Free camping near Auburn Lake Trails, CA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Auburn Lake Trails, CA there are 21 camps: 14 free, 6 fee, 1 unpriced. The closest is Dru Barner Campground, 12 miles east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Watson Lake Campground, 19 miles out.
Who manages them: 21 on the Forest Service.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dru Barner Campground | 12 | Unpriced | Dark Canyon (stream) | 0.8 mi to Balderson Station | — |
| Watson Lake Campground | 19 | Free | Sugar Pine Reservoir (water) | 2.9 mi to Iowa Hill | — |
| Brimstone Ohv Campground | 19 | Free | Pagge Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Hughes Mill | — |
| Finning Mill | 19 | Free | Pagge Creek (stream) | 1.9 mi to Hughes Mill | — |
| Little Oak Flat | 19 | Free | Middle Fork American River (river) | 3.4 mi to Michigan Bluff | — |
| Forbes | 20 | Fee | — | 6.0 mi to Alta | — |
| Giant Gap Ridge | 20 | Free | Sugar Pine Reservoir (water) | 3.5 mi to Monte Vista | — |
| Giant Gap | 20 | Fee | — | 5.2 mi to Alta | — |
| Ponderosa Cove Group | 20 | Free | Rubicon River (river) | 4.0 mi to Leonardi | — |
| Shirttail Creek | 21 | Fee | — | 5.1 mi to Alta | — |
| Stumpy Meadows Cg | 21 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Black Oak Group | 21 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Pollock Pines | — |
| Big Reservoir | 21 | Fee | — | 5.5 mi to Alta | — |
| Mitchell Mine | 22 | Free | — | 9.5 mi to Alta | — |
| Giant Gap Road | 22 | Free | North Shirttail Canyon (stream) | 3.5 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| Inter Bay | 22 | Free | Middle Fork American River (river) | 3.6 mi to Zuver | — |
| Peavine Road | 23 | Free | Middle Fork American River (river) | 3.5 mi to Greekstore | — |
| Elliot Ranch | 23 | Free | North Shirttail Canyon (stream) | 3.5 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| Casa Loma | 24 | Free | Canyon Creek (stream) | 0.5 mi to Casa Loma | — |
| Spruce Creek Loop | 24 | Free | — | 14 mi to Foresthill | — |
| Last Chance | 25 | Free | North Fork of Middle Fork American River (river) | 4.3 mi to Greekstore | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Auburn Lake Trails, CA, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.