Army Corps of Engineers · Harry L. Englebright Lake · Smartsville, CA

Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground

Englebright Lake is nestled in the steep Yuba River canyon, of the Sierra Nevada foothills. This location offers a unique boat-in camping experience, several species of sport fish, abundant wildlife, and year round water-based recreational activities for enthusiasts and families alike. Located between Grass Valley and Yuba City off State Route 20.

More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Englebright LakeSki BoatCampsite featuresSkippers Cove Marina
Photos courtesy of USACE, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Boat-in51
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

51 sites in 10 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
11BonanzaNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
12BonanzaNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
13BonanzaNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
32Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
33Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
34Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
35Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
36Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
37Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes
38Boston BarNo / –Lakefront8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Campsites are accessed by boat only. Sites are remote with no hookups. Vault toilets are available within walking distance. Be sure to pack potable water with you before heading to your campsite. Some of the campsites are located in open, grassy areas while others are tucked into wooded areas. A marina convenience store is located on the lake and accessible by land or water.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground40°50°60°70°80°January: 7.71 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.18 inches of precipitationMarch: 7.82 inches of precipitationApril: 3.22 inches of precipitationMay: 2.38 inches of precipitationJune: 0.73 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.01 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.11 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.38 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.65 inches of precipitationNovember: 5.28 inches of precipitationDecember: 8.86 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 45.4°F averageFebruary: 47.0°F averageMarch: 50.7°F averageApril: 54.3°F averageMay: 61.3°F averageJune: 68.9°F averageJuly: 75.4°F averageAugust: 74.5°F averageSeptember: 70.2°F averageOctober: 61.3°F averageNovember: 50.9°F averageDecember: 44.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Dobbins 1 S, 9 miles from the campground at 1,640 feet, station USC00042456 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 46 inches a year.

Getting there

From Sacramento, CA follow I-5 N, CA-99 N and CA 70 N to Lindhurst Ave in Olivehurst. Take exit 18B from CA-70 N. Take Hammonton Smartsville Rd to State Hwy 20 E in Smartsville. Turn right onto State Hwy 20 E. Turn left onto Mooney Flat Rd. Turn Left onto Englebright Dam Rd.

Nearest townSmartsville, California
Coordinates39.2394° N, 121.2625° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗7.8 mi
RV sales & serviceDeMartini RV Sales ↗11.6 mi
Outdoor gearTurner's Outdoorsman ↗20.9 mi

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

Explore

Video

Kayak Camping - Englebright Lake

Worth a stop

Narrows Day Use Area, Joe Miller Recreation Area, Bridgeport State Park and New Bullards Bar Reservoir are nearby.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Englebright Lake is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, within a steep canyon with notable waterfalls and abundant wildlife. A mix of agricultural land and thick forest surround the lake and campgrounds.

Recreation

Englebright Lake is a destination fishery, providing anglers with a variety of options including small and large mouth bass, trout and Kokanee salmon. The boat-in campground has 51 sites that include a fire ring, lantern hanger, picnic table and tent pad.

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

Sites at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground have?

51 sites, including 51 boat-in sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 5G and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

Englebright Lake is a destination fishery, providing anglers with a variety of options including small and large mouth bass, trout and Kokanee salmon. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground?

Smartsville, California. Narrows Day Use Area, Joe Miller Recreation Area, Bridgeport State Park and New Bullards Bar Reservoir are nearby.

Source: Getting there

What if Englebright Lake Boat-In Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Cottage Creek Campground (12.5 mi), Hornswoggle Group Campground (14.3 mi), and Schoolhouse Campground (14.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby