Lakes Basin

Plumas National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: BLAIRSDEN, CA, CA

Price: From $36 per night

Price range: $36–$80 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (61 reviews)

Season: May through October

Lakes Basin Campground (6,445 feet) is situated in the ruins of an old lodge, Lakes Center Lodge, built in 1912 and removed in the late 1970’s. Some of the old stonework still exists, including steps leading into a deep pool of Gray Eagle Creek. This campground is within easy reach of many trailheads.

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

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

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

Lakes Basin is a well-maintained federal campground at 6,445 feet with excellent access to hiking trails, lakes, and recreational activities. Google reviewers consistently praise the clean facilities, helpful camp host, and proximity to outdoor recreation including Long Lake and Mount Elwell.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area — use bear-safe food storage. Also present: Yellow-bellied Marmot, Long-eared Chipmunk, Pacific Marten, Mountain Bluebird, Evening Grosbeak, and Sierra Garter Snake.

Insider tips for Lakes Basin: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with only 11 sites. Bring a self-contained RV or plan for tent camping; no hookups available. Multiple trailheads accessible directly from camp for hiking and mountain biking. Group tent-only site available by reservation for larger parties.

Skip Lakes Basin if: You need RV hookups — none available at most sites.. You prefer year-round camping — seasonal closure November through April.. You want spontaneous camping — book in advance for this high-demand site..

Best time to visit Lakes Basin: May-October — Official operating season for Lakes Basin Campground..

Nearby campgrounds: Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground (Blairsden, CA), Gold Lake Campground (Ca) (Graeagle, CA), Diablo (Nevada City, CA), Packsaddle (Nevada City, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Lakes Basin

Cell signal at Lakes Basin (BLAIRSDEN, 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
CamperWatch›CA›Lakes Basin
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Plumas National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Lakes Basin

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BLAIRSDEN, CA, CA★ 4.2 (61 reviews)From $36/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Lakes Basin Campground (6,445 feet) is situated in the ruins of an old lodge, Lakes Center Lodge, built in 1912 and removed in the late 1970’s. Some of the old stonework still exists, including steps leading into a deep pool of Gray Eagle Creek. This campground is within easy reach of many trailheads.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites: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
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites3 sites
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

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

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 — none available at most sites.✕ You prefer year-round camping — seasonal closure November through April.✕ You want spontaneous camping — book in advance for this high-demand site.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 11 sites.

Bring a self-contained RV or plan for tent camping; no hookups available.

Multiple trailheads accessible directly from camp for hiking and mountain biking.

Group tent-only site available by reservation for larger parties.

Best: May-October

Official operating season for Lakes Basin Campground.

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: American Black Bear present in area — use bear-safe food storage. Also present: Yellow-bellied Marmot, Long-eared Chipmunk, Pacific Marten, Mountain Bluebird, Evening Grosbeak, and Sierra Garter Snake.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

In Graeagle, CA, at the intersection of State Rt. 89 and Forest Rt. 24 (Gold Lakes directional sign), turn onto Rt. 24 and go 6.9 miles to campground sign. Turn right onto the single-lane road and proceed 0.3 miles. The campground will be on the right.

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 Lakes Basin cost per night?+
Lakes Basin costs $36–$80 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Lakes Basin open?+
Lakes Basin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Lakes Basin have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Lakes Basin?+
Lakes Basin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Lakes Basin?+
Lakes Basin 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 Lakes Basin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Lakes Basin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Lakes Basin open, and what are check-in times?+
Lakes Basin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service ConcessionaireLakes Basin Campsite 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.

$36 /night★ 4.2 (61)
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 Lakes Basin cost per night?+
What season is Lakes Basin open?+
Does Lakes Basin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground

Blairsden, CA

From $20/night

Gold Lake Campground (Ca)

Graeagle, CA

From $25/night

Diablo

Nevada City, CA

From $18/night

Packsaddle

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

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