OutReserve

Packsaddle

Packer Lake
Packsaddle
Packsaddle Campground Corral
Packsaddle
Packer Lake

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly
Pet Friendly

About Packsaddle

Packsaddle Campground is located in the Packer Lake area near the Sierra Buttes, north of the Yuba River. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, canoeing and gold panning. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.

Number of accommodations: 14

Campground Amenities

  • Pet Friendly
    Pet Friendly
  • Potable Water
    Potable Water

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed - Opens on Jun 1

Sites & Availability

14 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 002, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 003, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 004, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 005, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 006, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 007, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 008, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 009, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 010, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 011, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 012, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 013, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 015, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night
🚐 016, Loop: PACKSADDLE
No Hookups
$24.00
/ per night

Reviews (46)

What Guests Are Saying

Packsaddle offers beautiful surroundings near Packer Lake and the Sierra Buttes, making it a favored spot for camping, especially for returning visitors. However, some issues were noted, including uneven campsites, limited space for vehicles and tents, and concerns about restroom cleanliness. Despite these drawbacks, many appreciate the access to nearby trails and the spacious, shaded sites.

Review Summary

3.6
46 reviews
5
26.1%
12
4
30.4%
14
3
26.1%
12
2
8.7%
4
1
8.7%
4

Jane S

Verified

October 11, 2023 Stayed at: 010, Loop: PACKSADDLE

5

Love Packsaddle!!

Arne P

Verified

August 22, 2023 Stayed at: 006, Loop: PACKSADDLE

4

great place to stay!

David R

Verified

July 18, 2023 Stayed at: 013, Loop: PACKSADDLE

3

Pack Saddle is a nice campground. Site 13 is not a great site for tent campers. It's on a hill and there's basically no flat ground. Sites 10, 11, 12 were booked online but empty for the three days we were there which was disappointing. We still had a wonderful time exploring the area.

Richard D

Verified

July 7, 2023 Stayed at: 007, Loop: PACKSADDLE

1

My reserved site did not have a reserved placard and so was occupied by some one else. There was no trash bin. Some campers had left their garbage bagged out for the bears. There was no toilet paper. It is a beautiful spot.

Cheri H

Verified

July 7, 2023 Stayed at: 008, Loop: PACKSADDLE

5

Lots of great hikes!

Kalypso R

Verified

July 4, 2023 Stayed at: 004, Loop: PACKSADDLE

4

Stayed in site 15 for the horse corrals, which are listed as belonging to 15 & 16 but in reality are only in 15's site. Would love to see more horse corrals added to site 15 too! The corrals were in a bit of disrepair due to the bad winter we had, but they were still usable. I would also love it if the campsite had a dumpster, as people just piled their trash around the recycling bins. Otherwise we had a great time horse camping and will be back.

John M

Verified

September 8, 2022 Stayed at: 012, Loop: PACKSADDLE

5

Clean bathroom and very few campers. Right near Pacific Crest Trail so we did meet PCT hikers. Great place to do day hikes on the PCT as you are so close. Old fashioned water pump ,but worked well. Some sites were on a slight hill grade. Nice and quiet campground at night. Ranger came around once a day. No camp host. No cell phone service. Close to Packer Lake, Salmon Lake and Saddle Lake. Beautiful lakes to kayak and fish. Some have resort cabins to stay in.

Patrice D

Verified

September 7, 2022 Stayed at: 007, Loop: PACKSADDLE

4

dumpsters were empty, pit toilets had flies and were smelly (but they are pit toilets after all ) , site #7 was clean and level

Melissa K

Verified

August 26, 2022 Stayed at: 013, Loop: PACKSADDLE

3

There isn’t much shade in and around #13

Kerrie S

Verified

August 21, 2022 Stayed at: 013, Loop: PACKSADDLE

3

We stayed here for one night on our way to Lake Tahoe. Pretty forested area; we had a nice campsite (#13) on a slope with a bit of a walk up to the picnic table and then a fairly flat tent site even higher. Water was available at a hand pump in the central part of the campground, as were vault toilets. Good location for an early start on the hike to the Sierra Buttes lookout.

Location Packsaddle

Address:
Yuba River Ranger Station
Nevada City, CA, 95959
United States

Latitude & Longitude: 39.6247 / -120.65

Elevation: 1864 feet

Policies & Rules

Category About
General

In accordance with standard industry practices, we will be assessing a $5 additional vehicle fee on the 'second vehicle' in each single family campsite, and on the 'third and fourth vehicle' in any double family campsite, provided these vehicles are not joined to the first vehicle by a hitch and towed onto the site. In the case of motorcycles, the first two are considered to be one vehicle and the third and fourth are also considered to be one vehicle. No additional vehicle fees are collected for bicycles.

General

Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers

General

Utility hookups and showers are not available

General

Click here for more information on the Tahoe National Forest

General

Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. For current fire conditions or weather closures contact the Yuba River Ranger District (530) 288-3231(voice), (530) 288-3656 (TDD).

General

Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.

General

No Show Policy
A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date (or for day-use facilities, by check-in time the day of arrival). 
* No-show customers are only recorded at staffed facilities. At most remote facilities, all customers are noted as automatically checked-in on the date of arrival.
* It is recommended that staffed facilities hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.
* It is recommended that staffed facilities hold group day-use facilities until check-in time on the arrival date.
There is no change fee if a customer extends or shortens a reservation if the change includes dates from the original reservation. If they choose to depart early, they may forfeit some or all of the recreation fees. 
There is no change fee if the customer changes campsites that are the same price and on the same reservation dates in the same campground. If the campsite the customer is changing to has a price difference, the customer will be responsible for any additional fees or be provided with a refund, based on the price difference. 
Where recorded, no-show customers are assessed a $20.00 no-show fee and forfeit the first night's recreation fee for a campsite or forfeit the entire day-use recreation fee for a day-use facility. We recommend customers contact the facility if they are en route to their reservation but cannot make it by the check-in date. In these cases, no refund will be issued, but the facility can ensure that a "no-show" fee is not assessed.

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