Big Cove sits at 5,700 feet near Frenchman Lake, where the Sierra meets high desert country. Families have been returning here for over three decades, drawn to the lake access and the web of forest roads that fan out into Plumas National Forest. It's the kind of place that works as a base camp for exploring, with enough amenities to keep everyone comfortable.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Developed
- 💵Fee per Night
- Free
- 📍GPS
- 39.90194, -120.17250
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- 530-836-2575
- 🗺️Address
- CA
The Camp
The 38 sites handle both tents and RVs, with some perched overlooking Frenchman Lake's blue waters and the meadows beyond. You'll find the usual developed campground setup — flush toilets, drinking water, paved roads — plus coin-operated showers during peak season. The setting occupies that transitional zone where desert scrub grows alongside pine forest, a product of sitting between wetter western slopes and the drier country to the east.
Accessible sites are available, and there's an RV dump station at nearby Cottonwood Springs if you need it.
What to Know
Fifteen sites can be reserved during peak season; the rest operate first-come, first-served. If you snag a first-come site, you must occupy it the first night or lose it. Dispersed camping isn't allowed anywhere in the recreation area, so Big Cove or one of the other developed campgrounds is your only legal overnight option.
The drive in through Little Last Chance Canyon is part of the experience. Little Last Chance Creek carved through ancient lava flows, creating the scenic canyon that leads to the lake.
Nearby
Frenchman Lake handles the full spectrum of water activities — swimming, boating, fishing, jet skiing, paddleboarding. Little Last Chance Creek offers streamside fishing and quieter pursuits if you want a break from the lake scene. The surrounding forest opens up numerous back roads for exploration, though you'll want a map and full gas tank before heading out.
Sierra Valley, the largest valley in the Sierra Nevada, lies within reach. For supplies, the towns of Chilcoot and Loyalton provide basic services.