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...

I've never been, but I just bought 1.3 acres... dead flat land, super cheap…read more Now I have more of an incentive to drive seven hours to go visit.

We stayed at Salmon Creek Campground in late August 2020. There were fires all over that had…read morefinally been contained enough for us to feel comfortable going. We live in Sacramento and had been dealing with all the ash and smoke for weeks. Coming up to the campground was so nice, as the air was clear and mostly crisp. It was a much needed break. We stayed at campsites #27 & #29. According to the reservation site (recreation.gov), both of these sites are on the creek side, rather than the highway side. But when we arrived, we found they were on the highway side (along with #26, so not all of them are listed improperly). It wasn't so bad, though, as the highway is a ways up above the site and it wasn't too busy. At night, I honestly didn't even notice the sound. #26 is really close to #27, but no one was there when we went, so it was fine. #29 is on the creek side and is actually downhill a bit. It's definitely the most secluded site on the entire campground. The restrooms are almost directly across from #26 and the door has slams literally every time someone uses it (unless they hold it to stop it from slamming, but why would anyone do that?), so it was a bit of a nuisance at night or in the early morning. The campground was clean overall. We saw the Forest Service truck come through a couple times each day just to check up on things. There was no camp host when we went. We had no issues with bears or anything rummaging through our site at night (though we did put everything in the bear box). There also wasn't much of an issue with noise, but that really just depends on how considerate the neighbors are that happen to be there when you are. And since there is no camp host on site, there would be nothing done about noise anyway. We hopped in our cars to drive just a few feet up the highway to access the Sand Pond & Lower Sardine Lake. They were nice, but the issue here is that while Salmon Creek Campground allows dogs, neither of these allow them. And since we didn't have anywhere we could keep our dogs, our visit to these spots was very brief. If you want to bring your dogs with you, you have to head up to Upper Sardine Lake. This is an OHV trail, so you need 4WD to drive up there. Your other option is hiking it, but it is a bit of a hike uphill...not a simple walk. With that said, my 7 year old made the hike both ways without issue, but it is rocky, so be careful. My hubby has a truck that could handle it, so we took that, but it was terrifying for me, as the width of the trail is only a few feet wider than the width of the truck and you're literally on the edge of this mountain cliff with no guard or anything. And if another vehicle comes, one of you have to back up till there's a wide enough space for passing. It was very nerve-wracking. So while we loved the campground, we have opted not to return mainly because we enjoy bringing our dogs with us camping & it just wasn't an ideal situation.

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...

Great campground! There are two loops, the higher numbers being further away from the highway. The…read morescenery is beautiful and the view of the stars at night is breathtaking. The campground itself is kept very clean. There are no showers and the toilets are vault. The toilets are kept exceptionally clean but are still pretty fowl smelling upon entering (just a heads up). There are several swimming holes you can hike down to (directly across the highway from campground). The town of Downieville is also very close and has some fun places to visit. Best camping trip thus far, I will definitely return next summer for more fun!

This great campground is about 6 miles west of the town of Downieville, tucked among the trees of…read morethe Tahoe National Forest. As the other reviewer notes, there are two loops. The lower loop is almost parallel to Hwy 49, but the upper loop is up a bit further back. Though traffic noises could be heard, they weren't too intrusive. I booked campsite #13, which was in the upper loop. Great site! We didn't have any neighbors immediately next to us, in any direction. Though the campground was almost completely full during my July visit, most people seemed to be out and about exploring the area during the day, and were quiet during the night. This is a tent-only campground, so it was nice not having to hear the hum of RVs all day. The grounds themselves were kept neat and tidy, the vault toilets were some of the cleanest I've seen, and there is potable water available. The campground is really close to some awesome swimming holes on the Yuba River. There is a trailhead directly across Hwy 49 that provides access. My group walked down to the river most days we were there. The traffic on Hwy 49 isn't very heavy so we felt really safe walking across and along the Hwy. The small town of Downieville is a definite must visit while you're in the area. We were camping specifically to attend the Downieville Mountain Brewfest (which was awesome!) but the town itself is charming and full of interesting historical places and things to see. All in all, the Ramshorn Campground provided a great base to explore Downieville, the Yuba River, and Tahoe National Forest. I'll definitely be back to explore more of the area and camp here again.

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!

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

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!

Amazing place, ten out of ten. However if anyone finds keys in the swimming hole please let me know!read more

Sometimes Plan A goes awry. That's happened to me too many times to count in the beautiful Lakes…read moreBasin Recreation Area. The second to last time that happened, I discovered this campground, which is right below my all time favorite, and because the host was so nice I mentally bookmarked for the future. Well, after trying to find a spot at our favorite again, we hit this one hoping to find a spot on a busy weekend and lucked out! Most of the sites were reserved, but the host pointed us toward sites 6+7, which were perfect! The grounds are impeccably maintained. Almost as if the ground itself was swept and vacuumed! Fire rings are strong and in tact, though one of our sites was missing a grate. The grounds are far from the road, so there's no noise, and the sites are pretty well spread apart, so that makes them pretty cozy! But the best part about staying anywhere in this area is the beauty of the night sky. Stars abound. The Milky Way is visible. Shooting stars are nearly a guarantee. And if that's not enough, this is an ideal jumping off point for some phenomenal hikes. Reserve a spot and plan a trip or hit it on a whim. You won't be disappointed!

A diamond in the rough for Sierra lakes. If you want to get away from tons of people, you'll love…read morethis place. Purchase rental cabin from Bucks Marina or Bucks Lake Shore Lodge. Also, Lake Shore lodge has a full bar and restaurant with outstanding food and drinks. Get the tree smacker for the full effect....LOL Enjoy this lake, it's one of kind. I've been going there since 1967...It's the real deal for a mountain experience!!!!! Cools down at night, so you sleep great....Hank D. Sr.

wonderful place! wonderful staff and wonderful people! Bucks Lake is a must visit if you have not…read morebeen yet what a wonderful secret/ destination spot!

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

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.

First, it is referred to by most as "Salmon Lake". Technically it is at "Upper Salmon Lake" near…read moreSierra City, CA near Bassett's Station. I really enjoy Salmon Lake Lodge and here is my run down on everything: (See the pictures for detail) Basics: This place is remote! If you like being a hermit for a week this is the place. There is absolutely NO CELL RECEPTION!!! I am serious, you have to drive into Graeagle to get cell service. Many of the cafes in Graeagle have wifi. Also, you drive to the lake and then take a barge (floating dock with a motor for you city slickers) across the lake. The camp site and lodge are not reachable by vehicle! However for you die hard hikers you can reach the lodge using the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail). It does get cold at night even in summer since you are at 6,500 ft elevation. You can also take a 30 minute hike from the parking lot around the lake to the lodge. However that trail is very narrow and pretty rocky. Again for the city clickers: None of the trails are paved! The Lake: Even in August the lake water is REALLY COLD! I wear a wet suit. My wife and in-laws (whom I think are crazy) swim without a wet suit. Basically, if you can handle the Northern California Ocean you may not need a wet suit. There is an island which is great to kayak to and jump off the rocks. There are quite a few rocks on the island and around the edge of the lake to jump off and it is so much fun! For the fisherman, the lake is stocked with rainbow trout, but there are some other fish in there as well. There are ducks, some eagles, some rocks for climbing, and a few coves to explore. Tent Cabins: Beds: Twin Bunk Bed and separate Full Sized Bed. Mattresses are pretty hard! Kitchen: Two electric burner cook top, Mini Refrigerator with Tiny Freezer section (like a college dorm, Table with two benches, Plastic tub for food storage, Trash bucket, Dish Tub, Broom, and dust pan. There is also a wood burning stove for heat and the site provides firewood. Outside each cabin is an outdoor table with two benches and a BBQ like you would find at a city park. Details: There are 10 tent cabins in 5 buildings labeled A-J. The I/J tent cabins are the furthest west and therefore the most quiet. The G cabin is the closest to the bathroom. Amenities: The Lodge provides row boats, kayaks, and a few canoes on first come first serve basis at NO CHARGE! This is a big reason I like Salmon Lake, it is a very small lake that you can kayak around and jump in the water as you wish. There is a bathroom/shower/dishwashing house for everyone in the tent cabins. The shower always has had hot water when I used it. The bathrooms are cleaned daily and have running water and lighting and are very nice. The dish washing station is outside and is a double sink for washing and rinsing. There is also a washing machine for clothing (great for you hikers). You hang dry your clothes (bring a clothes line or parachute cord). It is a great place for hiking. You can reach the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) easily and the Sierra Buttes. There are also shorter trails to Horse Lake, Deer Lake, and Lower Salmon Lake. Note: There is a waiting list to get in. It is fairly exclusive. Message me if you have questions I've been here a few times and my in-laws have been going here for generations.

I witnessed the ladies of Salmon Lake Lodge save the life of a hypothermic kayaker this morning…read more Thank God for their efforts and courage to save this young man's life! You are heroes