Packsaddle Campground, Camptonville, CA

Packsaddle Campground is located in the Yuba River Ranger District, Tahoe National Forest (1 hr 29 min west of Reno, NV) with an elevation of 6,118 feet. There are a total of 18 campsites. The campground is normally open from mid May to the end of October. 16 sites can accommodate RVs and trailers between 25 and 100 feet. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. There is a fee of $24.00 per night. Some amenities include swimming. Activities include biking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, hiking trails, floating sports.

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Campsite Reviews (41)

3.6 out of 5

5 star		22%
4 star		37%
3 star		27%
2 star		7%
1 star		7%

@TracyG3379421 · Camped on Aug 11, 2024 at Campsite #9

The campground has beautiful surroundings: Packer Lake, the Sierra Buttes. The campground itself is fine, nothing too special. Our site (#9) was not at all level and we were jacking up our trailer until the wheels on one side were barely touching. Yikes. Sure would've been nice to have paved, level sites. Issues with yellow jackets but another campsite put up a trap and that seemed to help. Sites are spacious and ours had plenty of shade.

@EbboS32C4ED95C · Camped on Aug 7, 2024 at Campsite #5

We just love Packsaddle! This is our fourth consecutive year going there. No complaints other than the outhouse is much smellier than other vault type outhouses. Having said that Ill be all over next summers reservations!

@CatheyB44748A1 · Camped on Aug 7, 2024 at Campsite #12

Great small camp site, close to all the roads and trails!

@LeaA5296AEA678 · Camped on Jul 12, 2024 at Campsite #12

The campsite next to us had 4 cars, a camping trailer, a generator and about ten people staying there. There were clearly more cars and people than the campsite was intended to hold. Meanwhile, my group of five made the effort to reserve two campsites to spread out impact out more. It's unfortunate when people overwhelm a campsite and are inconsiderate of others.

@EdwardA4E75D02 · Camped on Jun 30, 2024 at Campsite #6

Trash bins were full.

@BarbaraG281779 · Camped on Oct 23, 2023 at Campsite #11

Space 11 is not very level and we had trouble there. Otherwise, Packsaddle is quiet and peaceful.

@PeterS7845234 · Camped on Oct 16, 2023 at Campsite #7

The picnic tables are in complete disrepair. Its time to update the tables and get them back in shape. The picnic table at our site (site 7) had pieces falling off and was basically not usable. All the screws holding it together were rusted away and the table had both seats and top boards falling off.Otherwise, I love this campsite. Hope they can get the tables fixed in the near future.

@JaneS8855491 · Camped on Sep 4, 2023 at Campsite #10

Love Packsaddle!!

@ArnePE03B50B32 · Camped on Aug 13, 2023 at Campsite #6

great place to stay!

@DavidR6871281 · Camped on Jul 9, 2023 at Campsite #13

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.

@RichardD237266 · Camped on Jun 25, 2023 at Campsite #7

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.

@CheriH9599E7B9 · Camped on Jun 25, 2023 at Campsite #8

Lots of great hikes!

@KalypsoR545509 · Camped on Jun 24, 2023 at Campsite #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.

@JohnM1144946 · Camped on Aug 29, 2022 at Campsite #12

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.

@PatriceD893223 · Camped on Aug 28, 2022 at Campsite #7

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

@MelissaK867058 · Camped on Aug 14, 2022 at Campsite #13

There isn’t much shade in and around #13

@KerrieS7625645 · Camped on Aug 13, 2022 at Campsite #13

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.

@ChrisC9047590 · Camped on Jul 10, 2022 at Campsite #7

this campground is a great location geographically for many lakes, trails, & the saddle. It's on the PCT so many thru hikers pass by in part to pump water at the fantastic artisan spring here.

@AllisonB305998 · Camped on Jul 8, 2022 at Campsite #10

The campsite I reserved and paid for was not marked and was already occupied when I arrived.

@natasham540109 · Camped on Jul 2, 2022 at Campsite #10

My family and I drove 2 1/2 hours to this campground and when we arrived someone else was set up in our reserved and paid for site. It was posted this spot was reserved so we were confused why someone else’s tent was there. We didn’t want to drive home, the ranger station was very far, and there is no camp host to help. So we decided to wait in hopes they would return and hopefully be understanding people. We waited over 2 hours in our car for them to return and when they did thankfully they were civil and packed up their items. We did find out they were site hopping from fellow campers. This was the first time we had been here and our first time with no host, the scenery was beautiful but I am cautious to return.

@DavidR6871281 · Camped on Jul 1, 2022 at Campsite #2

Packsaddle is a great location. we were in site 2. Bathroom is very new pit style with 2 stalls. well equipped and managed. main issue is water access - only water is from a hand-pumped well source mostly intended for the horses. and the dust level. all the roads are gravel. sites are well spaced so you do not feel crowded. the sites in the back loop are larger. would recommend those for anyone looking to use Packsaddle. walking distance to Packer Lake and the back-side access to the Buttes. it is a 5 minute drive in and out to Gold Lake Highway if your visit is mostly to enjoy the Lakes Basin hikes.

@EmilyF2405059 · Camped on Jun 27, 2022 at Campsite #16

Campground was overall quiet, even on a busy holiday weekend. Our site, #16 was a real disappointment however. Online it does not show that this site is actually just a widening of the road surface. The picnic table is was back in the trees and you can't pull a trailer or RV anywhere near it. This should be a tent site only. In addition the ONLY water source in the entire campground is behind site 16, so because you must camp in the road, there is a steady stream of people walking through your space all day and sometimes all night. In addition, we brought horses and it said online that site 15 and 16 shared the 4 corrals. This is not really accurate. Site 15 is about 20 feet from the horse corrals, the corrals are actually BEHIND site 15 so if you stay in site 16, you have to walk through site 15 to take care of your horses. This is not an equestrian only campground, so literally anyone could camp 20 feet from your horses if they reserve site 15 (think family with small children, aggressive dogs etc. etc.). They should either make 15 and 16 equestrian ONLY or else move the corrals to a central location, or better yet, get rid of site 16 because it's pretty horrible anyway.

@MaryJ588 · Camped on Oct 15, 2021 at Campsite #6

First time at Packsaddle Campsite for a weekend hunting trip in mid October. Shared the site (and forest) with lots of mountain bikers. Enjoyed our campsite (#06). Secluded with several flat areas for our four one-man tents. Only complication was I reserved the campsite online several weeks earlier and couldn't recall if I paid using the credit card - printout didn't indicate and payment. Paid the daily cash fee while there, then later at home found out I paid online as well. Turned out to be an expensive stay at Packsaddle. Had a great time regardless!

@MaryJ2608736 · Camped on Oct 15, 2021 at Campsite #6

@HumbertoH917 · Camped on Oct 8, 2021 at Campsite #3

It’s a nice place for every a every year trip

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