A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Berger

Forest Service campground in Tahoe National Forest, Sierra County, California. About 5,900 feet. 16.1 miles from Portola.

Managed by
Forest Service Tahoe National Forest
Elevation
About 5,900 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
9 5 tent only non-electric, 4 standard non-electric
Longest rig
50 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Sierra County

Overview

Berger Campground is located in the Packer Lake area near Packer Creek and the Sierra Buttes, north of the Yuba River. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, equestrian use, hunting, fishing, canoeing and OHV use. This campground is operated and maintained by Forest Service staff.

Recreation

A large network of trails is available in the Packer Lake area, including the Pacific Crest Trail, which is just a short trip from the campground. Many lakes in the area, including Packer Lake and Lower Sardine Lake, offer stocked rainbow and brook trout fishing, in addition to canoeing. During the late spring months, visitors looking for a more extreme adventure might want to try whitewater rafting on the North Yuba River.

Facilities

The campground offers single-family tent sites on two loops. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets are provided. Drinking water is not provided.

Natural Features

The campground is located at an elevation of 5,900 feet, near the banks of Packer Creek and just a short distance from Packer Lake. The campground is located within stands of lodgepole pine, cedar and fir trees. Packer Lake is a remote six-acre body of water tucked at the foot of the Sierra Buttes in Tahoe National Forest.

Nearby Attractions

The Lakes Basin offers boating, fishing and hiking. Over 30 miles of maintained trails branch out across the area. Many of the trails are also open to biking and horseback riding. On the water, visitors enjoy boating, canoeing and fishing. Anglers will find rainbow and brook trout in many of the lakes throughout the basin. A boat ramp is located at Gold Lake.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • climbing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • kayaking
  • mountain biking
  • mountain climbing
  • mushroom picking
  • non-motorized boating
  • off highway vehicle trails
  • off road vehicle trails
  • picnicking
  • rafting
  • scenic drive
  • star gazing
  • swimming
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Berger

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.