Martis Camp
Martis Camp: The Insider's Guide to Tahoe's Most Exclusive Community (2026)
- July 4, 2026
- By Murat Gocmen
Martis Camp shows up in plenty of searches from people who’ve heard the name attached to eye-watering home prices, a private golf course, and a level of privacy that borders on mysterious, but most of what turns up online is real estate marketing dressed up as an article.
Separating the facts from the sales pitch clears most of that up fast. Martis Camp is a real, 2,177-acre private community in the Martis Valley between Truckee, CA, and Lake Tahoe, built around a Tom Fazio golf course, a private beach club, and ski-in access to Northstar California Resort. While buying in costs millions, the surrounding area is very much open to anyone renting nearby for a week.
What is Martis Camp?
Martis Camp is a private residential community and club spanning 2,177 acres in North Lake Tahoe, built around four-season recreation rather than a single draw like skiing or golf alone.
Martis Camp Club, the membership organization tied to the community, opened in 2006 and now serves as the social and recreational hub for the roughly 650 to 670 homesites spread across the property. Forbes has named it among the strongest candidates for the best four-season private community in the country, a reputation built less on any single amenity than on the sheer breadth of what’s available across all twelve months.
What sets Martis Camp apart from a typical gated golf community is the sheer range of amenities packed into one membership: a championship golf course, a private beach on Lake Tahoe, direct ski access to a major resort, and family-focused facilities that read more like a small resort than a homeowners association. That combination is exactly why Martis Camp shows up so often in conversations about the most exclusive communities in the country, and why search interest in the name spans curious browsers, prospective buyers, and travelers alike.
Where is Martis Camp located?
Martis Camp sits in the Martis Valley, the stretch of land between Truckee, CA, and the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, accessed primarily via Highway 267. The drive from Lake Tahoe takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes, and Truckee, CA itself sits just a few miles away, making the community convenient to both the lake and the historic railroad town without sitting directly in either.
That location matters as much as the amenities themselves. Martis Camp backs directly up to Northstar California Resort, which is what makes the private ski lift connection possible, and the broader Martis Valley has become one of the most concentrated stretches of high end gated communities in the entire Tahoe region as a result of that proximity to both a major ski resort and the lake.
Martis Camp
History of Martis Camp
Martis Camp Club opened in 2006, with the Tom Fazio designed 18-hole championship golf course following in 2008. The community was developed by DMB Development (DMB Associates), an Arizona based real estate firm founded in 1984 by Drew Brown
Mark Sklar, and Bennett Dorrance, with a track record of master planned luxury communities across the Southwest and beyond. Despite some confusion online, Martis Camp was not developed by Discovery Land Company, a separate luxury community developer founded in 1994 and known for projects like The Estancia Club in Scottsdale; DMB Development is the actual firm behind Martis Camp’s planning and construction.
The course quickly earned a national reputation, hosting the USGA U.S. Junior Amateur Championship just a few years after opening, and the bunkers have since been redone using the same Augusta White Sand found at Augusta National. Golf Digest has gone as far as naming Martis Camp’s clubhouse among the greatest in America, and one golf writer described the overall property as something closer to a private, gated national park than a conventional country club. All of the original developer-sold homesites were fully sold out by 2017, which means every purchase in Martis Camp today happens on the resale market rather than directly from the original development.
Martis Camp Amenities
Membership unlocks a noticeably wide range of amenities, more in line with a small luxury resort than a typical homeowners club.
Golf course: An 18-hole Tom Fazio championship course that opened in 2008, recently renovated with Augusta White Sand bunkers, plus a separate 18-hole putting park designed by Dick Bailey.
Beach Shack: A private beach club built on the former Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort property, with 3.2 acres and over 275 feet of Lake Tahoe lakefront, plus a 40 foot yacht available for charter.
Lookout Lodge: A members-only ski lodge with direct chairlift access to Northstar California Resort in winter and the Aerial Adventure Park in summer.
Camp Lodge: A roughly 50,000 square foot clubhouse with fine dining, a spa, fitness center, and an outdoor lap pool with soaking tubs.
Family Barn: A multi-generational amenity building with bowling lanes, a movie theater, an indoor basketball court, an art studio, and a soda fountain.
Trails, courts, and the Lost Library: 26 miles of private trails for hiking and snowshoeing, tennis and pickleball courts, a stocked fly fishing pond, and a hidden reading cabin called the Lost Library tucked along the trail system.
Martis Camp Real Estate: Home Prices and Lot Prices 2026
Home Prices in Martis Camp
Finished homes in Martis Camp typically sell for 5 million to 18 million dollars or more heading into 2026, with several sales above 15 million recorded in 2025. That range reflects the mix of architectural styles, lot sizes, and proximity to the golf course and ski lifts.
Vacant Homesite Pricing
Vacant homesites have sold exclusively on the resale market since the original developer sold out by 2017, with current prices running between 1.9 million and 4.9 million dollars. Size, view quality, and proximity to the golf course or trail network all factor into where a lot lands.
Conveyance Fee and Architectural Standards
Every sale, whether a finished home or a raw lot, carries a 1 percent conveyance fee on top of the purchase price. New construction must also clear the Architectural Review Committee, which requires homes of at least 3,250 square feet built near a $1,000 per square foot standard.
Ticket Type
Ticket Type
Ticket Type
Single-day adult ticket (window rate)
Up to $279 on busy weekends, often less
One off ski days
Ikon Pass (full)
$1,399 ($1,349 with renewal)
Skiing 5+ days, multiple resorts
Ikon Base Pass
$949
Lower cost, some blackout dates
Ikon Session Pass
$299
A handful of preset days
Buying Here as an Investment
These standards help explain why even modest-looking homes here carry seven-figure price tags, since the architectural rules alone push construction costs well past a typical vacation property. Anyone evaluating a purchase as an investment should read the vacation rental valuation guide first, since the numbers work differently.
Martis Camp Club Membership: Cost and Benefits
Owning a home in Martis Camp doesn’t automatically include club access. Membership comes in separate tiers, each with its own costs, and current figures are worth confirming with the club office before factoring them into a purchase decision.
1
HOA Dues and Social Membership: Every owner pays HOA dues of roughly 1,500 to 1,800 dollars per quarter regardless of club membership. Actually, using the Camp Lodge, Family Barn, golf course, or Beach Shack requires a separate Social Membership, which for 2026 runs an estimated 225,000-dollar transfer fee plus around 32,000 dollars in annual dues.
2
Golf Membership Costs: Golf access costs even more and comes with real scarcity built in. A separate Golf Membership is capped at 375 members, with a waitlist that can run several years, and an initiation fee that has climbed toward 300,000 dollars in recent sales, plus annual golf dues in the 45,000-dollar range.
Can Non-Members Visit Martis Camp?
Martis Camp is a private, gated community, and the short answer is no, not casually. There’s no public tour program, no walk-up access at the gatehouse, and no way to use the golf course, Beach Shack, or Camp Lodge without either owning property or being hosted by someone who does. Even driving past the entrance off Highway 267 makes the point clear, with a staffed gatehouse and signage that leaves little ambiguity about who the road beyond it is for.
The most realistic way to see the inside of Martis Camp without owning there is touring a listing with Martis Camp Realty or a buyer’s agent, since active listings typically include a private home tour. Short of that, the community’s amenities, trails, and beach club stay reserved for members, owners, and their guests, which is part of what keeps the experience feeling exclusive rather than crowded, even with 650-plus homesites spread across more than 2,100 acres.
Famous Martis Camp Residents
Martis Camp has developed a reputation for attracting high-net-worth families, technology and business executives, professional athletes, and entertainment industry figures, drawn by the combination of privacy, ski access, and family-oriented amenities. Naming specific residents isn't something worth doing here, and that's by design rather than an oversight: publicly tying a private individual's name to their home community raises real privacy and safety concerns, regardless of how often a name circulates in real estate gossip.
That discretion is actually part of Martis Camp's appeal rather than a footnote. The community doesn't publish resident directories, the gatehouse doesn't confirm who lives where, and conversations with current owners and longtime real estate agents in the area consistently describe privacy as one of the main reasons high-profile families choose Martis Camp over more publicized communities elsewhere in the country.
Living Near Martis Camp without Buying in (Vacation Rentals in Truckee + Northstar Area)
Martis Camp’s Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions strictly prohibit short-term rentals of less than 30 days, which means there’s no way to actually book a stay inside the gates even for a single night. That restriction is exactly why the surrounding area matters so much for anyone who wants a taste of the Martis Valley lifestyle without the multi-million-dollar buy-in.
Truckee, CA, just a few miles from the gates, offers a genuinely different and far more accessible way to experience the same mountains and the same proximity to Northstar California Resort, and Truckee vacation rentals put guests close enough to drive past Martis Camp’s entrance on the way to dinner. For travelers who want a club-style, gated experience without Martis Camp’s price tag, the Tahoe Donner area (alternative) is one of the few nearby communities that actually allows short-term rentals, giving visitors a taste of gated mountain living without violating anyone’s CC&Rs. Anyone considering luxury North Tahoe rentals more broadly will find that proximity to Martis Camp and Northstar consistently commands a premium, even without the membership fees attached. MG Vacation Rentals manages several properties in exactly this stretch of the valley for travelers chasing that proximity.
Martis Camp vs Other Tahoe Communities
Lahontan, another gated golf community in the Martis Valley, draws the most direct comparisons to Martis Camp, trading some of the family amenities and beach club for a quieter, more golf-focused atmosphere and noticeably more land per dollar. Tahoe Donner sits at the opposite end of the spectrum, with no separate club membership, a roughly $3,300 annual HOA fee, and one of the only CC&Rs in the area that actually permits short-term rentals, which makes it worth a look for buyers thinking about rental income rather than pure exclusivity.
For anyone treating a North Tahoe purchase as an investment rather than a personal retreat, the math looks completely different depending on which of these communities is in play, and the North Lake Tahoe investment breakdown covers how rental restrictions like the ones at Martis Camp and Lahontan factor into that decision.
Community
Home Price Range
Membership Style
Short-Term Rentals
Martis Camp
$5M to $18M+
Social or Golf, $225K+ initiation
Prohibited
Lahontan
$3.5M to $9M
Lower cost, golf focused
Prohibited
Tahoe Donner
Under $1M to low $1M+
HOA only, no club
Allowed
Northstar
Varies widely
Resort access, no six figure initiation
Allowed
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to buy in Martis Camp?
Homes in Martis Camp typically sell for $5 million to $18 million or more, with several sales above $15 million in 2025, while vacant homesites on the resale market run roughly $1.9 million to $4.9 million. Every sale also carries a 1 percent conveyance fee, and most buyers add a separate club membership cost on top of the purchase price.
Is Martis Camp open to the public?
No, Martis Camp is a private, gated community with no public access. There’s no walk-up entry at the gatehouse and no general tour program, so the golf course, Beach Shack, and other amenities stay reserved for property owners, club members, and their invited guests rather than the general public.
How much is Martis Camp Club membership?
A Social Membership, the minimum needed for amenity access, runs an estimated $225,000 transfer fee plus roughly $32,000 in annual dues for 2026. A separate Golf Membership costs significantly more, with initiation fees approaching $300,000 and annual dues near $45,000, and figures should be confirmed directly with the club since they shift year to year.
Where is Martis Camp located?
Martis Camp is located in the Martis Valley between Truckee CA and the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, accessed via Highway 267. The community sits adjacent to Northstar California Resort, roughly 15 to 20 minutes from the lake itself and just a few miles from downtown Truckee.
Can I visit Martis Camp without being a member?
Generally, no. Martis Camp doesn’t offer public tours or walk-up access, so visiting typically requires either touring an active real estate listing with an agent or being hosted by a current owner. Outside of those two scenarios, the community’s gates, trails, golf course, and beach club stay closed to non-members.
Who lives in Martis Camp?
Martis Camp is home to high-net-worth families, business and technology executives, professional athletes, and entertainment industry figures, drawn largely by the privacy and family-oriented amenities. Specific resident names aren’t published by the community or covered here out of respect for residents’ privacy, which is itself a notable part of the community’s culture.
Is Martis Camp connected to Northstar?
Yes, Martis Camp connects directly to Northstar California Resort through the private Martis Camp Express Chairlift, giving members ski-in access from the community’s own Lookout Lodge. The same lift system provides access to the Aerial Adventure Park during summer months, extending the connection beyond just the ski season.
How do you become a Martis Camp member?
Club membership requires owning property within Martis Camp first, since outside buyers can’t join independently of a home purchase. Once a sale closes, new owners apply separately for a Social or Golf Membership through the club, with golf membership additionally subject to a 375-member cap and a waitlist that can run several years.
Founder, MG Vacation Rentals Tahoe
Founder of MG Vacation Rentals Tahoe. Locally based in Incline Village, personally hosts 38 vacation homes across Lake Tahoe. Ten plus years welcoming guests to the North Shore.
Plan a 2026 Trip Near Martis Camp
Martis Camp itself will stay off limits to almost everyone who isn’t buying in at a multi-million-dollar price point, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. What’s very much within reach is the Martis Valley and Truckee area surrounding it, with the same mountains, the same proximity to Northstar California Resort, and a much lower barrier to entry. MG Vacation Rentals manages properties throughout the area for travelers who want a taste of that North Tahoe lifestyle for a 2026 trip without the club initiation fee.
