Middle Meadows Group Campground
Georgetown, California · Eldorado National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- creek
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Middle Meadows Group Campground
Middle Meadows Group Campground is a U.S. Forest Service group camping area in Eldorado National Forest near Georgetown, California, with a designated swimming hole on the South Fork of Long Canyon Creek about a quarter mile from the campsites. The area has a primitive, undiscovered feel and is reached via a long forest-road drive from Georgetown.
The campground sits in a heavily wooded stretch of Eldorado National Forest along the South Fork of Long Canyon Creek, described by the managing agency as offering a quiet, primitive, undiscovered feel away from crowds.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Sacramento: take I-80 east to Auburn, exit at Elm Street to Highway 49, follow Highway 49 to Cool, then Highway 193 toward Georgetown, continuing on 11 Pines Road/Forest Highway 2 for roughly 25 additional miles to reach Middle Meadows; the swimming hole is about a quarter mile west of the campground.
The hike in
- To the water
- about 0.25 mi one-way from the campground
Recreation.gov states the swimming hole is located about a quarter mile west of the campground, but no named trail, trailhead, or difficulty/time details could be found in any indexed source; this appears to be an informal, unmarked route through the forest rather than a maintained/named trail.
Plan your visit
Restrooms
Yes
Vault and portable toilets at the campground; no potable water or flush toilets on site (contamination issue), so drinking water must be brought in. Nearest potable water is at Big Meadows Campground, about 2.5 miles northeast.
On the water
No information found on watercraft use on the South Fork of Long Canyon Creek itself (a small creek, likely too shallow/narrow for boating). Hell Hole Reservoir, less than 5 miles from the campground, has a boat ramp and is used for boating and fishing per the official Recreation.gov listing, but no specific motor/no-wake restrictions could be confirmed.
Middle Meadows Group Campground: FAQ
How hard is the hike to Middle Meadows Group Campground?
A hike is required, about about 0.25 mi one-way from the campground to the water. Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
What are the rules at Middle Meadows Group Campground?
Bears frequent the area and all food must be kept in approved bear-proof containers; campfires may be prohibited during fire restrictions; off-road vehicles are prohibited in the campground; visitors are asked not to move firewood to protect forests from tree-killing pests.
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