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Gerle Creek Campground in California
Moderate to BookNational Forest

Gerle Creek Campground

Eldorado National Forest, California

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As of October 2026, Gerle Creek Campground is a campground in Eldorado National Forest, California with 33 campsites. Gerle Creek Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

  • PermitSnag checks Gerle Creek Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
  • Gerle Creek Campground is located at 38.9750ยฐ N, 120.3917ยฐ W.
people allowed on 31 of 33 sites
6
people allowed on each of the 2 largest sites
12

Gerle Creek Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Campsites at Gerle Creek Campground

  • Tent 19
  • Standard 14
  • Accessible 17

What an RV fits

  • 19 ft1 site
  • 25 ft1 site
  • 30 ft3 sites
  • 35 ft1 site
  • 45 ft1 site
  • 50 ft7 sites

Amenities

  • restrooms
  • potable water

At a glance: Setting: Forest.

Things to do: fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, photography, stargazing.

All sites at Gerle Creek Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

Every site is in the GERL loop.

SiteTypeSleepsMax RVAccess
001Standard650 ftAccessible
002Tent6-Accessible
003Tent6-Accessible
004Standard650 ftAccessible
007Standard1250 ftAccessible
008Standard625 ft-
009Standard619 ft-
010Standard630 ftAccessible
011Tent6--
012Tent6--
013Standard630 ft-
014Tent6--
015Tent6-Accessible
016Tent6--
021Tent6--
022Tent6--
023Tent6--
SiteTypeSleepsMax RVAccess
024Standard630 ft-
026Tent6--
030Tent6-Accessible
031Tent6--
032Standard650 ftAccessible
033Tent6-Accessible
034Tent6-Accessible
035Standard650 ftAccessible
038Standard1250 ftAccessible
039Standard650 ftAccessible
040Tent6-Accessible
041Tent6--
043Tent6-Accessible
044Standard645 ft-
049Tent6--
050Standard635 ftAccessible

About Gerle Creek Campground

Overview

Gerle Creek Campground is nestled on the banks of the Gerle Creek Fork among a lush forest of hardwoods. The area provides lots of opportunity for fishing and water play. Hiking and biking are also popular.

Recreation

Swimming, canoeing, kayaking and fishing are some of the fun things to do on the creek. Common fish species include brown and rainbow trout. An accessible fishing dock is located on-site.

The Gerle Creek Interpretive Trail is fully accessible and provides scenic views and interesting displays.

Facilities

The campground offers single and double-family campsites, many of which are accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets are provided and firewood is available for purchase.

Natural Features

Gerle Creek Campground sits at an elevation of 5,300 feet, upstream of Gerle Creek Divide Reservoir. It is on the Georgetown Divide within the Eldorado National Forest. Gerle Creek was named for two brothers who were early settlers and farmers in the region.

Eldorado National Forest boasts over 400 miles of hiking trails, an abundance of lakes and rivers for fishing and swimming, and incredible scenery. The climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

Nearby Attractions

Union Valley Reservoir and Loon Lake are within a short drive of the campground, offering additional fishing and boating opportunities.

Charges & Cancellations

  • Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes.
  • Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.
  • Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing reservation. Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below).
  • Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.
  • Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).

Rules and notices at Gerle Creek Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 30, 2026. Check Gerle Creek Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

Travel Notice : Starting May 2024 and continuing through September 2024, Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs. There will be traffic delays so plan your camping trip accordingly.

Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers

Forest Order No. 19-15-01: Prohibits camping for a combined total of no more than 14 days during a calendar year (January-December), forest-wide. Visitors may book campsites annually but the maximum stay may not exceed a total of 14 days each calendar year (January-December).

Motorized boats are not allowed on lake

Please keep boats clean, drained and dry, to avoid transport or introduction of aquatic invasive species

Please Note : One vehicle per single site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee

Fire Restrictions : Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.

Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (1PM) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Refunds : Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).

Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.

First Come First Serve sites remain listed as FF for the entire season. They will not show as occupied/available online as the status of these sites is ever changing. You must be on site at the campground to claim a FF site. No guarantees upon arrival that these FF sites will be avaiable.

There is a fee to move from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy

Click here for more information on Eldorado National Forest

Gerle Creek Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Gerle Creek Campground?

Gerle Creek Campground is rated "Moderate to Book" based on historical demand. With 33 sites available, you have good chances of finding availability, especially on weekdays.

How do I find last-minute availability at Gerle Creek Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Gerle Creek Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Gerle Creek Campground have?

Gerle Creek Campground has 33 campsites.

More campgrounds in Eldorado National Forest

Same forest, same drive. Set an alert on any of them alongside this one.

All 32 Eldorado National Forest campgrounds

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