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Lake Alpine camping at Pine Marten Campground is located in the Calveras Ranger District, at the east end of Lake Alpine Recreation Area in a timbered setting near several trailheads. Recreation Lake Alpine provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities: fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, boating, OHV trails, swimming, and wildlife watching. Interpretive programs are offered by Forest Service rangers during the summer months. Facilities Campsites with room for up to 6 people, 3 tents, and 2 vehicles per campsite. Picnic tables, campfire rings, toilets are available. Hot showers and laundromat available at nearby Lake Alpine Resort. No electricity or hook-ups. Pets are welcome. Firewood, camping and fishing supplies, food, and apparel is available in the general store at Lake Alpine Resort. Natural Features Pine Marten Campground sits at an elevation of 7,400 feet on the east end of Lake Alpine within the Stanislaus National Forest. The forest lies between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite and boasts gorgeous views. Squirrels, chipmunks, deer, marmots, coyotes, bears, eagles, and many different birds make this area their home. The wildflowers are also beautiful! Nearby Attractions A restaurant, bar, general store, and boat rentals can be found at nearby Lake Alpine Lodge. The immediate area is suited for forest and wilderness recreation. A short car ride away there is Grover Hot Springs, Mercer Caverns, Mountain Adventure Seminars, and the wine country of Calaveras County.
Highway 4 to east end of Lake Alpine; turn south on road just east of Chickaree Picnic Area.
I've been coming here since I was a child and recently went again after too many years away. It's such a great spot! The sites are spacious, a mix of sun and shade, and a super short walk to the refreshing water. Everyone is friendly and it's just a lovely getaway.
We were only a bit bummed to discover they've gotten rid of the flush toilets and instead replaced them with the (often stinky) vault toilets, but hey, it's camping and at least you're not digging your own hole 😉
First of all, the camp hosts Suki and Mike were super friendly. 10/10 there. Scenery is amazing.
Giving 4 stars because of accessibility for trailers. If you have a larger rig and truck for hauling, be cautious when booking a site- some of them would be very difficult to back into, and there isn’t always room for a car/truck in addition to the trailer. Often the picnic table and fire pit were on the right side of the campsite, so if you back a trailer in, your door is on the left side. Not all sites were like that. I recommend you check an external website that shows pictures of individual campsites. Don’t haul water up- bring a hose and fill at one of the many hose bibs around.
There is a paved bike path that runs from the campground to the resort/store, which was nice (don’t have to ride on Hwy 4).
We were there in October when it was quiet and peaceful. Will definitely try and get a spot in summer.
Great Place for Camping, I think I was the only 1 there with a 35 foot class A motor home. Pulled into site #2 fairly easily, may be a little tricky but doable with a 5th wheel. They have bear 🐻 lockers for a reason, use them. There was a bear that came into a tenters camp and messed alot of stuff up from what I heard from the camp host. Lots off space for each site, lots of trees, lots of firewood laying all over the place for the taking. Fishing at the lake, was GREAT. I caught 3 smallish Trout, all in about an hour and a half. The camp host couple were very friendly and Helphul. I will be returning.
Clean beautiful campsite. The camp hosts were kind and very helpful. Thank you Suki and Mike. Can’t wait to visit next summer.
Pine Marten campground was great! It was my first time ever camping there. I arrived 9/2/23 around 3am then left 9/3/23 around 10am. It drizzled most of the weekend and was overcast but we managed. There were a lot of RV’s that came. Each campsite is limited to 6 people and two cars or a car towing a trailer. There were sheltered toilets and then water spigots dispersed throughout the campgrounds. Lots of trees were being cut at this time for something but i feel it didn’t affect my experience much because there was still plenty of greenery. The lake is a walking distance away and is beautiful even in overcast weather. I can’t wait to come back with my dogs.
