Tahoe National Forest horse camping

Where can I camp with horses in the Tahoe National Forest?

• Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp

  11 horse sites ^[1] · status: Site Closed ^[2] (USDA Forest Service) · season: August 1 – October 13 ^[3]

• Packsaddle

  season: June 13 – October 15 ^[4]

• Skillman

  5 horse sites ^[5] · status: Site Closed ^[6] (USDA Forest Service) · season: May 22 – September 30 ^[7]

Horse camps named on agency pages (no camp page yet)

• Robinson Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service

  Sites

  7 family sites and 7 equestrian sites ^[8]

  Horse-trailer parking

  No (“The road to the campground is narrow and winding so trailers are not recommended.”) ^[8]

  Water

  Hand pump well nearby; the page also states potable water is not available at this site ^[8]

  Note

  This campground is located on the Western States Trail. ^[8]

Where do I park a horse trailer in the Tahoe National Forest?

Horse trailheads and stock facilities named by the USDA Forest Service

• Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp

  Equestrian sites with picnic tables, fire rings, hitching racks ^[2] · Shared horse corral ^[2] · No potable water ^[2] · $24 per site, $5 extra vehicle ^[2]

• Skillman Campground

  Along Hwy 20; open to equestrians, mountain bikers, OHV ^[6] · Corrals in sites 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 15; troughs in sites 2, 15 and between 3 and 4 ^[6] · Water is for horses and non-potable ^[6] · Pioneer Trail adjacent ^[6] · Group site $110 per night ^[6]

• Gold Country Trailhead

  Equestrian staging area for the Pioneer Trail and other Lone Grave trails ^[9] · Off Conservation Rd near CA-20 ^[9] · Passenger-vehicle parking before the staging area ^[9] · No potable water ^[9]

• Talbot Campground equestrian trailhead

  Hitching posts outside campground ^[10] · No horses inside campground ^[10] · No potable water ^[10]

From the agency's own horse and stock pages. Trailer space is only what each note says.

Named by the USDA Forest Service

• Little Lasier Pacific Crest Trail Access

  description: “This trailhead provides access to the PCT via Lasier Meadow PCT Tie Trail, a steep, one mile trail used mainly by equestrians.” ^[11] · description: “It shares a vault toilet with Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp.” ^[11] · Directions ^[11]

• Loney Meadows Trailhead

  description: “This trail is open to hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.” ^[12] · description: “Primarily used for horseback riding and hiking.” ^[12] · Directions ^[12]

• Mumford Bar Trailhead

  description: “The trailhead at Mumford Bar is a small equestrian friendly campground located 17 miles northeast of Foresthill on Foresthill Divide Road.” ^[13] · description: “It offers hiking, mountain biking, or equestrian access to the North Fork of the American River.” ^[13] · Directions ^[13]

• Wild Plum PCT Trailhead

  description: “The trail is open for the following uses: Hiking, equestrian” ^[14] · Directions ^[14]

Horse staging, trailheads and entrances from the agencies' own map data. A trailer count appears only where the agency publishes one; a quoted lot note is the agency's wording. Parked a trailer here? Add it in Ride

Which Tahoe National Forest trails allow horses?

USDA Forest Service

388 trails, 1015.4 mapped mi ^[15]

• Western States

  68.1 mapped mi ^[16] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Pioneer

  25.7 mapped mi ^[17] · horse season: 01/01-12/31 · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Tevis Cup

  19.9 mapped mi ^[18] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Humbug (Loop 5)

  19.8 mapped mi ^[19] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Cal-Ida Mc

  17.2 mapped mi ^[20] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• North Yuba

  15.9 mapped mi ^[21] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Main Bear Valley OHV Loop

  15.7 mapped mi ^[22] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Codfish (Loop 6)

  15.3 mapped mi ^[23] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Overland Emigrant Trail

  14.6 mapped mi ^[24] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

• Bullards

  13.9 mapped mi ^[25] · surface: native material · horses allowed per USDA Forest Service

Plus 378 more named horse-legal trails in the same data, not listed here.

OpenStreetMap

26 trails, 113.1 mapped mi ^[26]

• Pacific Crest Trail

  42.4 mapped mi ^[27] · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Pioneer Trail

  9.9 mapped mi ^[28] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• South Yuba Trail

  6.7 mapped mi ^[29] · surface: dirt, ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Last Chance Motorcycle Trail

  5.9 mapped mi ^[30] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Warren Lake Trail

  5.8 mapped mi ^[31] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Grouse Ridge Trail

  5.1 mapped mi ^[32] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Missouri Bar Trail

  3.7 mapped mi ^[33] · surface: dirt · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Omega Overlook Motorcycle Trail

  3.5 mapped mi ^[34] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Scotts Flat Trail

  3.4 mapped mi ^[35] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

• Rim Trail

  3.1 mapped mi ^[36] · surface: ground · horses allowed per OpenStreetMap contributors

Plus 16 more named horse-legal trails in the same data, not listed here.

Trails the USDA Forest Service manages in the Tahoe National Forest and marks open to horses, plus trails OpenStreetMap marks as horse-legal near the horse camps. Mileage is the mapped length of segments with that name.

Is the Tahoe National Forest open to horses right now?

• Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp: status Site Closed ^[2] (USDA Forest Service) · season August 1 – October 13 ^[3]
• Packsaddle: season June 13 – October 15 ^[4]
• Skillman: status Site Closed ^[6] (USDA Forest Service) · season May 22 – September 30 ^[7]

• Little Lasier Meadow season of use: August 1 to October 13. ^[2]
• Skillman season of use: May 22 to October 15; normally operates Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. ^[6]

As of October 25, 2026. Check with the agency before you haul: seasons move with snow and fire.

What are the horse rules in the Tahoe National Forest?

Official horse info: Tahoe National Forest | Horse Riding and Camping ^[37]

• Riders must ensure their horse has been tested for Equine Infectious Anemia and carry current written proof of a negative Coggins test, shown on request. ^[37]
• "Horses are not permitted in developed areas (campgrounds and picnic areas) unless specifically stated." ^[37]
• Food storage orders apply to horse camping too. Horses have right-of-way on multiple-use trails; riders control their horse at all times. ^[37]
• Little Lasier Meadow: bears frequent the area; all food in approved containers. ^[2]
• Talbot Campground: equestrian trailhead with hitching posts outside the campground; no horses inside the campground. ^[10]

Is there water for horses in the Tahoe National Forest?

Water for horses at trailheads: Not published by the USDA Forest Service. Ridden here? Add it in Ride

• Robinson Flat Campground: Hand pump well nearby; the page also states potable water is not available at this site ^[8]

Ridden here?

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What other horse campgrounds are near the Tahoe National Forest?

• Horse Campground (Little Grass Valley) · 28.4 mi away · Plumas National Forest

• Loon Lake · 36.5 mi away · Eldorado National Forest

• Dru Barner Campground · 39.9 mi away · Eldorado National Forest

• Tells Creek Equestrian Camp · 40.2 mi away · Eldorado National Forest

More horse trails in California

Sources

1. Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233130, fetched October 25, 2026
2. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/little-lasier-meadow-horse-camp, read and verified by hand October 16, 2026
3. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/tahoe/recarea/?recid=55550, fetched October 25, 2026
4. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/packsaddle-campground, read and verified by hand October 24, 2026
5. Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234591, fetched October 25, 2026
6. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/skillman-campground, read and verified by hand October 16, 2026
7. Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234591?tab=seasons, read and verified by hand October 16, 2026
8. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/robinson-flat-campground, read and verified by hand October 24, 2026
9. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/gold-country-trailhead, read and verified by hand October 16, 2026
10. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/talbot-campground, read and verified by hand October 16, 2026
11. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0/query?where=site_cn%3D'5333.004481'&outFields=*&f=html, fetched October 25, 2026
12. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0/query?where=site_cn%3D'5604.004481'&outFields=*&f=html, fetched October 25, 2026
13. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0/query?where=site_cn%3D'5323.004481'&outFields=*&f=html, fetched October 25, 2026
14. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_InfraRecreationSites_01/MapServer/0/query?where=site_cn%3D'5321.004481'&outFields=*&f=html, fetched October 25, 2026
15. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0, fetched October 25, 2026
16. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10551963&outFields=*&f=html
17. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10582433&outFields=*&f=html
18. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10582021&outFields=*&f=html
19. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10552261&outFields=*&f=html
20. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10559720&outFields=*&f=html
21. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10590344&outFields=*&f=html
22. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10579465&outFields=*&f=html
23. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10552242&outFields=*&f=html
24. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10559741&outFields=*&f=html
25. USDA Forest Service: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/arcx/rest/services/EDW/EDW_TrailNFSPublish_01/MapServer/0/query?where=objectid%3D10591996&outFields=*&f=html
26. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/, fetched October 25, 2026
27. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1331487324
28. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1225090580
29. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1540372316
30. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1078703837
31. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/303846617
32. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/245009218
33. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/10463861
34. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1226580904
35. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/279383425
36. OpenStreetMap contributors: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/118665741
37. USDA Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/opportunities/horse-riding-and-camping, read and verified by hand October 16, 2026