Yuba Pass Campground sits at the high point of Highway 49, surrounded by old-growth red fir and aspen groves that create natural shade pockets for each site. The location puts you in prime birding territory with access to an extensive trail network, including connections to the Pacific Crest Trail in the nearby Lakes Basin.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Group
- 💵Fee per Night
- $24
- 📍GPS
- 39.61593, -120.49069
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- (530)478-6253
- 🗺️Address
- CA
Amenities
The Camp
Each site comes with the basics — picnic table, fire ring, vault toilets, and drinking water — set beneath a canopy of red fir and aspen. The forest provides natural screening between sites, though the campground's position right on Yuba Pass means you're camping at highway elevation with the road nearby.
The real draw is the birding. Yuba Pass attracts an impressive roster: sandhill cranes, hermit warblers, black-backed woodpeckers, calliope hummingbirds, sooty grouse, northern pygmy-owls, mountain quail, plus raptors like bald eagles, osprey, and hawks. The mix of habitat at this elevation creates ideal conditions for spotting species you won't see at lower elevations.
Nearby
The Pacific Crest Trail runs through the Lakes Basin area, accessible from the campground via the local trail network. Over 30 miles of maintained trails fan out from the area for hiking, mountain biking, and motorcycle singletrack.
Sardine Lakes, nine miles west, offers the closest water access for swimming, fishing, and boating. Sardine Lakes Resort handles boat rentals if you don't have your own. The lakes hold rainbow and brook trout, as do the streams and rivers throughout the basin.
Highway 49 doubles as the Yuba Donner Scenic Byway here, with interpretive signs marking gold rush sites along the route. The historic towns of Sierra City and Sierraville provide resupply options and glimpses of the area's mining past.
What to Know
This is an unstaffed campground, so arrive prepared. The facility is managed by Tahoe National Forest, with the main office reachable at (530) 265-4531 for general information.