California’s Sierra Nevada mountains offer some of the best camping in the nation. But these days, it seems every RVer knows it. Finding secluded, private Lake Tahoe campsites for RVs can be challenging, but not if you pack a copy of Lake Tahoe Camping with Privacy by Kimberly and Patrick Wilkes.
Hot off the press and ready to show you the road to a secluded getaway, Lake Tahoe Camping with Privacy is an exceptional directory for any RVer headed to the Sierras. The Wilkes’ sent us a press copy of their latest must-have directory for RVers seeking private Lake Tahoe campsites.
If you love camping in the Golden State or plan on doing some, here’s why it’s a must-have addition to your RVing library.
A Unique Look at Private Lake Tahoe Campsites for RVs
The end of first-come-first-served campsites is happening throughout the U.S. This forces campers to make reservations without knowing much about what they’re getting.
Sure, you can consult Internet RV campground reviews to get a clearer picture of what to expect. But these reviews are subjective and full of personal bias. The Wilkes private RV camping directories offer a distinctly different perspective than any other resource. Readers enjoy a solidly objective review of potential campgrounds as well as an in-depth critique of each campsite at that location. Committing to a reservation has never been easier in the territory they cover.
What’s a “private campsite”?
Just like the Wilkes’ first book, “Eastern Sierra and Death Valley Camping with Privacy,” this latest guide fills in the gaps of campground directories on the Internet. Instead of just listing whether or not a campground has RV hookups, the Wilkes offer an impartial look at each campsite’s privacy rating factors.
This book features the most detailed information about 3,280 campsites in 82 Sierra Nevada campgrounds. It includes those operated by state, federal or public utilities. The locations include:
- Lake Tahoe
- Truckee
- Boca, Stampede, Prosser Reservoirs
- Carson Pass
- Sly Park Recreation Area
- Cosumnes River
- Bear Valley
- Highway 88
- Hope Valley
- Blue Lakes
- Markleeville
- Kyburz
- Union Valley Reservoir
- Ice House Reservoir
- Loon Lake
- Gerle Creek Reservoir
- Donner Pass, Yuba Pass
Within these beautiful regions, the Wilkes use a letter scale from A to C- to assess each campsite’s worthiness on the privacy scale. To make the best grades, the most private campsites must:
- Be far enough away from neighboring sites that are not intrusive
- Have vegetation on one or more sides to block the view of any neighbors
- Include a natural feature such as a hill or rocks that obscures the view of other sites
- Feel private and peaceful, especially compared to other sites in the campground.
You won’t get this kind of detail anywhere else
Using their boots on the ground research mode, the Wilkes share more RV rating criteria than anywhere else. They do it by personally reviewing each campsite as much as possible to include the most accurate information about what to expect, especially for RVers.
For instance, they critique and rate the privacy of each campsite’s driveway (parking pad), as well as the campsite itself. “That way you’ll know what you’re seeing when you look out the windows of your camper,” they explain.
Other important details make life easier for RVers in this new book, including what kind of camping vehicle works best for each campsite. Since they consider RVs to be any rig that measures 30-feet or longer, you will know if your rig is appropriate for the campsite.
As a bonus, the authors share recreation tips for exploring the region around each campground. Hiking trails, restaurants and stores are featured too.
Lake Tahoe Camping With Privacy is Indispensable
It seems like every day another campground review website appears on the Internet. But few, if any, include facts gathered from authors who have stood on the campsite parking pads, or assessed the scenery and privacy.
In this world of campground overcrowding, the Wilkes’ are onto something. Nowhere else can you find so many important details about a location that will make or break your precious recreation time.
To learn more about the Wilkes and Lake Tahoe Camping with Privacy, visit their website CampingWithPrivacy.com.

Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
We boondock on average about 325 days a year. We’re starting our 14th year of full timing/boondocking.
We’ve seen huge changes in the availability of our favorite boondocking places because of the advent of social media….and we’re not happy about the current trends, they’re disappointing for the future of our lifestyle for so many reasons too numerous to add here.
Be careful about sharing on social media, it’s a plague; from our experience, our favorite spots that we usually haven’t seen anyone in for many years (we love our solitude and privacy), overnight, have become just like any RV park, anywhere, from just one posting that gets duplicated many times and is out there forever…..
I’m unfamiliar with the Tahoe area. It looks like this book may review only California parks. Does it review anything on the Nevada side?