Tranquility and peacefulness... Until the horses show up!?…read moreAlong Gold Lake Highway lies MANY hidden gems...including Gold Lake! The scenic drive there was shared with bicyclists as they road, up the mountain in the sun...It's a truly spectacular drive filled with magnificent views... Creeks, water falls, lakes, ponds, rivers...the list goes on! Pebble beaches, grassy banks and warm water were just a few of the upsides to this beautiful lake, a piece of heaven. We heard about the lake by some locals at the RV park we camped at and just had to see for ourselves. I love going on adventures to places I've never been, which is what we had to do when our campground at Stampede was full, and finding ourselves in places we had no idea even existed!! As we enjoyed the lake, a few horses and a rather fine border collie dog were led down from the nearby stables by their owner to get them used to the lake...The dog played and the horses drank. It was a neat thing to see. Taven found and chased a little garden snake which prompted an educational speech by daddy about snakes, their dangers and their wonders... It was a great time!

Goose Lake campground is a small Forest Service campground located on the Gold Lake Highway just…read moresouth of the more well-known Gold Lake campground. It is often simply used as overflow for the latter. However, although much smaller than Gold Lake, it is no less beautiful, and the lack of motorized watercraft give it a quieter, more serene appearance. Not camping at the time, we were simply looking for a nice lake to have a picnic by that was accessible by car. In the Lakes Basin area, in spite of what everyone says, this is no mean feat. The forest service seems to assume that the great majority of users have four-wheel-drive vehicles anyway, so no sense wasting money fixing the multitude of hazardous potholes on seemingly every access road. At this campground, we took one look at the dirt campground road and its giant potholes, and aborted an attempt to drive in. Fortunately, off the highway just south of the entrance is a large dirt area to park, fairly devoid of holes, that had a walk-in path to the campground and the lake. Goose Lake is a short walk from that parking area, and if you don't mind sitting on a rock, there is an abundance of beautiful areas to have lunch by and enjoy the water. Even if you only have a short amount of time, Goose Lake is worth a visit. The campground is small, with only 13 spots, and was quite quiet during our midday visit. The big disadvantage to this campground: no water. You would probably need to make visits to nearby Gold Lake and refill water supplies. The vault toilet was clean and relatively odor free. The daily camping fee is only $10, and does not take reservations. To reach the campground, go south on Highway 89 from Graeagle for 2 miles, then proceed south for 12 miles on the Gold Lake Highway. Definitely a four star for day use, but potholes and the lack of water knocks it down a star for camping...

Great spot in the Sierras on the Yuba River's north fork. No water, but beautiful location and…read moreright on a large stream. The camp is 1/2 mile off 49, but in an area with all nearby 20 campgrounds all right on the highway. We had site 32, probably the best site. In the back on a corner of the stream. Large space, nice groomed surface, fire pits, benches and food lockers. Trees all around, and so with the stream we felt like we were in the middle of a forest. $35 a night. We got lucky but someone told us it usually is reserved months out on the weekend. They have 8 spots on first come first serve basis with a 14 day limited stay. Get there mid-week and usually you can get one. We were there for a show at the nearby Kentucky Mine. It was a perfect combo. We'll be back.

I had site #19 and came in on Memorial Day. It's a beautiful campground, but there was no host,…read moreand Sierra City was closed until Wednesday. Good thing I always bring my own firewood and water. I don't know why it's one of Recreation.gov's favorite sites because there are much better sites. There's no few of the creek/river (from a socal point of view it's a river), and there are sites that look right down on you. I had to leave after the first night as my ears couldn't take the sound of the rushing river. It took 2 days for the ringing to stop. I had no idea it would be so loud. It was deafening. Maybe a site not so close would have been better.

I had reservations for site #33 at Salmon creek campground, 9/14/26-9/19-26. I've been there…read moreseveral times and this site was so perfect! Lots of tent site options, pristine, quiet and pretty private. When I arrived this time the site was pretty much destroyed by the Forest Service!! Gone was the pristine area I so looked forward to... They had torn up almost every place there was for a tent site as they had been using the site for access to store log decks and had large slash piles, debris and rocks and uneven ground EVERYWHERE!! I had only 1 option for my tent -next to the slash piles. I left early as I was so disappointed. IMO this site is dangerous due to the uneven ground and rocks everywhere. Very easy to twist an ankle and trip and fall. The original camp table is literally held up by cordage and rocks, the benches are split. They have a newer table but it is far away from the other table and at least 30 feet from the bear box. ( The old table is right next to the bear box.) No thought has been given to use by campers at this site- it is a complete mess! It will take many years for the site to recover if at all. No mention of any of this on the website...

My boyfriend and I camped at Salmon Creek, and I was very pleased with the site. We stayed in early…read moreOctober, so there were very few other campers. It gets very chilly in the evening! Our site, number 33, was far away from other camp sites. We had a great stretch of woods to enjoy, although poor Salmon Creek was totally dry. All of the sites come with a fire pit, a second pit with a grill top, a picnic table, and a bear box. We could hear a little bit of car noise from Gold Lake Hwy, but not too much. The location is very close to the Sardine Lakes, Sand Pond, and the trailhead for the hike to the Sierra Buttes fire lookout tower. It was a lovely 1.5 hr drive from Reno: not too far, but far enough so that it felt like we were in a new and different environment! I booked the campsite on recreation.gov for $33. In the morning the campsite manager stopped by to have me sign in. Check out is 2 pm. I highly recommend this site.

I love Gold lake. Snow camping here is epic if your rig and winch can get you through the icy snow…read moreto camp by the lake! The best part is no one will be here in the cold! Snow hiking is awesome but you can easily get lost! Have fun!

10/21/2023 It's been…read morea very long time since our last visit.. Still have the fishing bug... trying to take advantage of the time and weather... Windy as heck, but the scenery takes it all !!! Next trip, hoping to catch some nice ones!

Shooting, camping, swimming, a bit of 4 wheeling. Very natural, no bathrooms, fresh water to swim…read more You may even see some waterfalls if you get to that part of the area. I've camped here twice and been a few times as a day trip for swimming and off road fun. Such a pretty, peaceful area. Well unless you're shooting. lol

The map pin is on private property, not a campground. They're nice people will let you use the…read morecreek, but do not camp here.

I have stayed here twice now. Once in an RV with an older friend and once van/tent camping with my…read morekids. We had a wonderful experience both times. The grounds are very rustic and quaint. It's an amazing, natural and private environment. The short walk from the campground is beautiful well-kept and well-lit with small lights in the bushes next to the trail. The Hot Springs are clean, beautiful and relaxing. I love the location right on the river as we spent one afternoon soaking in the hot interspersed with cold dips in the river. The kids loved floating down the river through the small Rapids and getting out at the Hot Springs where they could warm up for a couple minutes before repeating the process! Be sure to make reservations ahead of time. The proprietor is very responsive via text.

A nice evening with the stars. The customer service was easy and reliable. The driving directions…read moreare smooth.

Revamping a family tradition from over two decades ago... We grew up camping here at Carlton and…read morelove it. The rangers stay on top of keeping the outhouse as clean as a woods outhouse can be... The grounds are immaculate and you're close to the Indian Valley Outpost if you run out of anything. I love that you're completely disconnected from electronics... it's HEALTHY people! The section of the Yuba in which Carlton is located is also swim friendly. We will be back every year we can.

I love this campground…read more Definitely influenced by emotions and memories: this campground was where my husband and I took our first solo camping trip together. It's where his grandpa's memorial was held. And most recently, it's where I threw his surprise 30th birthday camping weekend. Moreover, his family has been camping in this exact same campground for generations. But: feelings aside, we keep coming back because it's a lovely spot. You get camp RIGHT next to the river. Site #4 has a direct path to a rocky beach, and a sweet bathing rock. However, the other end, sites #13 thru #17, are next to a little sandy beach that leads into a fairly large pool, so formed by a rock wall created and maintained by my husband's family for years and years. It's perfect for kids, and I've watched my nieces and nephews grow up here, as did my husband and his dad before him. Whew! This is certainly more flowery than my normal reviews. However, this campground holds a special place in my heart, and therefore gets a more serious Sara B. Notes: * There's no electricity, people. Don't expect to charge your iPhones. * No running water, either, save a spigot near the entrance. Hello, freezing cold river baths! * It's pretty near the road, but not dangerously near. Honestly, the road noise has never bothered me, and I only really notice when something big or fast goes by, or a motorcycle gang. * Also near a shooting range. Probably the most annoying thing for me, but it's never all the time. But damn are those shots loud. No matter, still love. * Brand new bear boxes for every campsite! * And finally, be prepared for outhouses. Go in the morning, when they are freshly cleaned and not smelly. Gets a little dicey at night. There is a little store almost right across the street called the Indian Valley Outpost. it's CLUTCH for things like ice, milk, etc. VERDICT: Love. GO!

My little family finally got to visit this weekend, and it was perfect!…read more This place is gorgeous and serene. The landscape is picturesque but specifically the RV park is well maintained, clean, and modern. We enjoyed our early Autumn vacation and my baby had so much fun exploring, she even found little tadpoles in a very shallow part of the pool I can't wait to return in Spring with the new budding greenery

Sierra Skies RV Park is truly a hidden gem. Located in the tiny town of Sierra City, it's a small…read morepark with friendly camp hosts and well-shaded spots. The bathroom and showers are really nice. A short downhill hike takes you to a beautiful swimming hole along the Yuba River. Two adorable tent spots overlook the river. In late June, the temps were warm but comfortable during the day, and cooler in the evening and morning. The spaces are pretty close together, which was perfectly fine with our courteous neighbors. Your driving and reversing skills need to be strong, there is not a lot of room for error with some of the tighter spaces. They have a nice area as the designated dog potty place, dogs are expected to stay on leash and behave appropriately. We didn't have any problems and there isn't a big list of overly strict rules, but we did feel that the camp hosts would be helpful and put a quick stop to any misbehavior in the park. Across the road from the park is the Sierra Country Store where you'll find basic grocery items and an amazing deli counter with sandwiches, burgers, and milkshakes. We heard great things about the nearby Red Moose Cafe from our hosts and several neighbors, but we didn't make it in this trip. We'll definitely stay again and look forward to exploring more!

First time here and this is such a great place to go camping. We went for the 4th of July. It was…read moreso much fun that we will be coming back real soon. The river is in walking distances. The staff is very friendly and the grounds are well kept with the bathrooms being well taken care of. On the 4th of July they have a fun parade in their little town near by. The town is close by in walking distance with a bar and small store if you need to buy something you forgot. They also have a restaurant but we did not eat there. This place offers tent and RV camping. They have a play ground so kids can swing and play. It's very family friendly. If you are down to go camping go check them out. I really can't say enough about this place. They do book up very quickly.

We've been camping here for several years and love the area…read more Now, I understand that some people have no respect for other people's property, but that's not everyone and it's certainly not us. We don't bring any off-road vehicles, clean up after ourselves and others, and have always been respectful to others. This trip, we were confused by an extra charge for camper 5 & 6 when they arrived. We simply asked why when the website says up to 6 per site and got the response "don't tell me what my website says, I'll pull it up and show you..." Whoa, hold on, it was a legit question we weren't challenging your existence! Why such a mean and rude response? We ALL have bad days and I spent MANY years in customer service, you just don't treat people like that if you want them to come back. So now we question, do they even care if we come back? There are so many people wanting to get a spot this time of year that we don't matter to them? The first three days we were here, less than half the spots are taken, so I would think not. But wow, horrible treatment, horrible. I must say though, we went to the office the day before, it was closed, we rang the bell and received a cheerful greeting followed by an eager response to fill our request for firewood, even delivered it to our spot. So, to the lady in the office that spoke so rudely to my wife and daughter, relax. Sometimes folks simply don't understand and a calm explanation is all they need. Will we come back? Maybe. But if we do, I hope we encounter the nice staff, not the rude angry lady.