monday-Wednesday in mid-August. There was a host next to the entrance but when we got there we didn't see a check-in sign so we just proceeded to pick a spot and dropped off the payment in the box in the front. It was perfect weather when we came. Warm during the day and not terribly chilly at night. We ran out of kindling and small pieces of wood but there was enough sticks and wood around the campsite to keep it going. Nobody bothered us and I felt safe here. This is a great alternative to any of the more popular camping destinations like Pinecrest. PROS: Quiet Cool, clean water in the reservoir Close to University Falls Spacious campgrounds CONS: Dusty Vault toilets -___- Not too much room to hang out on the "beach" No showers (not that I'd use them) I can imagine it would be nice place to kayak since the lake is always empty and the water is always smooth. Would definitely return! read more

Beautiful lake, lots of jumping fish (hubs and the kid are catch-n-release fishermen). The campground was pretty, shaded, enough privacy between neighbors. The vault toilets were impressively clean. We explored around the area and talked with a very sweet ranger (they're all this nice, right?), went to another tiny lake (no camping here) that had just been stocked with fish, were directed to the nearest store (in georgetown) for ice. One star from perfect because: if you drive any further up the road (past the campground turnoff) you get to see all the logged areas, some active. Very depressing. Also, vault toilets, who's really a fan of those? We would definitely go back. read more

Don't let the damage from the King Fire keep you away.. Yeah.. Some of the Camp sites are complete gutted from the fire, but others were un-touched. We were at #37 which was full of trees. In general I really liked this campsite and Lake. Stumpy Meadow Lake is perfect for rafting and swimming. Fishing? Talked with 4 others which didn't have any luck. My son caught a very small mouth bass. Noise level from a few large groups weren't all that bad. Vault toilet were clean. Staff was friendly.... Only issue was... I ride my bike allot, and during the Week Days the roads are full of Logging Trucks. They gave me plenty of room, but they flying down the road. And don't ride on any active logging roads, or risk getting smashed. and zero phone coverage... read more

Pretty good campground. Nothing fancy but clean. If you bring your trailer, make sure you fill up with water first! There are no hose bibs to fill your water tank. Closest one is 10 miles away. My trailer is 21'. The road through the campground is very tight in spots. I wouldn't recommend much bigger than mine. Walk to the lake is about ten minutes. Best spot to hang by the water is a short drive to the boat launch area. read more

Okay, this place was 3 stars, just because I am not really a camping kind of person. I LOVE camping, not because of the bugs, not because of the dirtiness, not because I love coming home with dread locks. But because of the experience you get to share with people. You get to live with and get to know things about them you didnt before. And all of that nastiness is worth it. The blue clear lake made up for most of the trip. It was hot but not dying hot, and the lake water was perfect. If you scream or yell in the middle, you can hear a real ECHO ECHO Echo echo.. The stars are also my favorite part of camping. There are SOoooo many, its beautiful. read more

Great little lake for kayaking and paddleboarding. Water was warm enough but cool. This was a weekday, and only a handful of people there. read more

Great campground but the hosts were terse, inhospitable and rude. Not sure why they choose to greet new arrivals with such suspicion but it was made clear, they didn't like newcomers. Several families had the same input while we were there. Might want to get new staff.... read more

We stayed at Stumpy Meadows July 15-17. Overall, I really liked Stumpy Meadows. I was here as a kid and it was nice to come back. It's a short drive from Sacramento which is really nice. We booked this campsite back in March and there weren't a lot of reviews that were recent and the pictures are very old, so here is the scoop: When looking at the pictures, we voted on securing site #32. It is big, well shaded, and closer to the lake. When we arrived on Friday evening and got to site 32, there was no way we could stay there. It had been completely decimated by the King Fire in 2014.It is on a slope, sawed down trees littered all around, and absolutely no shade. We decided to switch campsites and ended up in #13. Best decision ever. Overall the campground is really well maintained. The campground hosts are very nice and constantly drive around to make sure you are taken care of. Toilets are vault toilets, but well stocked. Yes, there is a smell but it's a toilet! And you're camping, not at the Ritz. You don't really need to bring firewood. There is plenty of wood to gather from the fire. If you need ice, pick it up in Georgetown. That's the closest place to get it... 20 minute drive from the campsite. The lake is beautiful and warm. There is a small rocky beach a short walk down from the campground. We brought chairs, a cooler, and an umbrella and it was great. Our dog loved the water. Sites 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 31, 32, 33, and 34 have been completely decimated by the fire. There is very little to no shade as there are no trees, and there is no vegetation so it's just dust. So if you get one of these sites, you will be in the sun. Even an Eazy-Up pop up will give minimal relief. You're best bet is to get one of the sites closest to Wentworth Springs Road (single digits) and you will enjoy your time. read more

This place is so awesome I was tempted to write a terrible review just to keep people away. But I couldn't - it's really a great campground. Not so good for RV's because it's a little rustic. I love backpacking, and this campground fits the bill perfectly the one time a year that I car camp. The campground managers are always friendly and helpful. Short hike to the lake. Quiet. Rustic. There are NO showers, and only pit toilets, so it's not for the faint of heart. But that's cool with me because the kind of people who camp here tend to be a lot more "outdoorsy" than most car camping campgrounds. read more

This was our first time camping at Stumpy Meadows and it was great. We stayed in #16 and the website said full shade but due to the fire years ago it was 1/2 shade. The campsites are very close together also. The only down fall I would say is the restrooms. They have a toilet but it goes into a hole of everyone's pee and poop. It smells really badly when it's hot!! But #16 has a beautiful view of the water and it's about a 8 min hike down to the water from that campsite. But overall very relaxing and fun time. read more

This place is okay, the lake is nice for a swim or some kayaking/fishing etc. but the campground itself is just okay in my opinion. Also, if you like to shower or use indoor plumbing, look elsewhere. There are no showers here and the vault toilets tend to stink up the surrounding camp sites for quite a distance. i've camped here twice before and neither time was i impressed. Also, the Camp hosts (older couple) had a very rude demeanor. I will not be returning. read more