Dispersed Camping at Kyburz Flat | Tahoe National Forest

Heading north from Truckee we found some great spots for dispersed camping at Kyburz Flat! Kyburz Flat is a beautiful area with an appealing combination of wide open meadows and wooded areas. The large grassy meadows are great for wildlife viewing where you’ll primarily encounter a variety of migratory birds as well as deer, chipmunks and squirrels. And as we explored the woods while camping at Kyburz Flat we discovered so many different types and colors of wildflowers.

In addition to the beautiful and peaceful setting of Kyburz Flat, there is also quite a range of history to discover in the area. From petroglyphs indicating the presence of Native Americans to a thriving homestead during the gold rush. There are three informative exhibits to check out and brush up on your history while camping at Kyburz Flat. Read on to find out more!

Quick Info: Dispersed Camping at Kyburz Flat

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: Click here to get directions to Kyburz Flat.

Solar: Ok, the majority of camp spots are in the woods so direct sunlight is limited.

Miles From Town: About 15 miles from Truckee

Water: None

Road Conditions: Well maintained gravel road with some washboard areas

Cell Service: No

Our Experience Camping at Kyburz Flat

Having only been in the area once, we headed north of Truckee looking for some new adventures! As we were travelling along the 89 we noticed that there were quite a few forest roads to check out. A friend of ours recommended a few places in the area and mentioned that we could find some dispersed camping at Kyburz Flat.

After turning off the 89 towards Kyburz Flat the road becomes gravel, crosses a cattle guard and remains pretty mellow with some annoying washboard sections. After about 1.5 miles the gravel road reaches a map of the area and its exhibits as well as a restroom. Here you’ll find a petroglyph exhibit and a bit further is a boardwalk with historical information about More’s Station.

And if you turn left here, the road is a bit rougher in spots through a beautiful wooded area as it eventually reaches the Wheeler Sheep Camp exhibit. Along this road there are a few small turn outs that could work for car camping at Kyburz Flat.

If you continue straight along the main gravel road you’ll pass More’s Station historic exhibits before reaching a wildlife viewing area. Here the gravel road bisects a beautiful large, wide open meadow. As you continue along the gravel road you’ll reenter the woods and there is a large area with a few camp spots among the trees.

These spots are really nice, will accommodate large rigs and provide great views looking out across the meadow. As you can see below, we experience a bit of smoke from the nearby wildfires while we were camping at Kyburz Flat.

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There are more spots for dispersed camping at Kyburz Flat as you continue following the gravel road, though not many. We explored a few dirt roads that branched off of the main gravel road and we didn’t see any turnouts or camp spots on them. But we didn’t drive the entire road so there could be more options if you go further.

After parking the trailer and heading off on foot we found a few nice spots. There are a couple open spots with nice solar as well as some nestled into the woods with great temperature control. We didn’t have service at any of the spots though. So we picked a spot and got settled in!

While camping at Kyburz Flat we encountered few other people. Most of the people were day use though if camping, the nice large front spot in the woods was often taken/shared. The area did see more traffic on weekends but it remained very quiet and peaceful. During our stay, we saw a couple deer and some cool large birds that made unique calls and spent their time out in the meadow.

Checking Out the Area

While we were camping at Kyburz Flat, we got to know the area by exploring some of the dirt roads by foot in all different directions. One in particular led us through the woods where we encountered a beautiful display of colorful wildflowers. This road led us up to a really rough section of jeep road and ended with a beautiful panoramic view of the area. (And we stumbled upon service!)

We also checked out the three historic exhibits about the history in the area. At the parking area near the restroom there is a petroglyph exhibit. And just down the road from the petroglyph area is a boardwalk showcasing details about the More’s Station homestead that once stood in this exact area. You can see and read about the well that they used and even where the buildings once were. And lastly, if you follow the dirt road that leads away from the restroom, you’ll reach Wheeler Sheep Camp. This area was once an active sheep camp but now is a nice picnic area with a functioning brick oven as well as a spring and a shot up bathtub.

But most of our adventures in the area took place a bit further north off of Forest Road 07. And once we realized how much there was to see and do up there we decided to pack up and move to a nice dispersed camp spot near Perazzo Meadows. Although this spot ended up being busier and less private, it made a great home base for the adventures in the area. Stay tuned for those articles!

All in all, camping at Kyburz Flat was a great experience! We enjoyed the new scenery and the peaceful setting. It also allowed us to get to know the area, drive some other forest roads and to plan our next adventures in the nearby area.

Thanks for Reading!

We hope you enjoyed this article about camping at Kyburz Flat. If you would like to see more of our articles about awesome dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

• Logandale Trails Camping and Climbing Near Vegas
• Camping and Exploring Near Sycamore Creek in Arizona
• Camping at Volcanic Tablelands in California

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