Where is Hell Hole Reservoir?

Hell Hole Reservoir is a lake in Placer County, California. Its water-quality measurements are published by SWRCB and shown on this page as reported.

Are there campgrounds on Hell Hole Reservoir?

Hell Hole Reservoir has 3 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Hell Hole Campground, Big Meadows, Upper Hell Hole Cg. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.

Hell Hole Reservoir

Placer County, California1,017 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from SWRCB for this lake.

Area

1,017 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

11.4 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
Limited data

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Hell Hole Reservoir in Placer County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Surface area: 1017 acres.

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Hell Hole Reservoir is a 1,017-acre lake in Placer County, California.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Hell Hole Reservoir is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Camping3 public campgrounds nearby
Big water1,017 acres

Swimming conditions

No reading

Limited data

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hell Hole Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Hell Hole Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the California State Water Resources Control Board and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Hell Hole Reservoir

These are the measurements SWRCB publishes for Hell Hole Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data.

Ask about Hell Hole Reservoir

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Surface area

1,017 acres

Shoreline

11.4 mi

No bathymetric survey has been published for Hell Hole Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

Campgrounds

Public campgrounds near Hell Hole Reservoir

Hell Hole Campground1.3 km
Big Meadows2.2 km
Upper Hell Hole Cg3.9 km

Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Hell Hole Reservoir

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hell Hole Reservoir in Placer County, California — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Hell Hole Reservoir

Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

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Fishing Hell Hole Reservoir

→ Hell Hole Reservoir fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Hell Hole Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CAL5144501320020418144044 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Placer County

French Meadows Reservoir3.5 miView →Miller Lake11.1 miView →Palisade Lake—View →Ice Lakes—View →McKinney Lake—View →Cascade Lakes—View →

Frequently asked questions about Hell Hole Reservoir

Where is Hell Hole Reservoir?: Hell Hole Reservoir is a lake in Placer County, California. Its water-quality measurements are published by SWRCB and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hell Hole Reservoir?: Hell Hole Reservoir in Placer County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Surface area: 1017 acres.
Is Hell Hole Reservoir safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hell Hole Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Hell Hole Reservoir?: Hell Hole Reservoir has 3 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Hell Hole Campground, Big Meadows, Upper Hell Hole Cg. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.