Gold Valley (FR 0093) in CA -- Free Camping & Overnight Parking in California
Gold Valley (FR 0093) in CA
A 16.4-mile stretch of gravel National Forest road in Sierra County, CA. The road serves Deer Lake Dam. The road is open seasonally, January 1 to January 3.
Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District allows dispersed camping here -- 14-day limit in any 365 days.
1.7 of the 16.4 miles in are maintained only for high-clearance vehicles. Mostly gravel, with 1.9 miles of dirt. Climbs 1,600 ft over 16.4 miles -- sustained grades near 14%, with pitches to 24%. Stretches run along a shelf with a drop of up to ~140 ft on the downhill side. Winds through 19 switchbacks. Dead-end road -- no mapped turnaround; expect to back out or unhitch.
Sierra Buttes stands 1,518 ft above the site, 2.1 miles southeast. Exposed here -- the nearest through road is 0.1 miles off. The Packer Lake shoreline is 0.6 mi off. Travellers have camped along here. The nearest town, Portola, is 18 mi off.
September normals 47–71°F, 1.0″ 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