Berger

Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: Camptonville, CA, CA

Price: From $18 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (23 reviews)

Season: May through October

Berger Campground is located in the Packer Lake area near Packer Creek and the Sierra Buttes, north of the Yuba River. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, equestrian use, hunting, fishing, canoeing and OHV use. This campground is operated and maintained by Forest Service staff.This location is unstaffed.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/berger to be notified when sites open up.

Berger offers access to the Pacific Crest Trail and a large network of hiking trails in the scenic Packer Lake area near the Sierra Buttes, with diverse activities including boating, fishing, and horseback riding all within reach of just 9 sites.

Wildlife alert: Watch for Yellow-bellied Marmots and American Mink in the area. Birdwatchers may spot White-headed Woodpeckers, Mountain Bluebirds, and Evening Grosbeaks.

Insider tips for Berger: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 9 sites and high demand Bring a canoe or kayak; boat launch is available and the Packer Lake area is ideal for paddling The Pacific Crest Trail is a short trip from camp, making it perfect for day hikes without relocating

Skip Berger if: You need RV hookups — this campground has none and is only suitable for self-contained RVs. You prefer year-round camping — seasonal operations limit access to May through October only.

Best time to visit Berger: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Packsaddle (Nevada City, CA), Diablo (Nevada City, CA), Sardine Lake (Nevada City, CA), Salmon Creek (Nevada City, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Berger

Cell signal at Berger (Camptonville, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Berger

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Camptonville, CA, CA★ 4.3 (23 reviews)From $18/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Berger Campground is located in the Packer Lake area near Packer Creek and the Sierra Buttes, north of the Yuba River. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, equestrian use, hunting, fishing, canoeing and OHV use. This campground is operated and maintained by Forest Service staff.This location is unstaffed.

Best for:HikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV50 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — this campground has none and is only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You prefer year-round camping — seasonal operations limit access to May through October only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 9 sites and high demand

Bring a canoe or kayak; boat launch is available and the Packer Lake area is ideal for paddling

The Pacific Crest Trail is a short trip from camp, making it perfect for day hikes without relocating

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Watch for Yellow-bellied Marmots and American Mink in the area. Birdwatchers may spot White-headed Woodpeckers, Mountain Bluebirds, and Evening Grosbeaks.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(530)478-6253· Tahoe National Forest
Getting there →

From Sierraville, drive 18 miles south on Highway 49, turn right at Bassett, and drive approximately 1.5 miles to the Sardine Lake turnoff. Turn right at the Packer Lake turnoff (Forest Road 93) and continue to the campground. From Downieville, head north (east) on Highway 49 for about 18 miles, turn left at Bassett, and drive approximately 1.5 miles to the Sardine Lake turnoff. Turn right at the Packer Lake turnoff (Forest Road 93) and continue to the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Tahoe National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tahoe National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Berger cost per night?+
Berger costs $18 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Berger open?+
Berger is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Berger have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Berger?+
Berger can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at Berger?+
Berger is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Berger?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Berger is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Berger open, and what are check-in times?+
Berger is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$18 /night★ 4.3 (23)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Berger cost per night?+
What season is Berger open?+
Does Berger have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Packsaddle

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

Diablo

Nevada City, CA

From $18/night

Sardine Lake

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

Salmon Creek

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

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