Garden Point sits on the shoreline of Bullards Bar Reservoir, accessible only by boat from Dark Day launch about a mile away. This group campground puts you in shaded sites along 60 miles of shoreline surrounded by conifer and hardwood forests. It's for groups willing to haul their gear by water to claim a slice of the North Yuba River's 4,760-acre impoundment.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Group
- 💵Fee per Night
- $20
- 📍GPS
- 39.43333, -121.12417
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- 530-478-6253
- 🗺️Address
- CA
The Camp
You can't drive here — that's the point. Launch at Dark Day boat ramp and motor roughly a mile to Garden Point, where shaded campsites wait among the mixed forest above Bullards Bar's steep shorelines. At 2,000 feet elevation, the reservoir stretches over 16 miles through the Sierra Nevada foothills, creating a water-access camping experience that filters out the casual crowds.
The reservoir's steep sides limit shoreline access to developed areas like this, making Garden Point feel more remote than its proximity to Nevada City suggests. Conifer and hardwood forests provide plenty of shade at the sites, a relief during summer months when the foothills heat up.
What to Know
This is a group campground charging $20 per night, with no on-site staff — the main office handles reservations at (530) 265-4531. Dark Day boat launch puts you closest to camp, about a mile by water, though Cottage Creek launch at Emerald Cove Marina sits roughly 3 miles away if you need fuel or supplies.
The steep terrain around most of the reservoir limits swimming spots, but boaters find decent access in various coves. Year-round fishing targets both warm and cold water species in the North Yuba River impoundment.
Nearby
Five trail options radiate from the area, ranging from the 0.7-mile Schoolhouse Trail to the 14-mile Bullards Bar Trail. The 7 Ball Trail covers 1 mile, 8 Ball Trail runs 3.8 miles, and Rebel Ridge Trail spans 1.6 miles. Trail maps are available at the North Yuba Ranger Station on Marysville Road, a couple miles east of the reservoir.
For resupply, the communities of Camptonville, North San Juan, and Dobbins sit within reasonable driving distance of the boat launches. The marina at Emerald Cove also stocks basic supplies for boaters.