Sardine Lake
Sardine Lake is a national forest campground in California. Hookups: no hookups.
- Type
- National forest campground
- Location
- California
- Coordinates
- 39.61969, -120.61716
- Hookups
- No hookups
- Activities
- Backpacking, Boating, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Hiking, Hotel/lodge/resort Privately Owned, Hunting, Mountain Biking, Non-motorized Boating, Photography, Scenic Drive
- Map
- Open in OpenStreetMap
- Phone
- (530)478-6253
Amenities
- Reservable sites
Only amenities a source confirms are listed; an amenity missing here is unknown, not absent.
About Sardine Lake
Overview Sardine Lake Campground is located in the North Yuba River area, near the beautiful Sardine Lakes. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing and gold panning. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest. Recreation Boating, fishing and swimming are available at nearby Sardine Lakes and Sand Pond. Sardine Lakes Resort offers boat rentals, lodging, and a restaurant. A large network of trails is available in the area, including Deer Lake and Tamarack Lakes Trails and the Pacific Crest Trail. Facilities The campground offers several single-family campsites and one double site. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring, and a food storage locker. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Natural Features The campground stretches along a wet meadow at the base of the scenic Sierra Buttes. A forest of lodgepole pine offers partial shade. Beautiful high mountain lakes and rugged peaks can be found throughout the surrounding area. Nearby Attractions Lakes Basin offers many opportunities for boating, fishing and hiking. Boating, fishing and swimming are available at nearby Sardine Lakes, less than a mile to the west. Sardine Lakes Resort offers boat rentals. Anglers will find rainbow and brook trout in many of the lakes, streams, and rivers throughout the basin. A more developed boat ramp is located at Gold Lake and accomodates launching of larger boats.
Cell coverage
No coverage data for this location yet.
Nearby RV services
- Dump station
- Pass Creek · 9.0 mi
- Water fill
- None mapped within 50 mi
- Propane
- AmeriGas · 27 mi
- Low clearances
- None mapped within 10 mi
- Off-road routes
- 355 designated routes (460 mi) within 10 mi
Other places to stay nearby
| Name | Type | Distance | Fee | Hookups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sardine Lake Campground | Private campground | under 0.1 mi | — | — |
| Salmon Creek | National forest campground | 0.4 mi | — | No hookups |
| Salmon Creek Campground | Private campground | 0.4 mi | — | — |
| Diablo | National forest campground | 1.4 mi | — | — |
| Diablo Campground | Private campground | 1.4 mi | — | — |
| Diablo | National forest campground | 1.4 mi | — | No hookups |
Open Sardine Lake in DryRig
Save it offline, check your rig's clearance on the drive in, and see what's nearby on the map.
Sources. Recreation.gov (RIDB), USFS and BLM recreation sites. Updated June 2026. Facility facts only; DryRig does not publish ratings or reviews on this page.