campground closures at Davis Lake

[betty]

FYI: When looking at campground details for Grasshopper campground on www.reserveamerica.com, down at the bottom of the page in the "alerts" section, it pointed out that Grasshopper campground would be closed for reconstruction from 10/31/2010 to 10/31/2011. Bummer!! Going to make it harder to find a place to camp next year.

Also, Lightning tree campground has been closed since the end of June to put in a new water system. The ranger I spoke with was not sure whether it would open up again this fall. When the others closed, usually around mid October, this was the only one that used to stay open year round (with no water in the fall/winter). Double bummer.

If anyone has any more info on this, I'd like to hear it. Thanks

Betty

[Jay]

fyi: When looking at campground details for grasshopper campground on www.reserveamerica.com, down at the bottom of the page in the "alerts" section, it pointed out that grasshopper campground would be closed for reconstruction from 10/31/2010 to 10/31/2011. Bummer!! Going to make it harder to find a place to camp next year.

Also, lightning tree campground has been closed since the end of june to put in a new water system. The ranger i spoke with was not sure whether it would open up again this fall. When the others closed, usually around mid october, this was the only one that used to stay open year round (with no water in the fall/winter). Double bummer.

If anyone has any more info on this, i'd like to hear it. Thanks

betty
bummer!!!!

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Betty-
Grasshopper has already closed and I would not expect Lightning Tree to open again this year.Primitive camping is available on the National Forest on the west side of the lake but you cannot camp on the lake side of the road.

Jay

[bigfly]

I believe jay is correct about camping away (outside) from the lake road (anywhere).
But I'm not sure that means a fire or even a stove.
I think those are limited to "developed" areas.
Could be wrong on this (wouldn't be the first time), but all the fire rings have been removed from my favorite spots on the west side, and replaced by "no burning" signs.

Jim

[michaeln]

I've seen several bears over on the west side, too. Enough to make me reconsider camping over there.

Might want to consider camping at the Grizzly Store campground. It's about 1/2 the price of the state ones, the people are nice and the location is good.

http://www.grizzlystore.portola-ca.com/rates.htm

I have stayed there several times. It's just dirt and there is only one restroom, but that one restroom is lighted and clean and even heated in the winter. Water near all of the sites and at least a couple have electricity.

[betty]

Hi Jay (Little Truckee):
Are you sure Grasshopper is closed??? Do you mean Grizzly campground?? I spoke with the folks who run the campgrounds at Davis the other day and the person I spoke with said Grasshopper will stay open til after the weekend of the 9th-10th for a few days.

Thanks

Betty

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Betty-
I'm always getting the two confused.The campground by the boat ramp is still open. No fire restrictions are in place at this time so campfires and cookstoves are ok WITH a campfire permit.Thanks for the reminder about J&J's Grizzly Store and Campground.Nice folks own the place and their tent sites are cheeper than the USFS campgrounds.As far as bears I wouldn't worry much about them as they are all in town porking out on garbage.

Also, be aware that duck season opens up soon and the lake may sound like a bit of a war zone.The hunters have ever much right to access the lake as the fisherman do and the less conflicts among different user groups the better.

Have a great fall!

Jay

[betty]

Hi Jay:
Yep, last october there were lots of shots being fired, mostly in the morning hours. Pretty unsettling, as was seeing someone walk the shore with a shot gun. As long as they never aim out into the lake, I'm Ok with it.

Betty

[michaeln]

I was fishing from my pram last year at Baum lake during hunting season. There were hunters with blinds set up in the reeds on the shoreline. Lots of shooting, one guy with an aromatic shootmegun was firing like it was an air raid in London and never hitting anything.

I noticed some bright red drops / splashes in several places in the pram. I thought I had somehow cut myself without knowing it, but there was too much blood for that. My theory is that mister hotshot finally hit a bird and that the bird had flown over my pram while bleeding heavily.

It was pretty strange.

[loose_shoes]

That's too bad about Lighting Tree being closed. I always liked camping there in the fall even though the water was off and especially since it didn't cost nuthin'!! There were always a few nice folks around to share a campfire with and you could (usually) have lots of space without anyone else camping right next to you.

I had been going up to Davis the last few years instead of Eagle because it was a quicker trip, the fishing was great and I didn't have to rent a cabin. Camping at Davis in the late fall is one thing - camping at Eagle in the late fall is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT thing.

I always felt a little sad about skipping Eagle in favor of Davis. Looks like it's time to reacquaint myself with Eagle again this year! Anyone been there in the past week or two?

[gene goss]

Grasshopper flat campgrounds is still open untill the Oct. 15....BUT if we get a colded storm in, or the temps. drop low enought to freeze the water pipes....the camp host will turn the water off and close the camp ground down. Grizzly campgrounds and Lighting tree campgrounds are close for the year.....Next year it looks like Grizzly campgrounds will be open....which is right next to Grasshopper flat camp campgrounds on the lake.