Finding a campsite in California is like striking gold these days. So when I was able to snag a last minute site at Grover Hot Springs State Park up in Tahoe, I was beyond stoked. We’re not a big camping family by any means, but what’s enticing about this campsite is that it has a super cool natural hot mineral pool as well as kid-friendly (re: flat and easy) hiking trails. My family of six, with kids ranging from six to thirteen, had a fabulous time soaking in the hot spring and hiking through the forest. Two bonuses: dogs are welcome and it’s cheap!
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Grover Hot Springs Pool
You don’t have to camp to use the hot springs, but if you’re driving almost four hours to get there, you might as well plan to camp if you can. The hot soaking pool is fed by a natural hot spring deep in the ground, and is kept at 102 to 104 F; its mineral water is drained and refilled daily. Kids find this so amazing (so do I!). There’s also a cold swimming pool steps away, kept at about 68 F.
It’s a pretty chill vibe, with most people sitting in the hot pool for awhile, then dipping in the cold pool to perk up a bit, then back over to hot again. Kids are welcome, but the warm pool is mainly for hanging out and relaxing, not playing. Kids can play around in the cold pool, but no diving or crazy horseplay.
You’ll need to make reservations for the pool before arriving (though if they have spots left for a session they’ll take walk-ins). Sessions are two hours, which feels like more than enough, though you can sign-up for more than one session if you really want to relish the hot spring’s vibe.
Days OPEN: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Session Times:
- 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
- 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
- 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
- 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Pool Fees: Adults : $10, Kids (16 and under) : $5
Parking Fees: Regular: $8, Senior (62+): $7
Grover Hot Springs Camping and Hiking with Kids
If you’ve camped with kids, you know the drill. S’mores, whining hikes, dirt everywhere, lots of laughs. The campsites are standard, with fire rings, picnic tables, and bear boxes. Campsites are $35 in summer and $25 in winter. It can get chilly at night given the elevation and mountain locale. The surrounding area is full of dreamy meadows and tall pine forests. Yes, the area is still recovering from the Tamarack Fire back in 2021, but the natural rejuvenation process is in full swing.
Hot showers are operated with tokens in the summer. A token is $1 and gives 5 minutes of hot water. (No showers in the winter campground.) Firewood, ice, and shower tokens are usually available for purchase at the campground kiosk during the summer months.
There is a lovely accessible wooden pathway to begin a relatively easy 3 mile hike to a waterfall (just follow the signs for the Waterfall Trail from the parking lot). It does get a little tricky towards the waterfall part of the hike, so be prepared for that. My kids loved looking for the perfect walking stick and finding interesting rocks. It started to rain during our hike, which was also exciting. Dogs are welcome, as long as you keep them on leash.
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What to Bring
Your family is probably a much better camping family than we are. So I won’t bore you with my list (it’s not that great a list anyway; I forgot the headlamps and mis-counted the sleeping bags). But if there’s one thing I know, you can never have too many marshmallows! I’d say you should bring all that you need since the closest town, Markleeville, doesn’t have a lot by way of provisions.
Here are a few other things:
- quarters for the showers
- water (they have spigots around the camp ground, but it’s easier to have your own at the campsite)
- swim stuff for pools
- warm clothes for the night
- hammock (kids love this)
- headlamps (doh!)
- marshmallows (bring that extra bag!)
- roasting sticks (we’re pro-level S’more people)
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking to go camping with kids and want a little something extra to spice up the trip, Grover Hot Springs is the place. The hot/cold pools are super relaxing for adults and a fun novelty for kiddos. The hiking is easy and the price is right. Add on a day at the beach in Lake Tahoe (about an hour drive from the campgrounds), and you have a full long weekend. Make sure to plan ahead by reserving your site up to six months in advance. Or take a look last minute and see if you can get lucky (we did!).
