12 Dog-Friendly Camping Spots Near Lake Tahoe

Planning to bring your pup on a camping trip to Lake Tahoe?

Luckily, there are plenty of Lake Tahoe campgrounds that allow pets. From state parks to RV parks, there are a variety of options for dog owners to choose from.

Here is a list of dog-friendly campgrounds at Lake Tahoe.

Dog-Friendly Camping at Lake Tahoe State Parks

Pet policies vary between California’s state parks. Here are 3 dog-friendly camping options in state parks near Lake Tahoe.

DL Bliss State Park

DL Bliss State Park is on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe, about 20 minutes away from South Lake Tahoe, CA.

In this state park, dogs are only allowed in developed areas such as campsites, paved roads, and day-use areas. Pups are not allowed on beaches or dirt trails. They must be on a 6-foot leash and cannot be left unattended.

The campground at DL Bliss is suitable for tents and small trailers and motorhomes (no longer than 18 feet). There are about 150 campsites, including two handicap accessible sites.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at DL Bliss State Park.

Tahoe State Recreation Area Campground

Tahoe State Recreation Area (SRA) is on the northwestern shore of Lake Tahoe in Tahoe City.

At this park, dogs are only allowed at the Truckee River Outlet known as “Gatekeepers” within the day-use area along the shore. They must be attended and on a leash at all times.

If you’re looking to venture out from Tahoe SRA with your furry friend, it’s only a 10-minute drive away from dog-friendly North Tahoe beaches such as Patton Beach and Carnelian West Beach.

This campground is on the smaller side with only 23 campsites. The campground can accommodate trailers up to 15 feet and RV/Campers up to 21 feet long.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Tahoe State Recreation Area Campground.

General Creek Campground

General Creek Campground is in Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. This park is on Lake Tahoe’s western shore in Tahoma, CA.

Dogs are allowed in developed areas such as campsites, paved roads, and day-use areas. Check out the state park’s main page for specifics on where dogs are and aren’t allowed within the park.

General Creek Campground has about 100 campsites with an additional 10 group campsites. If you’d like to rent an RV or trailer to be delivered from your campsite, you must rent through Tahoe RV Rentals.

Campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at General Creek Campground.

Dog-Friendly US Forest Service Campgrounds at Lake Tahoe

The majority of land around Lake Tahoe is managed by the US Forest Service in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Note that these dog-friendly campgrounds limit you to 2 pets per campsite, and that dogs aren’t permitted on the beaches.

Fallen Leaf Campground

Fallen Leaf Campground is located at the south end of Lake Tahoe. It’s situated between Lake Tahoe and the much smaller Fallen Leaf Lake.

Note that while pets are permitted at all tent and RV sites, they’re not allowed at the campground’s yurts.

Although Fall Leaf has 206 campsites (including the 6 yurts), it’s a popular campground that tends to fill quickly.

Campsites can be reserved 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Fallen Leaf Campground.

Meeks Bay Campground

Meeks Bay Campground is on the western shore of Lake Tahoe. It’s about 5 minutes south of Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park (see the description for General Creek Campground above).

This campground is a bit more remote of an option as it’s situated between two state parks. The nearest town, South Lake Tahoe, is 10 miles away.

However, this remoteness does not necessarily mean the campsites offer privacy. All of the campsites are close together.

Meeks Bay Campground can accommodate both tent and RV camping.

Campsites can be reserved 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Meeks Bay Campground.

William Kent Campground

William Kent Campground is along Lake Tahoe’s western shore, 2 miles south of Tahoe City, CA.

It’s about a 15 to 30 minute drive away to dog-friendly beaches in North Tahoe.

This campground has 80 sites and is suitable for tents and RVs.

Campsites can be reserved 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at William Kent Campground.

Nevada Beach Campground

Nevada Beach Campground is on the southern end of Lake Tahoe’s eastern shore in Zephyr Cove, NV.

The campground has about 50 campsites which can accommodate tents and RVs. Many of these dog-friendly campsites offer a view of Lake Tahoe.

Campsites can be reserved 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Nevada Beach Campground.

Kaspian Campground

Kaspian Campground is about mid-way along Lake Tahoe’s western shore.

It’s by far the smallest campground on this list, with 3 accessible campsites and another 6 walk-in campsites. The only camping equipment allowed is tents.

Campsites can be reserved 6 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Kaspian Campground.

Dog-Friendly RV Parks at Lake Tahoe

If you’re looking to stay at an RV Park, check out one of these campgrounds for your dog-friendly camping trip to Lake Tahoe.

Tahoe Valley Campground

Tahoe Valley Campground is an RV Park in South Lake Tahoe. It’s a few minutes’ drive away from the lake.

The RV Park doesn’t allow pets in cabin or cottage rentals, but otherwise all campsites are dog-friendly. There is also a small dog-walking area near the Area E campsites. Read more on the campground’s pet policies here.

For a pet-friendly day on the lake, check out nearby Kiva Beach (full pet policy here).

Tahoe Valley has both full- and partial-hookup RV sites as well as tent sites.

Click here to make a reservation at Tahoe Valley Campground.

Zephyr Cove RV Park & Campground

Zephyr Cove RV Park & Campground is about 15 minutes north of South Lake Tahoe in Zephyr Cove, NV.

Dogs are allowed at the north beach of Zephyr Cove, but not on the south beach of Zephyr Cove Resort. Read the campground’s full pet policy here.

This RV Park has almost 100 RV sites which can accommodate rigs up to 40 feet. Additionally, the campground has 57 tent sites.

Click here to reserve a campsite at Zephyr Cove RV Park & Campground.

More Dog-Friendly Campgrounds at Lake Tahoe

Here are two more dog-friendly camping options at Lake Tahoe that don’t fall under any of the previous categories.

Camp Shelly

Camp Shelly is managed by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District. It’s located at the southern end of Lake Tahoe.

Dogs at Camp Shelly must be on leashes and cannot be left unattended.

This campground is not right on Lake Tahoe’s shore, but it’s not too far of a drive to dog-friendly Kiva Beach (full pet policy here).

Camp Shelly is one of the smaller campgrounds with 25 sites. Some of the sites are large enough for boats, tent trailers, and motor homes, while a few sites can accommodate vehicles or trailers up to 24 feet long and 10 feet high.

Campsites cannot be reserved online. To make a reservation at Camp Shelly, call LARPD at (925) 373-5700 on weekdays between 9 am – 5 pm.

City of Lake Tahoe Campground

City of Lake Tahoe Campground is in South Lake Tahoe, CA.

Up to 3 dogs are allowed per campsite. Read more about the campground’s pet policy on their FAQs.

Click here to reserve a campsite at City of Lake Tahoe Campground.

Interested in more places to camp in California? Here are more camping articles to check out:

As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.