Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground

Star3.03
54 reviews
Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground

Quick Facts

6,400 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

Unknown

Pets

Not Allowed

Opens Plumas National Forest (USDA Forest Service) site

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Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground
No fees available
Campsite Fees
No fees are specified in the provided material. The campground has no utilities, water, hookups, trash service, or restroom facilities; campers must...
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Standard Site Fee$0.00
Hookup Site Fee$0.00
Premium Site Fee$0.00
Hike and Bike Site Fee$0.00
Group Site Fee$0.00
Food Storage Locker Fee$0.00
Total Campsite Fees$0.00

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What Campers Say

3.03

Mixed Reviews

Based on 54 reviews

35 Google reviews

Most mentioned

viewspeacefulcleanwater

"Reviewers are overwhelmingly positive about Gold Lake 4x4 Campground, praising its scenery, lakeside campsites, and off-road access. The area is described as clean, peaceful, and a great spot for Jeep/4x4 camping, fishing, and escaping crowds and RVs. Several note that the rough access road limits visitors, helping preserve a more natural, quiet experience if you choose your spot carefully."

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Best Time to Camp at Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground

The high-elevation setting brings its own personality: afternoons often unleash powerful, gusty winds that sweep across Gold Lake's surface, challenging kayakers and canoeists to time their paddling for calmer morning hours. During fire season, the historic Mills Peak Fire Lookout springs to life with a stationed observer scanning the horizons—a reminder that this beautiful landscape requires constant vigilance and respect from all who visit.

Best
Spring (Mar-May)

Wildflowers bloom, mild temperatures, fewer crowds. Great for hiking and photography.

Summer (Jun-Aug)

Peak season with warm weather, perfect for water activities. Book early.

Fall (Sep-Nov)

Beautiful fall colors, cooler temps, quieter campgrounds. Ideal for peaceful trips.

Winter (Dec-Feb)

Off-season, limited services. Check for closures before visiting.

Planning Tips
  • Current Alerts: Dilapidated/unserviceable restrooms are planned for removal and temporary measures (including making the campground reservation-only) have been enacted; all campers must carry a plan for removal of solid human waste and use WAG bags or similar.

About Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground

Perched at 6,400 feet in the heart of the Lakes Basin Recreation Area, Gold Lake 4x4 Campground beckons adventurous souls seeking an authentic wilderness experience. This primitive, off-grid haven offers direct lakeside access and gateway trails into vast backcountry terrain—but comes with no utilities, water, hookups, or services, making it ideal only for self-reliant campers equipped with capable 4x4 vehicles and backcountry skills.
A rustic, 4x4-access developed campground within the Lakes Basin Recreation Area. Sites are primitive in nature with no utility hookups and require visitors to be self-sufficient and to pack out waste.
Historical SignificanceLong before gold seekers arrived with picks and pans, Native American peoples knew these mountains as hunting and gathering grounds, leaving traces still visible to observant visitors today. The 1849 gold discovery transformed these quiet peaks into a bustling frontier of mining camps, wagon trails, and eventually railroads that carved through the granite. Later generations brought cattle to graze the high meadows and loggers to harvest the forests, each era leaving its signature on the land—old cabin foundations, rusted equipment, overgrown rail grades—silent storytellers waiting to share their tales with those who pause to listen.
Weather and SeasonsThe high-elevation setting brings its own personality: afternoons often unleash powerful, gusty winds that sweep across Gold Lake's surface, challenging kayakers and canoeists to time their paddling for calmer morning hours. During fire season, the historic Mills Peak Fire Lookout springs to life with a stationed observer scanning the horizons—a reminder that this beautiful landscape requires constant vigilance and respect from all who visit.
ElevationAt 6,400 feet above sea level, this Plumas National Forest campground sits in that magical zone where the air grows thin and crisp, nights turn bracingly cold even in summer, and the surrounding peaks seem close enough to touch against impossibly blue skies.
Natural Features and SceneryGold Lake shimmers like a sapphire set among ancient granite—stone sculpted by glaciers into dramatic peaks and ridges that frame every view. The iconic Sierra Buttes stand sentinel in the distance, their jagged silhouette unmistakable against the sky. Lodgepole and Jeffrey pines cast dappled shadows across the shoreline, while mule deer emerge at dawn and dusk to drink at the water's edge, seemingly unbothered by quiet observers. This is alpine lake country at its finest: a landscape where human history and natural grandeur interweave seamlessly, where every boulder and meadow tells a story spanning thousands of years.
Geological RegionThe Lakes Basin Recreation Area showcases the Sierra Nevada's glacial legacy in spectacular fashion—a collection of alpine lakes cradled in granite bowls carved by ancient ice sheets. These glacial-sculpted peaks and ridges of the Sierra Buttes region reveal the raw power of geological forces, their polished rock faces and U-shaped valleys serving as textbook examples of Ice Age artistry within Plumas National Forest's boundaries.
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Campsite details

Total Campsitesnull campsites
Recommended CampsitesEach campsite includes a picnic table, fire ring, and a bear locker for food storage — use the bear locker to protect supplies. Access via OHV road requires high‑clearance/off‑road vehicles and driver experience; boat campers can access from the east-side boat launch but should plan for gusty winds. All campers must bring plans and supplies to pack out human waste and trash.

Best Campsites

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Reserving a campsite

Tents
Tents are not allowed
RV vehicles
RV vehicles are not allowed
Primitive
Primitive are allowed
Reservable
Reservations are allowed

Site layoutDeveloped campsites scattered along the OHV access road; each site includes a picnic table, fire ring and bear locker. The campground sits within the Lakes Basin Recreation Area boundaries.
Walk-in AvailabilityCampground is reservation-only (no walk-up availability).

Amenities available

Fire rings
Food storage lockers
Picnic tables

Activities you can enjoy

Used as a home base for a variety of outdoor activities in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area, including water-based recreation, mountain biking, hiking, fishing and hunting. Nearby trails, lookouts, historical sites and interpretive opportunities expand recreation options.
Hiking
Hiking access nearby, including Mills Peak Trail and numerous backcountry routes reachable from OHV roads and trailheads in the Lakes Basin.
Fishing
Fishing on Gold Lake and other alpine lakes in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area.
Biking
Mountain biking is popular (Mills Peak Trail noted as a premier mountain bike trail); OHV roads provide additional route access.
Boating
Campground is accessible to boat campers via the east-side boat launch, but there are no boat facilities at the site; strong, gusty afternoon winds are common and can hinder small watercraft.
Wildlife viewing
Good opportunities for wildlife viewing in a mountain-lake forest setting (the narrative specifically notes glimpses of deer and general wildlife).
Water Sports
Water sports are commonly enjoyed from this campground (general reference to water sports; boaters should note common gusty winds).
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Campground rules

  • Pets are not allowed

Hazards

General hazardsPrimary hazards include difficult, boulder-strewn OHV road access that requires experienced drivers and off-road capable vehicles (passenger cars/SUVs not recommended), strong gusty afternoon winds on the lake, bear attractants (food and scented items), and the lack of functioning restrooms or trash service leading to potential unsafe conditions.
Active alertsDilapidated/unserviceable restrooms are planned for removal and temporary measures (including making the campground reservation-only) have been enacted; all campers must carry a plan for removal of solid human waste and use WAG bags or similar.

Weather at Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground

47
°F
Dec 11
Thursday
Clear sky
Precipitation: 0%
Humidity: 36%
Wind: 2.2 mph
Clear sky

Weather History
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Good to know

Trash and recyclingNo trash service; campers must pack out all trash and sanitation.
Proximity to water featuresLocated on Gold Lake within the Lakes Basin Recreation Area; accessible by an OHV road and by boat from the east-side boat launch (no boat facilities at the 4x4 campground).
Common complaintsFacility is rustic and not a luxury destination; broken/unserviceable restrooms and lack of services have resulted in resource damage and unhealthy, unsafe conditions. The campground's popularity has contributed to these issues.

Campground Map

Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground
Driving directionsFrom Reno, NV: take US 395 north. At Hallelujah Junction go west 32 miles on Highway 70 to Blairsden. Take the Highway 89 turnoff south 3.5 miles to Gold Lake Highway. Proceed southwest on Gold Lake Highway 9.1 miles to Gold Lake Campground Road. Follow signs to the 4X4 staging area; the campground is approximately 2 miles further down the OHV road. From Hwy 80 (Truckee): take Highway 89 north 54 miles to Gold Lake Highway. Follow Gold Lake Highway southwest 9.1 miles to Gold Lake Campground Road and the 4X4 staging area; the campground is about 2 miles further down the OHV road. Drivers can also reach the destination from Hwy 89 to Hwy 49 over Yuba Pass or from the Grass Valley/Nevada City area on Hwy 49.
Primary access is via a boulder-strewn OHV road; experienced drivers and suitable high-clearance, off-road vehicles recommended. Passenger cars and sport utility vehicles are not recommended. Alternative access by boat is possible via the boat launch on the east side of Gold Lake.
Nearby places
Blairsden (~32 miles west on Highway 70 from Hallelujah Junction), Truckee (via Hwy 80: 54 miles on Highway 89 to Gold Lake Highway), Reno (regional reference), Graeagle and Portola are nearby communities referenced but exact distances not provided in source.

Reviews from booking and map sources

3.0
54 reviews
Mixed Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground has mixed reviews, placing it in the bottom 85% of campgrounds based on reviews
Reviewers are overwhelmingly positive about Gold Lake 4x4 Campground, praising its scenery, lakeside campsites, and off-road access. The area is described as clean, peaceful, and a great spot for Jeep/4x4 camping, fishing, and escaping crowds and RVs. Several note that the rough access road limits visitors, helping preserve a more natural, quiet experience if you choose your spot carefully.
Review Summaries
Based on 54 reviews

What Campers Love

Campers love the beautiful lakeside setting, with many sites right on the water, great fishing, and scenic views. The campground is highly valued as a base for 4x4/Jeep adventures, with trails...
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Based on 54 reviews

Common Concerns

A few reviewers note that it can be noisy at times because “some folks like to party,” and campsite traffic is heavy in summer weekends. One user reported bottoming out a stock Tacoma on the access...
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Based on 54 reviews

Pro Tips & Recommendations

Multiple reviews emphasize that 4x4 and higher ground clearance are strongly recommended to reach the campground, as the rocky trail takes 45–60 minutes and requires slow driving. Visitors suggest...
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Based on 54 reviews

Camper Quotes

"It is a campground so don't expect perfect peace and quiet, some folks like to party. If you want silence keep going down the trail and you'll find it." "4x4 needed to reach the Gold Lake...
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Based on 54 reviews

Site-Specific Reviews

One reviewer notes there are 16 campsites, all first-come, first-served, and that many sites are directly on the lake. Another mentions the campground as the best lakeside option if you have 4WD and...
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Based on 54 reviews

Accessibility Features

Access is specifically described as requiring 4x4 and higher ground clearance due to a rocky trail that takes 45 minutes to an hour at slow speed. A stock Tacoma TRD Off Road made it but bottomed out...
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Based on 54 reviews

Pet-Friendly Features

One review explicitly describes the campground as dog friendly. No additional pet policies or issues are mentioned, suggesting pets are generally welcome but without specific amenities noted.
Based on 54 reviews

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Last updated December 10, 2025
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