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Sardine Lake Campground in California
Hard to BookNational Forest

Sardine Lake Campground

Tahoe National Forest, California

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As of October 2026, Sardine Lake Campground is a campground in Tahoe National Forest, California with 24 campsites. Sardine Lake Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

  • PermitSnag checks Sardine Lake Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
  • Sardine Lake Campground is located at 39.6197° N, 120.6172° W.
people allowed on 23 of 24 sites
6
people allowed on the largest site
12

Sardine Lake Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

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

Stay and booking rules

  • Maximum stay: 14 nights

Published by Recreation.gov for Sardine Lake Campground, read on September 30, 2026.

Campsites at Sardine Lake Campground

  • Standard 24

What an RV fits

  • 15–19 ft3 sites
  • 20–24 ft3 sites
  • 25–29 ft3 sites
  • 30–34 ft9 sites
  • 35–39 ft3 sites
  • 40–44 ft3 sites

Amenities

  • restrooms
  • potable water

At a glance: Setting: Mountain.

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

All sites at Sardine Lake Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

Every site is in the AREA SARDINE LAKE loop.

SiteTypeSleepsMax RV
001Standard640 ft
002Standard630 ft
003Standard630 ft
005Standard620 ft
006Standard628 ft
007Standard638 ft
009Standard630 ft
010Standard632 ft
011Standard624 ft
012Standard620 ft
013Standard615 ft
014Standard640 ft
016Standard615 ft
017Standard630 ft
018Standard635 ft
019Standard635 ft
020Standard1230 ft
021Standard642 ft
022Standard618 ft
023Standard630 ft
024Standard633 ft
025Standard633 ft
026Standard628 ft
027Standard628 ft

About Sardine Lake Campground

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.

Contact Info

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

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. Over 30 miles of maintained trails for hiking, mountain biking, and motorcycle singletrack branch out across the area and the Pacific Crest Trail can be accessed at a few spots in the Lakes Basin area. The historic towns of Sierra City and Downieville offer historic and cultural attractions, restaurants, shops, churches, and vistor information.

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 Sardine Lake Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 30, 2026. Check Sardine Lake Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

In accordance with standard industry practices, 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.

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

Utility hookups and showers are not available

Click here for more information on the Tahoe National Forest

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).

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.

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.

Sardine Lake Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Sardine Lake Campground?

Sardine Lake 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 Sardine Lake Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Sardine Lake 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 Sardine Lake Campground have?

Sardine Lake Campground has 24 campsites.

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