Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)

Plumas National Forest — lakeside

Location: Meadow Valley, CA, CA

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Large landscape views of trees and valleys can be seen along the six mile drive to Silver Lake. Sitting at just over 6,000 ft in elevation, the Silver lake campground set up for solitude and tranquility. The sites are spread out and isolated to provide for an optimal quiet experience to enhance the camping experience.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

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

Silver Lake Campground offers isolated, spread-out sites with large landscape views of trees and valleys at over 6,000 ft elevation. Campers praise the beautiful mountain lake setting, excellent hiking trails to Gold Lake and Rock Lake, and easy access to high alpine lakes.

Wildlife alert: Bobcats, bats (Miller's Myotis, Townsend's Big-eared), chipmunks, osprey, and several snake species (Northern Alligator Lizard, Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Mountain Garter Snake) present in area.

Insider tips for Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca): Book early — this is a popular federal campground with only 9 sites No swimming allowed in Silver Lake, but kayaking and canoeing permitted Gold Lake and Rock Lake trails offer accessible day hikes with views from the campground

Skip Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites. You require year-round camping — seasonal closure November through April. You prefer developed amenities — only fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets available.

Best time to visit Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca): May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only. June-September — Peak season for hiking trails and high alpine lake access.

Nearby campgrounds: Rock Creek Campground (Ca) (Bucks Lake, CA), Mill Creek Campground (Plumas) (Meadow Valley, CA), Whitehorse Campground (Bucks Lake, CA), Hallsted (Twain, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)

Cell signal at Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) (Meadow Valley, 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›CA›Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)
Forest campground camping
Plumas National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)

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Meadow Valley, CA, CA★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Large landscape views of trees and valleys can be seen along the six mile drive to Silver Lake. Sitting at just over 6,000 ft in elevation, the Silver lake campground set up for solitude and tranquility. The sites are spread out and isolated to provide for an optimal quiet experience to enhance the camping experience.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites: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.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
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 — no hookups available at most sites✕ You require year-round camping — seasonal closure November through April✕ You prefer developed amenities — only fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 9 sites

No swimming allowed in Silver Lake, but kayaking and canoeing permitted

Gold Lake and Rock Lake trails offer accessible day hikes with views from the campground

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Best: June-September

Peak season for hiking trails and high alpine lake access

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: Bobcats, bats (Miller's Myotis, Townsend's Big-eared), chipmunks, osprey, and several snake species (Northern Alligator Lizard, Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Mountain Garter Snake) present in area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Plumas National Forest

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 Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) cost per night?+
Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) open?+
Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)?+
Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)?+
Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, 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 Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) open, and what are check-in times?+
Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
●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.

$20 /night★ 4 (0)
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 Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) cost per night?+
What season is Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) open?+
Does Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) have hookups?+
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