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Dark Day Campground in California
Hard to BookNational Forest

Dark Day Campground

Tahoe National Forest, California

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As of October 2026, Dark Day Campground is a campground in Tahoe National Forest, California with 10 campsites. Dark Day Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

  • PermitSnag checks Dark Day Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
  • Dark Day Campground is located at 39.4294ยฐ N, 121.1080ยฐ W.
people allowed on 6 of 10 sites
6
people allowed on the largest site
18

Dark Day Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Next Available Dates

Oct 2 (9 sites)Oct 3 (9 sites)Oct 4 (10 sites)

9 sites open on Oct 2 at Dark Day Campground. Book one now, or pick your dates above and get an alert when a site opens.

As of 30 September 2026, 06:53 UTC.

Stay and booking rules

  • Maximum stay: 14 nights

Published by Recreation.gov for Dark Day Campground, read on September 29, 2026.

Campsites at Dark Day Campground

  • Tent 10

What an RV fits

  • 29 ft3 sites
  • 44 ft1 site

Amenities

  • potable water

At a glance: Setting: Mountain.

Things to do: fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, wildlife, photography, horse riding.

All sites at Dark Day Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

Every site is in the A loop.

SiteTypeSleepsMax RV
1DTent1229 ft
2DTent1229 ft
3DTent1229 ft
4TTent1844 ft
5Tent6-
6Tent6-
7Tent6-
8Tent6-
9Tent6-
10Tent6-

About Dark Day Campground

Overview

Bullards Bar Reservoir is located on the North Yuba River at an elevation of 2000 feet. It is located approximately 21 miles north of Nevada City, California. It has a maximum surface area of 4,760 acres and a length of over 16 miles and shoreline of more than 60 miles.

Recreation

Activities include wildlife viewing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, boating, water skiing, and other water sports. Swimming opportunities are limited because of the steep slopes; however boaters will find numerous opportunities for swimming in various locations around the reservoir. The reservoir provides yearlong fishing opportunities for both warm and cold water fish species. Supplies are available at the marina as well as the nearby communities of Camptonville, North San Juan, and Dobbins.

Facilities

Public access for boating and recreation is limited to 2 developed and 1 undeveloped boat launches: the Cottage Creek Boat Launch ramp at Emerald Cove Marina, the Dark Day Boat Launch ramp, and the undeveloped site at the end of Moran Road. The area includes 5 campgrounds, 2 picnic areas, 2 boat launch ramps, 1 marina, 1 overlook, 1 day use area and several developed hiking trails.

Natural Features

The sides of the reservoir are generally steep and public access for boating and recreation is limited. The reservoir is surrounded by both conifer and hardwood forests with numerous brush spieces. There is plenty of shade at the campsites

Nearby Attractions

There is a beautiful non- motorized trail system in the area, with 5 different trails to choose from. Bullards Bar Trailhead is 14 miles, 7 Ball Trial is 1 mile, 8 Ball Trail is 3.8 miles, Rebel Ridge Trail is 1.6 miles and Schoolhouse Trail is 0.7 miles. Maps are available at the North Yuba Ranger Station just a couple miles east of the reservoir on Marysville Road.

Contact Info

This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (530) 265-4531.

Charges & Cancellations

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.

Rules and notices at Dark Day Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 29, 2026. Check Dark Day Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

The facility opens April 15 and closes October 15 each year.

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.

Utility hookups and showers are not available

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

food lockers are about 4' wide by 2' deep by 4' high

There is no dump station at this facility

We have added orange cones at the parking area for each site to keep your parking site from being used by a "day use vehicle by someone else". When you arrive, just move the cone and park and place the cone in front of your vehicle.

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.

Dark Day Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Dark Day Campground?

Dark Day Campground is rated "Hard to Book" based on historical demand. This campground is popular and often books out weeks in advance. Your best strategy is to monitor cancellations.

How do I find last-minute availability at Dark Day Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Dark Day Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Dark Day Campground have?

Dark Day Campground has 10 campsites.

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