Forty-eight sites spread across forested terrain create a sense of space even when the campground fills on weekends. Dru Barner Campground sits along a curvy mountain road that some reviewers describe as adventurous, requiring careful navigation to reach this Forest Service facility in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
The campground accommodates RVs up to 50 feet with water hookups available at select sites, though recent visitors report water quality issues that prompted some to bring their own supply. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring, with vault toilets and designated horse corrals serving equestrian campers. "Nothing but trees and the wind blowing through them," describes one reviewer who found the forested setting particularly appealing during a multi-day stay.
Wildlife sightings add to the camping experience, with turkeys, deer, and various bird species commonly spotted throughout the grounds. The nearby Otter Creek Trail provides hiking access, though it requires switchbacking down elevation to reach the water. Cell service works well enough for online activities, and Georgetown sits just six miles away for supplies and dining. ProfG999 notes the town offers "the best time exploring the shops and talking to the locals."
Winter and shoulder seasons offer the most solitude, while summer weekends draw larger crowds seeking this forested retreat.
Description
Overview
Dru Barner Campground offers 48 campsites that are nestled in the forest just 6 miles from Georgetown, CA. The campground offers access to trails, creeks and is a short drive from some nearby reservoirs. This campground was designed for equestrians, but it can also be used by tent, camper, trailer and recreational vehicles. Common wildlife to the area includes turkeys, deer, bears, coyote and racoons. Portions of the campground have a canopy of trees, but many of the camp units have very little shade.
Recreation
Dru Barner Campground provides some good camping opportunities without having to drive long distances into the forest. Dru Barner Campground provides access to many non-motorized trails. It also is close to the Rock Creek Trail System that has both non-motorized, motorized, and multiple use trails. Several horse clubs have used Dru Barner Campground as the staging area for equestrian recreation events under special use permits. Several horse clubs have hosted barbecues and taco bars at the group kitchen area after their trail rides. Some couples have used the group kitchen area for weddings. Stumpy Meadows Reservoir is located only about 15 miles to the east for those seeking water-based recreation. There is a campground concessionaire that operates the Stumpy Meadows Boat Ramp and Picnic Area. A day use fee is charged for those facilities. Stumpy Meadows Reservoir has a 5-mile speed limit for motor boats. Rafts, canoes and kayakers frequently travel on the reservoir. There are some shorelines that provide access for swimming and wading.
Facilities
Dru Barner Campground has camp units equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. The campground roads have gravel surfaces. Most of the parking spurs have gravel surfaces with others having dirt surfaces. The parking spurs vary in length to handle longer trailers and RVs to spurs for a car or truck with a short horse trailer. There is a group kitchen area equipped with two large barbecue grills, two serving tables, a large fire ring and 11 picnic tables that can be rented. Six of the camp units have large bear proof food containers that can hold two coolers. Some of the camp units have horse corrals nearby. There are also hitching posts near some of the restrooms and high line posts between camp sites. The campground has potable water from water faucets distributed throughout the campground. There is a two-unit flush restroom equipped with sinks. There are also two vault restrooms located in the northern portion of the campground.
Natural Features
Dru Barner Campground sits on a ridgeline of the Hornblende Mountains. To the north, Otter Creek has cut a forested canyon. To the south, there are the rolling ridges that surround Rock Creek. There are forests of Ponderosa pine, sugar pine, Douglas-fir, white fir and incense cedar with groups of black oak and madrone. This campground is about 15 miles west of Stumpy Meadows Reservoir.
Contact Info
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (530) 334-6477.
Nearby Attractions
A nearby attraction is the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma, CA. This attraction is located about 16 miles southeast of Dru Barner Campground. It is where James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848. This started the California Gold Rush. Historic building such as the blacksmith shop, mill workers cabin and the Coloma schoolhouse are available to see. There are gold panning demonstrations. There is a Gold Discovery Trail to learn the history and see the sites.
Fee Info
The overnight camping fee is $8.00 per vehicle per night. It has been reduced to $4.00 per vehicle per night due to the water system outage. The day use fee is $3.00 per vehicle. The group kitchen area fee is $1.00 per person .
Warning 1 Alert is In Effect
There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!
Warning 1 Alert is In Effect
There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!
Our facility is experiencing a temporary water outage. Please bring all the water youll need for your visit, including drinking water.
RV Road Trip Guides
Location
Public CampgroundDru Barner Campground — Eldorado National Forest is located in California
Directions
From Auburn, CA, take Highway 49 south to the junction of Highway 193 and 49 in Cool, CA. Turn left onto Highway 193 east to Georgetown, CA. At the intersection of Main Street and Highway 193, turn left and continue on Main Street, which becomes the Wentworth Springs Road (County Route 63) for approximately 6 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 13N16 and proceed north for approximately 1.2 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 13N58 (also known as the Bottlehill Road) and travel west approximately 0.5 miles. The entrance Dru Barner Campground is on your left. From Placerville, CA, take Highway 49 north to the junction of Highway 193 and 49 in Placerville, CA. Turn right onto Highway 193 and head north to Georgetown, CA. At the intersection of Main Street and Highway 193, turn right and continue on Main Street, which becomes the Wentworth Springs Road (County Route 63) for approximately 6 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 13N16 for travel north for approximately 1.2 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 13N58 (also known as the Bottlehill Road) and travel west for approximately 0.5 miles. The entrance Dru Barner Campground is on your left.
Address
Bottlehill Road (Forest Road 13N58)
Georgetown, CA 95634
Coordinates
38.942886 N
120.764012 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 11 usersLast on 5/1/26
Verizon5GGood CoverageVerified by 3 usersLast on 5/1/26
AT&TLTESome Coverage
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 11 usersLast on 5/1/26
- Verizon5GGood CoverageVerified by 3 usersLast on 5/1/26
- AT&TLTESome Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Equestrian
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Water Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 1 hr 5 min from Sacramento, CA
- 1 hr 24 min from Yuba City, CA
- 2 hrs 3 min from Reno, NV
- 2 hrs 16 min from Carson City, NV
