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Gold Lake Campground (Ca)

Plumas National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: Graeagle, CA, CA

Price: From $25 per night

Rating: 3.3 out of 5 (17 reviews)

Season: May through October

Gold Lake Campground (6,445 feet) is on the east shore of Gold Lake, a glacially carved alpine lake. This campground is within easy reach of many trailheads Gold Lake Boating Facility and many other activities. Gold Lakes Basin offers a variety of recreational activities including boating, fishing and hiking.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Electric Hookups, Boat Launch

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

Gold Lake Campground sits on a glacially carved alpine lake at 6,445 feet with access to over 30 miles of maintained trails, the Pacific Crest Trail, and diverse recreation including boating, fishing, and hiking. Campers consistently praise the beautiful lake setting, helpful camp hosts, and excellent fall foliage.

Wildlife alert: Gray Wolf, American Black Bear, and Pacific Marten present in area. Also Mountain Bluebird, Pine Grosbeak, American Dipper, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Common Sagebrush Lizard, and Sierra Garter Snake.

Insider tips for Gold Lake Campground (Ca): Book early — this is a popular federal campground Friendly camp hosts on-site provide assistance and recommendations Bring self-contained RV setup as most sites lack hookups

Skip Gold Lake Campground (Ca) if: You need full RV hookups — electric hookups available but most sites lack hookups. You cannot handle remote operations — seasonal (May-October only) and requires early booking. You visit during winter months — campground closes November through April.

Best time to visit Gold Lake Campground (Ca): September-October — Perfect weather and fall foliage reported by campers in early October. May-June — Season opens in May, but weather can be unpredictable with snow possible even in June.

Nearby campgrounds: Lakes Basin (BLAIRSDEN, CA), Diablo (Nevada City, CA), Packsaddle (Nevada City, CA), Salmon Creek (Nevada City, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Gold Lake Campground (Ca)

Cell signal at Gold Lake Campground (Ca) (Graeagle, 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.

    CamperWatch
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    CamperWatch›CA›Gold Lake Campground (Ca)
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    Plumas National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Gold Lake Campground (Ca)

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    Graeagle, CA, CA★ 3.3 (17 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    Gold Lake Campground (6,445 feet) is on the east shore of Gold Lake, a glacially carved alpine lake. This campground is within easy reach of many trailheads Gold Lake Boating Facility and many other activities. Gold Lakes Basin offers a variety of recreational activities including boating, fishing and hiking.

    Best for:HikersSites: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 RV2 ft
    HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    PetsAllowed
    Max/site6 people

    Amenities

    RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
    Essentials
    Fire RingsElectric Hookups
    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 full RV hookups — electric hookups available but most sites lack hookups✕ You cannot handle remote operations — seasonal (May-October only) and requires early booking✕ You visit during winter months — campground closes November through April

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a popular federal campground

    Friendly camp hosts on-site provide assistance and recommendations

    Bring self-contained RV setup as most sites lack hookups

    Best: September-October

    Perfect weather and fall foliage reported by campers in early October

    Best: May-June

    Season opens in May, but weather can be unpredictable with snow possible even in June

    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: Gray Wolf, American Black Bear, and Pacific Marten present in area. Also Mountain Bluebird, Pine Grosbeak, American Dipper, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Common Sagebrush Lizard, and Sierra Garter Snake.

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    530-927-7878· Plumas National Forest
    james.bradeen@usda.gov

    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 — Plumas National Forest fills fast in peak season.
    • Check current road conditions at Plumas National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

    Frequently asked questions

    RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
    How much does Gold Lake Campground (Ca) cost per night?+
    Gold Lake Campground (Ca) costs $25 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What season is Gold Lake Campground (Ca) open?+
    Gold Lake Campground (Ca) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Gold Lake Campground (Ca) have hookups?+
    No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What is the maximum RV length at Gold Lake Campground (Ca)?+
    Gold Lake Campground (Ca) can accommodate RVs up to 2 feet.
    How do I make reservations at Gold Lake Campground (Ca)?+
    Gold Lake Campground (Ca) 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 Gold Lake Campground (Ca)?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Gold Lake Campground (Ca) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Gold Lake Campground (Ca) open, and what are check-in times?+
    Gold Lake Campground (Ca) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

    Official resources

    Gold Lake Campground 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.

    $25 /night★ 3.3 (17)
    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 Gold Lake Campground (Ca) cost per night?+
    What season is Gold Lake Campground (Ca) open?+
    Does Gold Lake Campground (Ca) have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Lakes Basin

    BLAIRSDEN, CA

    From $36/night

    Diablo

    Nevada City, CA

    From $18/night

    Packsaddle

    Nevada City, CA

    From $24/night

    Salmon Creek

    Nevada City, CA

    From $24/night

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