Reservations possible?
Yes
RV Hookups
No
Potable water
Yes
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Located at 4,400 feet on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, North Fork Campground is a cozy camping option in California’s Gold Country. The campground lies on the bank of the North Fork of the North Fork of the American River under a forest canopy of cedar, pine and fir trees.

Open seasonally from June through October, North Fork Campground can fill up with visitors looking to escape summer’s heat; reservations are recommended on weekends and holidays. The shaded campground offers a pleasant respite from the heat, and it is home to a fantastic swimming hole located at North Fork Falls, just a short hike away. The swimming hole is accessed by a quarter-mile trail that begins near site 10.

In addition to swimming and hiking options, the river is known to have decent fishing for pan-sized rainbow trout.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Nearby swimming hole. Small, cozy campground.

Cons

None.

Pets allowed

Allowed

Managed by

Forest Service

Reservation phone number

1 (877) 444-6777

Features

Vault toilet
Swimming holes
Potable water

Recommended Campsites Without Photos

10, 12

Location

Nearby Adventures

Comments

06/18/2017
We gave this campground a try for a last-minute weekend get-away in June 2017, and were surprised at how amazing this place is! It's a gem of a campground tucked back into the forest. The stream running behind the campground is beautiful and shallow and perfect for lulling you to sleep.

The hike down to the waterfall/swimming hole is a bit rough, but not impossible.

The campsites are ENORMOUS! We could have easily gotten three or four tents in our site with lots of space between for privacy. They're all mostly in the shade, and have a grill and a large, brand-new bear box. The water is from a local spring and is delicious.

The only downside, for us, was that there's not a lot to do within walking distance aside from the swimming hole. As campers who like to hike, we had to drive to trails on the north side of Hwy 80. But that wasn't terrible.
Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.