CAMPING AT BULLARDS BAR
Campgrounds Around the Lake
Seven Forest Service campgrounds ring New Bullards Bar Reservoir — lakeside tent sites, RV loops, group camps and boat-in coves you can only reach by water. Every site is reserved through Recreation.gov; here’s where they are, what they cost, and the exact link to book each one.
Apr 15 – Oct 15
Camping season at all Bullards Bar campgrounds
Reserve Ahead
Every site books on Recreation.gov — no first-come sites
2,000 ft
Elevation — warm summers, mild shoulder seasons
2 PM / Noon
Check-in / check-out; quiet hours 10 PM – 6 AM
FIND YOUR SPOT
Bullards Bar Campground Map
Tap a marker for sites, fees and the booking link. Numbers match the campground list below. Emerald Cove Marina sits at the south end by the dam; Dark Day, Schoolhouse and Hornswoggle are 3–4 miles back up Marysville Road toward Highway 49.
Prefer a printable map? Yuba Water Agency’s recreation map shows every campground, ramp and trail.
DRIVE-IN CAMPGROUNDS
Park, Pitch, and Walk to the Water
All four drive-in campgrounds are on Marysville Road between Highway 49 and the dam. None have hookups or showers, all are bear country, and every site must be reserved ahead on Recreation.gov.
DRIVE-IN · TENTS & RVS
1. Schoolhouse Campground
The biggest campground on the lake and the best-equipped — flush toilets and treated water, shaded sites, and the Schoolhouse Trail dropping straight down to the Bullards Bar Trail and the shoreline. About 3 miles from the marina.
- 56 sites: 44 single ($24/night), 12 double ($48/night)
- Flush toilets + vault toilet, potable water
- No hookups, showers or dump station
- Season Apr 15 – Oct 15 · reservations only
- Bears frequent the area — use bear-safe food storage
GROUP CAMP · 25–50 PEOPLE
2. Hornswoggle Group Campground
Across the road from Schoolhouse, Hornswoggle is where family reunions and club trips set up. Six named group sites (Sugarpine, Madrone, Dogwood, Ponderosa, Manzanita, plus the Douglas Fir RV area), half a mile from the Dark Day ramp.
- 6 group sites · 25-person sites $88/night, 50-person $155/night
- Vault toilets, central parking, RVs to 50 ft
- No potable water — bring your own
- Season Apr 15 – Oct 15 · reservations only
- Elevation 2,200 ft
DRIVE-IN · TENT ONLY
3. Dark Day Campground
Small, lakeside and walkable to the water — Dark Day sits right beside the main public boat ramp and the 14-site picnic area. Ten tent sites, so it books out fast on summer weekends.
- 10 tent sites: 5 single ($24), 3 double ($48), 1 triple ($72)
- Vault toilets · no potable water
- Two concrete boat ramps + picnic area next door
- Season Apr 15 – Oct 15 · reservations only
- Garden Point boat-in camp is 1 mile across the water
DRIVE-IN · RV FRIENDLY · ¼ MILE FROM THE MARINA
4. Cottage Creek Campground
The newest campground on the lake and the closest to Emerald Cove — a quarter mile up the hill from the marina, with lake views from most sites. Built for RVs; note the steep 8% grade on the approach.
- 9 sites: 7 double ($48/night), 2 triple ($72/night)
- Potable water · 2 vault toilets
- Lake views, minimal shade — bring a canopy
- Season Apr 15 – Oct 15 · reservations only
- Walk to the general store, fuel dock and boat rentals
BOAT-IN CAMPGROUNDS
Coves You Can Only Reach by Water
Load the boat at Emerald Cove or the Dark Day ramp and camp where the road doesn’t go. There’s no water at any boat-in site, so pack everything in — our general store has ice, firewood, propane and groceries before you push off.
BOAT-IN ONLY · OPEN
5. Garden Point Boat-in Campground
Your own cove on the north shore, one mile by water from the Dark Day ramp and about three from Emerald Cove. Sixteen sites tucked in the trees with vault toilets — the classic Bullards Bar boat-camping experience.
- 16 sites: 12 single ($24/night), 4 double ($48/night)
- Vault toilets · no potable water — pack it in
- 1 mi by boat from Dark Day ramp · ~3 mi from Emerald Cove
- Season Apr 15 – Oct 15 · reservations only
- No road access — you cannot drive here
BOAT-IN ONLY · CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
6. Madrone Cove Boat-in Campground
Ten single-family sites on the quiet west shore, about five miles up the lake from Dark Day and six from the marina. Madrone Cove is closed until further notice while the Forest Service completes major repairs — no reopening date has been set. Check Recreation.gov for updates.
- 10 single sites · $24/night when it reopens
- Vault toilets · no potable water
- ~5 mi by boat from Dark Day · ~6 mi from Emerald Cove
- Closed until further notice — no reservations being taken
BOAT-IN OVERFLOW · CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
7. Frenchy Point Boat-in Campground
A primitive overflow area on the west shore near Madrone Cove with no restrooms (a portable toilet is required). Frenchy Point is closed until further notice — it needs major work before it can reopen, and no date has been set.
- Primitive overflow sites · no toilets, no water
- ~5 mi by boat from Dark Day ramp
- Closed until further notice — major work needed before reopening
FROM EMERALD COVE
Boat-camping without the boat
Don’t have a boat? Our 45′ Party Cruiser and 10-person patio pontoons are set up for shore camping, and a houseboat is a floating campsite with a hot tub. Launching your own? Book an overnight side-tie and skip the ramp line in the morning.
DAY USE & BOAT RAMPS
Day Use Around the Lake
- Dark Day Picnic Area — 14 picnic sites beside the boat ramp; vault toilets; free day use, 6 AM – 10 PM
- Dark Day Boat Ramp — two concrete ramps, the main public launch on the lake
- Vista Point — overlook above the dam and trailhead parking for the 14-mile Bullards Bar Trail
- Emerald Cove Marina — fuel, boat rentals, general store, picnic area and overnight side-ties
GOOD TO KNOW
Before You Head Up
- Reserve first. Every campground is reservation-only on Recreation.gov (877-444-6777). A $20 no-show fee applies if you don’t cancel.
- Bear country. Keep all food and scented items in approved containers or a locked vehicle.
- Water. Only Schoolhouse and Cottage Creek have potable water — bring your own everywhere else.
- Fire restrictions change. Check Tahoe National Forest alerts before you go; campfires are often prohibited in late summer.
- Supplies. Ice, firewood, propane, tackle, groceries and 91-octane fuel at the Emerald Cove general store, open daily.
MAKE IT A LAKE WEEKEND
Camp on the shore. Play on the water.
Pair your campsite with a pontoon, ski boat or jet ski from Emerald Cove — or upgrade the whole trip to a houseboat. The marina is at the south end of the lake, minutes from every campground.