Stumpy Meadows

We had a group of 10 and stayed at sites 23, 24, and 27. There was a fire pit, picnic table, and a grill at each site. There was also a path to the water directly behind these sites. The trail was pretty easy, except for a small distance near the water, it got pretty steep. Sites 23 and 27 could fit two cars and 24 could fit one. The first car at each site is free and extra cars are $ 7. There is also overflow parking available. There is zero cell phone service here, which we enjoyed.
These sites are very small. We out one tent at site 27 and mainly used that site to hang out and cook at. We fit 3 tents at site 24 and 2 at 27. These tents were all very close together. I noticed that there were some sites that were much bigger than ours. I’d call the ranger station if you want to get better info. on which sites have more space. Some sites could hold 3 cars and were very spacious.
There were a TON of mosquitoes. You will need bug spray, citronella candles, and long sleeves to be comfortable. I would also bring calamine lotion, you will need it by the second day.
I thought the bathrooms were pretty clean as far as campsites go.
The manager on site was very friendly and helpful. We were not expecting the lack of cell phone service and many of our group arrived without knowing which campsite numbers we were at. The manager was very helpful in directing everyone to the right spot.
The lake was quiet and beautiful. There isn’t much of a beach area, but you could fit a few chairs in a row on the shore. I saw people in kayaks and stand up paddle boards in the water. We floated on tubes and it was very relaxing. Overall, I really enjoyed this campground and would definitely go again, I would just make sure I reserved one of the larger campsites next time.

Sooooo I gave it four stars. We stayed at site number seventeen, and it was large enough for 5 tents so that was good. It was beautiful and had a fire pit that had a grill ontop of it. So we didnt need to used our electric stove. The lake was nice and not freezing either. However, I have to say that our campground was a little closer than I would like and the people who where next to us were a bit too noisy. Other then that it was a great trip. The place is easy to find. Bring too buckets to wash and rinse your dishes in. OH, and also, the outhouses stink! buuuuuut its camping so its no big deal lol
I would recommend this site. But some of the sites are a bit smaller in area than others. So look at a picture of the site before you buy it. It really helps.

Just camped there with some friends and our kids. I wouldn’t normally write a review about a campground, but I really wish someone had written a review like the one I will write right now so it would have made me look elsewhere.
Pros: beautiful campground, great camp hosts with plenty of wood to sell (although $ 8 a bundle was a bit steep!), gorgeous lake with clean clear water, couldn’t ask for more perfect summer weather (days are warm, but not too warm, and the nights are very comfortable), dog friendly, and for vault toilets they were kept very clean (of course they smelled horrible, but what can you expect!).
Cons: if you bring kids and want to take a quick walk to the lake, forget about it! It is a long steep walk down to the water and there isn’t much of a beach, just a steep rocky area in front of the water. We tried to drive to a different spot for the kids, but there is so little real estate around the lake where you can sit, it was just too crowded!
I have been camping for 30 years and have been to many campgrounds, but I must say this place is a entomologists dream! I think every insect known to man can be found at this campground! Bring plenty of bug spray and be prepared to wear it from morning to night! My kids got eaten up before we knew it! We unbelievably never saw any birds or ground critters, they must have been scared off by the insects!
I don’t know who posted the pictures of the beautiful rock water falls but they a NOT at stumpy meadows camp ground (maybe they are somewhere near?) but those photos fooled me into thinking they would be at out campground!
So finally, I think we will stick to the campgrounds near Icehouse (even though I hate the windy road up and down to get there!) at least water access is much closer and if you want to avoid some of the insects just camp at a higher elevation, you trade off cooler night temps for fewer bugs! I hope this review helps any campers looking for a new place to camp!

I visited the campground (but didn’t camp overnight), just talked to the very nice campground manager. I spent the day at the day use area about a half mile or so from the campground. It was amazing. There was hardly anyone there. I walked around the shore for a while and found an irresistible spot to swim. The water here is clear, clean, and lovely blue. This was the best lake swim I’ve ever had. Better than Castle Lake near Mt. Shasta. The water isn’t super cold. I felt cleaner after that swim than I have after most good hot showers. There are a few mosquitos but they didn’t bother me much. There was some evidence of bear foraging near the shore, overturned rocks and dug up holes, but I didn’t see any bears or tracks. Fish jump around in the lake. I saw a few fisherman catch three rainbow trout very quickly from shore. There were some fantastic and unusual birds on the water and in the trees.
If you love a good open lake swim, or like to fish, or like birdwatching, Stumpy Meadows is awesome.

stumpy meadows camping was awesome! the hubby & i went up to celebrate our wedding anniversary and it was gorgeous! no internet or cell phone service so it forced us to slow down, read, hike, fish and swim! our camp site had all of the following and more. the hubby caught a rainbow trout each night to cook in addition to the food we brought and it was a nice yummy treat! we brought our dog who also enjoyed herself jumping and swimming in the lake and also loved the hiking trails. No running water for showers or plumbing for the toilet so be prepared with baby wipes and flashlights for the port-​a-​john type bathrooms! it was quite a relaxing trip and the camp caretakers were really nice as well; they sold firewood and were very friendly. had to take a trip back into georgetown (13 miles back) for ice and benedryl due to allergies…

Lake Edson was my back yard as a child so I gotta love it.
Camping here is great but I’ve never camped in the campground. Fishing is good because they stock the lake often and later in the summer months the lake can be a little empty so the shore line can be huge but I’ve never taken a boat out.
Swimming is excellent because this is a relevantly shallow reservoir so it isn’t that cold.
Hiking sucks here, go a few miles up the road to the Rubicon.
Clear cuts suck.

Wow!
What a great camping area. We went camping up here for the weekend and upon driving in (very late) the scenery was magical, there were pine on both sides of the small windy road and with the white mist in the air it was truly serene.
3 days we wached it rain, snow and get super hot… crazy weather that weekend.
Upon arrival, we checked in and the camp managers were super nice. They sell fire wood for $ 6/​bundle. 4 bundles will last you all day.
There are limited sites, so they are very spaced apart. We were bumping sublime and cheech and chonging all night and there were no complaints. Bring a hookah, highly recommended.
The lake is a nice 10 – 15 minute walk and there are many trails and fishing areas – no boats allowed which means no loud noisy engines.
It’s NOT super dusty! Thats just something I read that would have been a major disappointment.
Truly a campers campground!

The picture with the kid sliding down the waterfall is NOT at this location. It isn’t too far way though; If you want to check it out look up University Falls in Quintette. The falls are three slip –n-​slides. The water is freezing until late summer and even then it is still cold. It is a hike in location, 2.5 miles total, mostly a easy hike with a couple strips of very steep trail. This spot is popular with locals so the weekends are kinda crowded.

Once you get there you really understand why it’s called Stumpy Meadows. Theres stumps everywhere! I found it charming…
Anyways, a group of us went up for two nights, Monday-​Wednesday in mid-​August. There was a host next to the entrance but when we got there we didn’t see a check-​in sign so we just proceeded to pick a spot and dropped off the payment in the box in the front.
It was perfect weather when we came. Warm during the day and not terribly chilly at night. We ran out of kindling and small pieces of wood but there was enough sticks and wood around the campsite to keep it going. Nobody bothered us and I felt safe here. This is a great alternative to any of the more popular camping destinations like Pinecrest.
PROS:
Quiet
Cool, clean water in the reservoir
Close to University Falls
Spacious campgrounds
CONS:
Dusty
Vault toilets –_​_​_​–
Not too much room to hang out on the «beach»
No showers (not that I’d use them)
I can imagine it would be nice place to kayak since the lake is always empty and the water is always smooth. Would definitely return!

I love camping and I love California, so when I go to a campground I’ve never been to and see something like Stumpy Meadows Lake it just reminds me how beautiful California is. Funny because I never knew this place even existed and it’s simply beautiful! The lake is very clear so you can take a dip or jump in a kayak. Most people go out to fish so there a small fishing boats, but nothing really more, it’s a 5mph speed limit out there for boats.
The campground is quite small and sites are somewhat close to each other, but nothing too bothersome. Almost all sites a shaded so you can leave your EZ-​up at home! There are vault toilets here, but I will say these are the fanciest vault toilets I’ve ever seen! Remember though that they will only stay clean depending on your neighbors. The camp host comes and checks on them twice a day, so you can’t blame them.
Getting to the lake is a bit of a walk and getting to the shore is usually a pretty steep trail. I just wore my boots down and took em off once I got there.
The host I didn’t care for. She wasn’t very friendly and it seemed like she wanted to argue with us even though we told her we had no problem putting our second car in overflow.
Lastly, I think this place gets it name because there are so many stumps from cut down trees. This area is used for logging and it’s sad when you come across a big pile of brush from the loggers.

I gave this place a 4 star for a couple of reasons…
1. There isn’t any «real» beach to hang out on the lake… its better to bring a boat (and i don’t have one)
2. The forest itself it beautiful, green and lush — but — there are huge piles of dead, chopped down trees everywhere.
3. The dirt you are camping on is like flour — very fine and powdery. You WILL get dirty.
We were greeted by an old man who id’d himself as the owner, and refused to see my id or and reservation paper. He said find your spot and if you didn’t really reserve it, then the right person will be there to kick you out. lol. He pointed us in the right direction and wished us a great weekend, and we did!
Maybe we were just lucky to go the weekend we did, but it really was perfect. Nice people, great weather and total seclusion.
Depending on the campsite, some are very large, some are small… some are close to each other and some are secluded. We stayed at #33 which was tiny but secluded (which was perfect for the 2 of us).
The restrooms are clean but still smell since you don’t flush. its like a permanent port-​o-​poty built into the ground. There aren’t any showers, so bring your bathing suit for the lake!
The hike to the lake is about 8 minutes but again. not too impressed with the beach — or lack thereof. Bring a boat or kayak, CZ there’s barely anywhere to go swimming off the campground. Still fun, though, if u don’t mind that kind of thing. Also, Someone old us that Stumpy meadows reservoir is known for being able to spot bald eagles, so bring some binoculars!
I paid 45 $ for 2 days/​nights + 1 dog. All in all, totally worth it and I will definitely go again.

Funny name– Great little camp ground! We had a group of 5 at one site and it was spacious. The grounds are set up in a circle of camp sites just above the lake. Every site is different and there are Fire rings with removable grates and raised charcoal BBQ’s at each site.
All my cons are debunked with the simple argument: IT’S CAMPING!!!
Vault Toilets-​Yuck (They were in pretty good condition till day two)
No Showers– Hop in the lake
No fire wood for sale-​chop down a tree
Trail to the lake is really dusty-I’ll take it over red dirt any day
All in all we had a really nice time over Labor Day Weekend and it was nice to go to a campsite where the majority of people were actually camping rather than rolling in in their Mobile Monstrosity of a trailer or 5^th wheel.
FYI– University Falls (pictures linked above) is a short car ride and a few mile hike to get to from Stumpy Meadows Camp Ground

One word: AWESOME!
We went camping over Labor Day. The last time I camped here, I was a kid so I didn’t remember anything about it. Here are the detes:
–no off-​roading required, but the parking situation isn’t great if you have more than one car (we had two).
–Sure, some of the campsites are a little close. I’ll acknowledge that. But the actual campsites themselves are fairly large. We had two huge tents, and still had room for a big blanket in the middle of the tents to hang out on (we called it the living room — complete with coffee tables).
–Fire pits w/​rings AND free standing BBQs. Bring wood. We didn’t see any for sale by the host, and the closest place to get it (or any provision) is Georgetown (30 min)
–Trail to the lake isn’t bad at all. There are a few trails that splinter off to the right that are a bit steeper. Avoid that by staying on the main trail. It is dusty though. Prepare for brown boogers!
–The lake itself is beautiful. Clear, cold water. Thankfully, no boat noise (5mph speed limit for the whole lake). We caught (and released, thank you!) a 12″ rainbow. We didn’t spend a whole lot of time trying.
–Vault toilets (get over it, it’s better than a hole in the ground) and no showers (again, get over it! camping=stinky!)

Cons:
Dusty
The campsites were pretty close to each other and lacked privacy– but really who gives a crap! You don’t spend all day at the campsite right?
Where do you spend it… see Pros
Pros:
You go to the lake!!! The lake is quiet and the water isn’t ice cold (not in Sept). There is a speed limit on the water so you really get to enjoy a quiet time with out fools zipping around on skis and what not.
Fish! Not only are they leaping all over but people are actually catching them… from the shore no less!
Really sweet spot that does not feel overcrowded, even on a holiday weekend.
A few pointers…
Vault toilets — P.U.
No showers — but that is why you swim in the lake
Ice– you have to grab your ice in Georgetown (16miles from camp)
Wood– lots of wood to gather but you can purchase some for $ 8 from the host

Beautiful lake, lots of jumping fish (hubs and the kid are catch-​n-​release fishermen). The campground was pretty, shaded, enough privacy between neighbors. The vault toilets were impressively clean. We explored around the area and talked with a very sweet ranger (they’re all this nice, right?), went to another tiny lake (no camping here) that had just been stocked with fish, were directed to the nearest store (in georgetown) for ice.
One star from perfect because: if you drive any further up the road (past the campground turnoff) you get to see all the logged areas, some active. Very depressing. Also, vault toilets, who’s really a fan of those?
We would definitely go back.

The reservoir is one of the most perfect bodies of water I’ve had the luxury of swimming, floating, being in EVER (and I take pride in dipping in any and every body of water I come across)! So clear and quiet.
And the campground is beautiful and calm with lots of privacy…
Wonderful place. I’ll see you there, darlings!

I love this place! We usually plan our group camping trip at somewhere different every year. But this year, we opted to go to Stumpy Meadows again because it was so much fun!
Plenty of shade, weather was great in late-​July. the reservoir was a short 5 minute walk away from our site, and it was CLEAN. There’s only vault toilets there that kind of stink, but its really all you need. If you can handle mosquitos, this place is ideal!
University Falls is nearby and going there is a definite must. It’s about an hour hike there, and hour back, but the man-​made slides are worth it.

This place is awesome, and I know what I’m talking about cuz I’ve been camping since I was about 3mos old!
It’s nicely shaded, so the temperature was just right. There are hella bugs so be sure to bring your bug spray! There aren’t any showers, and the toilets are the kind where you drop the rock and wait and wait to hear it, but the campsite itself makes up for that small piece.
I was a tad worried when we were there because of a bear warning, but we didnt see any furry friends during our stay. It’s a very short walk to the water, and a short drive to the reservoir. The water is pretty clean, and there are bathrooms at the reservoir.
Also, there are a whole bunch of trails all around there, or drive a few minutes and hike to university falls. Anyhows, this place is great. This is what camping is supposed to be like!

I’ve never been to a camping ground where you could literally walk to the next site. I hardly ever see people at other campgrounds besides the people I came with. This place is pretty SMALL.
Toilets are outhouses. No showers. GROSS GROSS GROSS.
A steep walk to the lake. I had to literally climb back with my bare hands from the lake.
Guess who wakes you up??? BUSY BEES!!! They buzz around the faucets in the morning, but thank goodness I didn’t get stung by then. But got bit by mosquitoes… Bug spray with deet doesn’t work for me, I guess…
I hate camping and I always have. I don’t know why I go… this review probably isn’t the best one for this place, since I despise camping.

Okay, this place was 3 stars, just because I am not really a camping kind of person. I LOVE camping, not because of the bugs, not because of the dirtiness, not because I love coming home with dread locks. But because of the experience you get to share with people. You get to live with and get to know things about them you didnt before. And all of that nastiness is worth it.
The blue clear lake made up for most of the trip. It was hot but not dying hot, and the lake water was perfect. If you scream or yell in the middle, you can hear a real ECHO ECHO Echo echo.
The stars are also my favorite part of camping. There are SOoooo many, its beautiful.