Union Flat

Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Nevada City, CA, CA

Price: From $24 per night

Price range: $24–$48 per night

Rating: 3 out of 5 (40 reviews)

Season: May through October

Union Flat Campground is located on the North Yuba River, near Highway 49. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing and gold panning.The campground offers several single-family campsites and one double site. Some sites are designated for tent camping only.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Fishing

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

Union Flat offers 11 sites on the North Yuba River with excellent recreational access including fishing, swimming, hiking, and water activities. Google reviewers consistently praise the scenic location and respectful camping community, with a 4.6/5 rating across 28 reviews.

Wildlife alert: California Black Bear present in area. Also watch for Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, and Northern Rubber Boa.

Insider tips for Union Flat: Site #11 is highly rated by campers for direct river access. Arrive early on weekdays to secure a spot — this is a popular federal campground with only 11 sites. Some sites are small and river-adjacent; largest RV spots available for self-contained units up to 17 feet.

Skip Union Flat if: You need water hookups or electrical service — no hookups available at most sites.. You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only.. You need a large number of sites — only 11 total sites available..

Best time to visit Union Flat: May-October — Official operating season for Union Flat Campground..

Nearby campgrounds: Loganville (Nevada City, CA), Packsaddle (Nevada City, CA), Berger (Camptonville, CA), Wild Plum (Nevada City, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Union Flat

Cell signal at Union Flat (Nevada City, 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, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Union Flat

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Nevada City, CA, CA★ 3 (40 reviews)From $24/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Union Flat Campground is located on the North Yuba River, near Highway 49. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing and gold panning.The campground offers several single-family campsites and one double site. Some sites are designated for tent camping only.

Best for:AnglersFamiliesSites: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.
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
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 water hookups or electrical service — no hookups available at most sites.✕ You require year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only.✕ You need a large number of sites — only 11 total sites available.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Site #11 is highly rated by campers for direct river access.

Arrive early on weekdays to secure a spot

this is a popular federal campground with only 11 sites.

Some sites are small and river-adjacent; largest RV spots available for self-contained units up to 17 feet.

Best: May-October

Official operating season for Union Flat 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: California Black Bear present in area. Also watch for Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, and Northern Rubber Boa.

Location

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

From Downieville, take Highway 49 north about 6 miles. The campground is on the right side of the highway.

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 Union Flat cost per night?+
Union Flat costs $24–$48 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Union Flat open?+
Union Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Union Flat have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Union Flat?+
Union Flat can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at Union Flat?+
Union Flat 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 Union Flat?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Union Flat is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Union Flat open, and what are check-in times?+
Union Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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●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.

$24 /night★ 3 (40)
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 Union Flat cost per night?+
What season is Union Flat open?+
Does Union Flat have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Loganville

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

Packsaddle

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

Berger

Camptonville, CA

From $18/night

Wild Plum

Nevada City, CA

From $24/night

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