From my post on Reddit:
A lovely 5 days and I learned a few new things. #1 - if you are going to treat your gear, do it before you leave home. I got stung by a yellow jacket yesterday which made me kinda sick right after I sprayed some shoes. So not a great way to end the trip. (I'm not allergic just sensitive.) Next time, I will be armed with a Sawyer suction pump for insect stings. It still really hurts and burns 24 hours later.
I spent the entire 4-5 days listening to Bigfoot stories from Basecamp Chris. he's on YT and he's a lot of fun to have around. Great stories along with his beer reviews. I enjoy my campsites and tend to spend my time relaxing, puttering, reading and napping.
Salmon Creek is in the Gold Lake district of Tahoe National Forest bordering in some spots to Plumas National Forest. The closest civilization is Bassetts Station, a small general store, cafe, and motel about 1.5 miles down the road. So, yes, this is not dispersed. (I will get to that.)
The campground is established, with vault toilets, and running water at spigot stations throughout the loops. Sites are somewhat cramped, but this probably doesn't bother most people. I am seriously introverted so I deliberately chose a spot/reserved a site that was not full of people. In fact, I was the only camper on the loop so that was good. It pays to plan ahead. You can see on Recreation.gov if you will have neighbours or not.
Having said all that, I think I am just ready to move on to disbursed/wild camping. The road noise was heavy and steady. One thing that is not obvious about this place is that on the other side of the creek, is a type of frontage road so you will get the noise from both the highway and that road. The campground is in the middle.
It's a lovely spot, it just isn't for me due to that. But I still enjoyed my time there and made the best of things. I feel like I have finallly perfected my sleep system. I forgot I had a 4" sleep pad that I forgot about buying a few years ago. It was GREAT. A little narrow, but FANTASTIC! O bliss!
Notes on wildlife: I swear, I did not see a single squirrel during the entire trip. Snag Lake and Salmon Creek are only about 1 mile apart. I am convinced there is a mountain lion in the area. Keep your wits and be aware. I don't think it's a bear problem, although they are out there in that area. But specifically in these camping areas, I think it's a cat. On the second night, I heard a short, "scream" that told me: mountain lion.
Dispersed camping: I did one night in my car at Snag Lake, because I had an extra day off that I didn't know about. I couldn't extend my reservation, so it worked out well.
Snag Lake is right off the Gold Lake Highway/on 89. I was there on 8/17 - Saturday, and did not experience any noise problems, or partiers or anything out of the norm. The road in is a bit rough but overall if you take it slow and be careful with your vehicle, you should be fine. Only the spots closest to the lake require a 4x4. I have an all-wheel drive (Chevy Trax) and I made it with no problems. Since it is free, and dispersed,, there are no amenities, except a pit toilet. No running water, or any other amenities and I would not recommend it to anyone with accessibility/mobility issues. The trails are jutted with rocks, tree stumps, etc.
Other than all this, it is a beautiful spot, but it suffers from the same road noise as Salmon Creek. Lots of shade though. ****Special note: don't swim in Snag Lake unless you want a good bloodletting. It's full of leaches.
The facts on Haven Lake - the main camping sites online say it is free/dispersed camping. It's not. The fee is $25 payable in cash, via an iron soldier at the entrance. There is space for about 4 sites/vehicles. This one is a little rougher, road wise, but it is not paved, and it is always at your own risk. Don't overestimate your vehicle. The "lake" at Haven is more like a pond if you know what I mean. It's not large enough to boat on, and I don't recommend swimming with the leaches in it.
I hope these notes help someone else. As for myself, it was finally my confirmation that I need to get away from the campgrounds. I need to strike out on my own. I enjoyed the night at Snag Lake and really kind of wished I had stayed there for the several days I had.
Arrange a pet sitter/house sitter
