U.S. Forest Service · Plumas National Forest · California

Silver Lake Campground

Large landscape views of trees and valleys can be seen along the six mile drive to Silver Lake. Sitting at just over 6,000 ft in elevation, the Silver lake campground set up for solitude and tranquility. The sites are spread out and isolated to provide for an optimal quiet experience to enhance the camping experience. Easy access to hiking trails, high alpine lakes and OHV riding is just a short distance from the campground.

Open nowPartly reservable13 sitesFrom $15 per nightNo hookupsPets ok

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in California · reservable in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Silver Lake Campground
Photo from the area. Ken-ichi Ueda (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Site mix

Standard, no hookups9
Host/management4
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
Fees$15 per night standard rate. The fee station is located at the information station by campsite 1. Pay with the QR Code directly to REC.gov if the app is preloaded onto your portable device
  • There are eight first come/ first serve campsites. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and food storage locker.
  • No trash service is provided
  • Vault toilets are located in two areas of the campground
  • Parking for day use and hiking is located near the lake by the vault toilets
  • The Mount Hough Ranger Station maintains this campground and uses the fees collected to purchase cleaning supplies, toilet paper and general cleaning of campsites.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
ForestPlumas National Forest
Booking9 sites; no reservations. Recommended for hunters.
RulesNot recommended for RVs

Plumas National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Silver Lake Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 7.65 inches of precipitation, 5.8 inches of snowFebruary: 7.59 inches of precipitation, 7.6 inches of snowMarch: 6.66 inches of precipitation, 5.4 inches of snowApril: 3.14 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowMay: 1.94 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.71 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.10 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.14 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.42 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.94 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 4.06 inches of precipitation, 1.7 inches of snowDecember: 7.32 inches of precipitation, 6.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.5°F averageFebruary: 38.0°F averageMarch: 42.6°F averageApril: 47.1°F averageMay: 54.7°F averageJune: 61.8°F averageJuly: 68.3°F averageAugust: 66.6°F averageSeptember: 61.1°F averageOctober: 50.9°F averageNovember: 40.3°F averageDecember: 34.2°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Quincy, 10 miles from the campground at 3,420 feet, station USC00047195 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 42 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 28 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates39.9591° N, 121.1355° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearREI ↗39.2 mi
RV sales & serviceReliable RV ↗40.9 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Silver Lake Sate Park - Campground review. silver Lake MI - near sand dunes ORV area. On s

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Gold Lake
    1.6 mi trail
  • 0.8 mi
    Spanish Tie
    0.2 mi trail
  • 0.9 mi
    Granite Gap
    0.9 mi trail
  • 1.2 mi
    Rock Lake Spur
    0.1 mi trail
  • 1.8 mi
    Spanish Peak
    0.4 mi trail
  • 1.9 mi
    Right Hand Branch Mill Creek ↗
    4.8 mi trail

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Bucks Lake Wilderness, which overlaps Plumas National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

High alpine lakes, granite boulders and blue bird skies are treats for those who camp here. Access to hiking is located along the eastern side of Silver Lake. Continue up and on to Bucks Summit on the PCT or climb the prominent Spanish Peak where the ole look out once stood.

Recreation

High alpine lakes, granite boulders and blue bird skies are treats for those who camp here. Access to hiking is located along the eastern side of Silver Lake. Continue up and on to Bucks Summit on the PCT or climb the prominent Spanish Peak where the ole look out once stood. OHV routes also leave from the campground area but were severely impacted by the Dixie Fire in 2021 and have not been maintained so be aware of hazard trees and other debris that might slow down your route.

Guidebooks for California

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Silver Lake Campground?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Silver Lake Campground?

$15 per night standard rate. The fee station is located at the information station by campsite 1. Pay with the QR Code directly to REC.gov if the app is preloaded onto your portable device

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Silver Lake Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Silver Lake Campground have?

13 sites, including 9 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Silver Lake Campground?

Silver Lake Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Silver Lake Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Silver Lake Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Silver Lake Campground?

High alpine lakes, granite boulders and blue bird skies are treats for those who camp here. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Silver Lake Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Rock Creek Campground (4 mi, partly first-come), Mill Creek Campground (Plumas) (4.2 mi), and Whitehorse Campground (4.9 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby