Do I need a mussel screening at New Bullards Bar?

Yes, for all motorized watercraft. It is free and runs daily from 6 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset at Cottage Creek and Dark Day.

Is there a quarantine at New Bullards Bar?

No. Yuba Water says there are no quarantines, but you cannot launch a motorized boat without passing screening.

Where do I launch at New Bullards Bar?

At Cottage Creek next to Emerald Cove Marina or at Dark Day.

Can you boat-in camp at New Bullards Bar?

Yes. Garden Point and Frenchy Point are boat-in only and seasonal. Garden Point has no water.

Can I rent a houseboat at New Bullards Bar?

Yes. Emerald Cove Marina rents houseboats, ski, patio and fishing boats.

New Bullards Bar Reservoir Boating Guide: Ramps, Screening, Houseboats

Overview

New Bullards Bar Reservoir is a deep, finger-shaped lake in the Sierra foothills about 45 minutes east of Marysville on Marysville Road. Yuba Water Agency's 635-foot concrete arch dam, finished in 1970, which creates a lake about 16 miles long with roughly 55 to 60 miles of shoreline at an elevation near 1,956 feet. Yuba Water says the lake is known for warm water and good fishing, and the area gets more than 116,000 visitors a year.

Launching and the marina

The two main ramps are Cottage Creek, next to Emerald Cove Marina, and Dark Day. Emerald Cove Marina offers rentals, moorage, fuel, a general store and camping reservations, and the lake is a houseboat destination as well as a wakeboarding and water-ski lake.

Mandatory mussel screening

All motorized boats must pass a free screening before launching at either ramp. Screening runs daily from 6 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset, and launches close at dusk. Inspectors look for visible mussels, aquatic vegetation, mud and standing water, and boats can be denied. Yuba Water says there is no quarantine; screenings began on August 18, 2025 and remain in place through 2026.

Houseboats

Commercially transported houseboats must be professionally decontaminated and provide proof before arrival, and a screening reservation must be made in advance.

Boat-in camping

Garden Point and Frenchy Point are boat-in only campgrounds, open seasonally.

Getting there & access

By road

The reservoir is about 45 minutes east of Marysville on Marysville Road, in the Tahoe National Forest. Cottage Creek, beside Emerald Cove Marina, and Dark Day are the two main launch points.

Screening at the ramp

Arrive with the boat cleaned, drained and dried, plugs out. Inspectors check for visible mussels, aquatic vegetation, mud, standing water and risk factors such as recent use in infested waters. The process takes about five minutes. Boats can be turned away if they fail, and kayaks and other non-motorized craft are not formally screened but should follow clean-drain-dry practices.

Boat-in camps

Garden Point is boat-in only (16 sites, no water) and can be reached from Dark Day, about 1 mile away, or from Emerald Cove Marina, about 3 miles away. Frenchy Point is also boat-in only and seasonal.

Houseboats

Houseboats that arrive by commercial transport must be professionally decontaminated, show proof, and book a screening in advance through Yuba Water's Houseboat Screening Reservation form.

Amenities

Cottage Creek ramp — Next to Emerald Cove Marina; mussel screening point
Dark Day ramp — Second launch; mussel screening point
Emerald Cove Marina — Rentals, moorage, fuel, general store and camping reservations
Houseboat rentals — Houseboat, ski, patio and fishing boat rentals via the marina
Campgrounds — Cottage Creek, Schoolhouse, Hornswoggle, Dark Day, Garden Point and Frenchy Point
Boat-in campsites — Garden Point and Frenchy Point, seasonal
Trails — Over 20 miles of trails around the reservoir

Rules & official resources

Common boat service needs here

Houseboat and engine service

Houseboats, ski boats and patio boats on a 16-mile lake need engine and generator service before the season, and houseboat owners must show decontamination proof.

Find Marine Mechanics & Engine Service providers →