Lair of the Golden Bear

Join Us for Work Weekend!
Join us in late May and early June for Work Weekends - a behind the scenes look at the Lair and volunteer weekend to help us get our camps ready for summer.

Golden Bears in Love: Mikey Day ’10 and Stephen Saribalis ’10
Did you meet your special someone on Sproul during spring semester? In an intro biology course? Or even during move-in?

Lair Virtual Information Session Video
First-time camper? Tune in for a fun and informative glimpse at what you can expect from a Lair of the Golden Bear vacation.

Top 5 Reasons to Visit the Lair in the Non-Summer Months
By Heather JohnsonFall, winter, or spring, Cal alums and friends can stay at the Lair of the Golden Bear at any time of the year to explore nearby nature and enjoy the Lair’s different offerings.

TAAP Scholars Take on the Lair
By Josephine ThorntonOn Friday, August 26, an incoming cohort of The Achievement Award Program (TAAP) Scholars and Alumni Scholars Program staff traveled to Pinecrest for a weekend at the Lair of the Golden Bear. The result—a weekend of bonding, hikes to the lake, sunshine, and of course, s’mores.

7 Things to Know about Camping at the Lair
By Heather JohnsonIf you’re ready to take a break from your hectic day-to-day life and breathe in some cool mountain air, you’ll find everything you need at the Lair—a Cal alumni destination since 1949.

Opening Safely 2022
Learn more about our expected protocols for camping at the Lair this season.

Highly Recommended: Trip Insurance
While no one plans to cancel their vacation, sometimes unexpected events can throw a wrench in our plans! This is why we highly recommend trip insurance as a way to get reimbursed should you have to cancel.

New This Summer at the Vista Lounge
Join us on Monday nights for a pop up from Sonora Taqueria with street tacos!

2021 Reservations Information
The Lair will begin accepting reservations for summer 2022 this January!

How to Rock a Funky Story: Glynn Washington at the Lair
Washington is a longtime Lair camper and the creator, executive producer, and host of Snap Judgement, a radio show and podcast that offers a raw, immersive, and musical take on storytelling.

Stellar Explosion and Exoplanets: Alex Filippenko at the Lair
“Some stars literally explode in a titanic act of self-destruction at the end of their lives, becoming some million or billion times as powerful as the sun,” Filippenko explains. “Exploding stars are not just spectacular to look at, but they’re important for our very existence.”