Meadowview Campground

Pinecrest Lake

Pinecrest Lake, Stanislaus National Forest, California
Pinecrest Lake, Stanislaus National Forest, California

Meadowview Campground

Pinecrest Lake


Meadowview Campground

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Meadowview Campground, less than a mile from Pinecrest Lake, is the choice of many who prefer to camp away the busy Pinecrest Campground. Meadowview offers a relaxed forest setting with nice amenities and a convenient paved bike/walking path that connects Meadowview with Pinecrest Campground and the lakeside facilities.

Pinecrest Lake

The Day Use Area at Pinecrest Lake wraps around the western end of lake shoreline including an open forested area with picnic tables, a sandy beach, an amphitheater, and a fishing pier. Families spread their towels on the sand and set up beach chairs for pleasant hours beside the water. A designated swim area is the perfect spot for wading, swimming, and floating in tubes. Nearby is a marina with boat rentals. And a short walk the other way is the fishing pier, a safe place for children to cast their lines. Since water skiing and jet skis are not allowed on the lake, the calm water is perfect for kayakers and standup paddleboarders. A popular hiking trail is the 4-mile circuit around the lake.

Meadowview Campground -RV and Tent Camping

Meadowview Campground features 100 campsites for RV camping and tent camping. Each campsite has a picnic table and metal stove/fire pit. All roads and parking pads are paved. Restrooms have flush toilets and sinks. Reservations will soon be required for campsites in the 300-400 loop through Recreation.gov.

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Pinecrest Lake Businesses

The shops in Pinecrest's little business district provide basic services for campground visitors. A grocery store is well-stocked with food and other necessities. Next door is a post office and then the Pinecrest Sports Shop and the Steam Donkey Restaurant. Close by are the Pinecrest Art Gallery, a bicycle rental kiosk, and the Pinecrest Lake Resort. A snack bar is at the beach.


Amphitheater

The Amphitheater, located in the Day Use Area, is the venue for a number of popular events. During the summer months, outdoor movies are shown several nights per week, with a continuously updated schedule of current movies appropriate for childen of various ages.

Ranger programs appropriate for all ages are presented once a week in the evenings and activities aimed at children during the day. Church services are offered on Sundays.


Dodge Ridge Summer Activities

Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort offers a variety of activities during the summer. Keeping up with their offerings on the website is the best way to know what is happening up the road: Dodge Ridge Summer Activities. Among their activities are mountain biking, scenic chair lift rides, a disc golf course, and yoga classes. You can always relax at Base Camp bar and grill. Dodge Ridge is only 4 miles from Pinecrest Campground.



Campground Basics
Meadowview Campground Location: Off Highway 108, 30 miles east of Sonora
Elevation: 5,700 feet
Miles/Driving time: Stockton - 93 miles, 1:52
Camping Season: Open May through October, weather permitting
Number of Sites: 100
Max. People per Site: 6 (including children)
Vehicles per Site: 2, fee per night for un-towed 2nd vehicle
Maximum Length of Stay: 14 days
Pets: On leash, always attended
Operated by Dodge Ridge Corporation for the Stanislaus National Forest
Summit District Ranger Station: (209) 965 3434

Reservations
Reservations: Meadowview Campground reservations will be required for the 2025 season for campsites in Loops 300-400. Other campsites in loops 100-200 will be available first-come, first-served.
Maximum Vehicle Length: 22 feet
Accessible Sites: None designated
Fees: $34 per night (cash 0nly)
Reservations: Meadowview Campground Reservations
Coming for summer 2025, check back if not yet available.
Check-in, check-out: Check-in: 2:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Meadowview Campground Amenities
Campsites: Picnic table, fire ring
Campground: Restrooms with flush toilets, tap water; no hook-ups
Showers: No
Dump Station: Nearby at Pinecrest Dump off Highway 108
Attractions near Meadowview Campground:
  • Enjoy Pinecrest Lake boating, swimming, fishing, and hiking.
  • Head down to Strawberry for more fishing.
  • Beardsley Reservoir features swim beach and a boat ramp.
  • Twain Harte is close enough to visit for dinner.
  • Drive up the highway and explore Sonora Pass and Kennedy Meadows.
  • Head up to nearby Aspen Meadow Pack Station for trail rides.
  • Hike into the Emigrant Wilderness.
  • Drive up to Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort for summer fun - mountain biking, disc golf and more.

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Updates Last Updated March 2025







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Key Meadowview Campground Regulations

  1. Avoid the spread of invasive insects by obtaining firewood locally.
  2. Dogs should be on leash and attended at all times.
  3. There is a limit of 3 tents or 1 RV or trailer per site.
  4. A maximum of 2 licensed vehicles (includes trailers of all kinds) may be parked at each campsite.
  5. Quiet Hours are from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
  6. Generator use is limited to 3 hours per day and only between the hours of 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
  7. Filling of RV water tanks in the campground is prohibited.

    Check Stanislaus National Forest - Meadowview Campground for any campground updates.


Meadowview Campground map.

Campsite at Meadowview Campground, Pinecrest Lake, Stanislaus National Forest, CA

Meadowview Campground

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Reviews from Previous Campers

2019 - 2024

  • Clean restrooms, well supplied, trash emptied regularly.
  • Sites are more spacious than at Pinecrest Campground.
  • Quieter, not so busy as neighboring campground.
  • Loop A has the largest campsites, easiest for larger rigs.
  • Very family friendly.

Stanislaus National Forest Attractions

Travelers to the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County have a wide range of interesting places to visit. Campers at Meadowview Campground can walk or bicycle to Pinecrest Lake.

  • Saddle up for a trail ride at Kennedy Meadows or Aspen Meadows Pack Stations.

  • Find excellent fishing in the Stanislaus River, Pinecrest Lake, Lyons Reservoir, and Beardsley Reservoir.

  • At Twain Harte enjoy weekly, outdoor summer concerts along with good restaurants and shops.

  • Kennedy Meadows offers lodging, a pack station, a restaurant, and outstanding fishing.

  • Explore the OHV routes at Niagara Creek and other locations.

  • Visit nearby geologic wonders such as Columns of the Giants and Trail of the Gargoyles.

  • Stop at scenic overlooks at Donnell Vista and farther up Sonora Pass.

Nearby Campgrounds

Pinecrest Lake

Stanislaus National Forest


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General Camping Information

Opening and closing dates of campgrounds are only estimates, usually dependent on weather conditions. Not all campsites can accommodate trailers or RVs of all lengths. If using a reservation website, check to be sure your vehicles will fit in the parking space for your campsite.

In order to prevent the spread of invasive insects, obtain firewood locally.

Accessible Sites

Designated Accessible sites are usually reserved for people with disabilities who have a vehicle displaying an accessible parking placard or license plate