Bowman Lake (FR 0018) in CA -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in California
Bowman Lake (FR 0018) in CA
A 24.6-mile stretch of paved National Forest road in Nevada County, CA. The road is open seasonally, April 1 to December 31.
Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District allows dispersed camping here -- 14-day limit in any 365 days.
8.7 of the 24.6 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. Mostly paved, with 9 miles of dirt. Climbs 3,900 ft over 24.6 miles -- sustained grades near 14%, with pitches to 25%. Stretches run along a shelf with a drop of up to ~170 ft on the downhill side. Winds through 30 switchbacks. Dead-end road -- no mapped turnaround; expect to back out or unhitch. Gates 17.2, 18.5 and 18.6 miles in.
Bowman Mountain stands 1,943 ft above the site, 1.9 miles southeast. A body of water lies 0.2 mi off. Exposed here -- the nearest through road is 0.1 miles off. Travellers have camped along here. The nearest town, Nevada City, is 23 mi off.
September normals 50–76°F, 0.6″ rain. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.
Set by Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District. Stage 1 and 2 orders change within days -- check the current order before you build a fire.
fs.usda.gov