High Sierra Topix

I'm thinking of heading into the Sierra Buttes area for a little camping trip. Haven't ever been there and just wondering about the campgrounds in the area.

Are they first come first serve or do you need reservations?
Will they be packed full of people right now?
Do they have bear boxes?

Any info will be helpful.
Thanks.
Steven

The only bear boxes I have seen are on the south side of Gold Lake, at the off roaders cg. Need high clearance wheels to get in, although the road isn't that bad, just need high clearance to get there. THE nicest spot on the lake for non property owning campers there. Usually only a few rigs there. The Lakes Basin? cg is about the nicest, not sure if you can get reservations there, it is the most northern cg along the Gold Lake Road, past the road to Round Lake. There are a number of cgs along the road, some are right along the road. If you stay at Gold Lake, there is an area for RV's and if you want primitive camping, camp along the east side. To access the best camping around Gold Lake, go in at the Boat ramp sign, off of the Gold Lake Road, follow the paved road down into the boat launch area. You will see where RV's park, but if you continue along the right and bear right, you will come on to the primitive camping, where you can camp close to the lake for a few hundred yards with those sanihut things scattered. My fave car camping spot. If you take 49 over Yuba Pass heading west to Bassett's and go north on the Gold Lake Road, you will come to a few cgs up the Salmon Lake road, only a few miles from Bassett's, the one you would take to Packer Lake and further to the Buttes. Down by Sierra City there is a cg off the road a short ways too. Stayed there one year with the rec class from FRC one spring. The name escapes me now. I'm headed to Weil Lake, nw of Truckee, off of 89 north this weekend.

They will have folks over Labor Day, not sure this coming weekend how crowds will be. Last year, I thought I could get a first come, first serve spot by Jackson Meadow Reservoir, but they were all reserved over Labor Day. The place I looked at online to see where the campsites were, as I always drive by to go bping at lakes further in, showed the cg I was going to stay at had no reserved spots. Wrong! When I got there Friday after work, they all had signs up, reserved. Bah!

As far as I know, no problems with bears in the areas I have mentioned. Whether car camping or bping. Let me know if you need any more info, as I live close by. On the weekend that is.

The FS in Mohawk, on the Plumas may be able to supply more info if needed. I met the head lady Ranger some years ago on my old job, nice lady. Not sure if she is still there.

Thanks for all the info. That gives me an idea of things up that way. I'm thinkin about waiting until after Labor Day now. Living in Bishop I know how crowded it can be these last few weeks of Aug. and I'd hate to get up there and find myself in crowded mess.

Steven

Not like Tahoe or Yosemite. Us small town people get upset if we can't park in front of a business when we go shopping. We'll go home or elsewhere if we have to park a block away.