U.S. Forest Service · Tahoe National Forest · Foresthill, CA

Forbes Creek

Forbes Creek Group Campground is located near the southeast shore of Sugar Pine Reservoir in the Tahoe National Forest. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.

More like this: reservable in California · big rigs in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Sugar pineFORBES CREEKFORBES CREEKFORBES CREEK
Photos courtesy of Joel Miller USFS November 2018 · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Group sites2
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

2 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
GS1MADRONEBack-in45PavedFull50 / 18YesYes
GS2ROCKY RIDGEBack-in45PavedFull50 / 20Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length45 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
AccessibilitySites GS1, GS2 are listed accessible

The campground offers two group campsites, Madrone and Rocky Ridge. Each site can accommodate up to 50 people and 18 vehicles. Both sites are equipped with a central cooking and picnic area, with a large campfire circle and multiple tables. RVs, trailers and tents are allowed within the campground. An unloading area and accessible parking are available within the campground.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Forbes Creek40°50°60°70°80°January: 7.83 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowFebruary: 8.02 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowMarch: 7.24 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowApril: 3.58 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowMay: 2.27 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.02 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.35 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 5.15 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowDecember: 8.52 inches of precipitation, 1.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 45.8°F averageFebruary: 47.1°F averageMarch: 49.9°F averageApril: 54.1°F averageMay: 61.6°F averageJune: 69.7°F averageJuly: 77.3°F averageAugust: 76.2°F averageSeptember: 71.7°F averageOctober: 61.9°F averageNovember: 50.9°F averageDecember: 44.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Colfax, 9 miles from the campground at 2,380 feet, station USC00041912 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 46 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 7 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Take Interstate 80 to the Foresthill/Auburn exit, near Auburn. Continue east for 17 miles to Foresthill. Travel through town, about 9 miles, to Forest Road 10/Sugar Pine Road. Turn left and continue about 9 miles. Look for the Sugar Pine Recreation Area sign and turn right on the first road after the sign.

Nearest townForesthill, California
Coordinates39.1311° N, 120.7819° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    46 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗0.9 mi
RV sales & serviceDeMartini RV Sales ↗15.5 mi
Outdoor gearSipes Tahoe ↗25.3 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

  • under 0.1 mi
    Rocky Ridge
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Dusty Spur (tie 1-4)
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.5 mi
    Parker ATV Tie
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.7 mi
    Shirttail Creek ↗
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.7 mi
    Manzanita ↗
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.8 mi
    Shirttail (tie 1-7)
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Tahoe National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

The 160-acre Sugar Pine Reservoir sits at an elevation of 3,600 feet. Stands of cedar and ponderosa pine provides ample shade in the campground, which overlooks the reservoir. Summertime temperatures are warm during the day and cool at night.

Recreation

Fishing, canoeing, swimming and boating are popular activities on the reservoir. A trail system for walking and non-motorized biking connects the two group sites at the campground, to the lake and nearby boat ramp. The North Fork of the American River is nearby, offering opportunities for additional fishing and swimming. Many miles of hiking, biking and off-road vehicle trails are in the surrounding area.

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Forbes Creek?

Sites at Forbes Creek are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Forbes Creek?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Forbes Creek have?

2 sites, including 2 group sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Forbes Creek?

The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Forbes Creek?

Yes, pets are allowed at Forbes Creek. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Forbes Creek?

Sites GS1 and GS2 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Forbes Creek?

Fishing, canoeing, swimming and boating are popular activities on the reservoir. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Forbes Creek?

Foresthill, California.

Source: Getting there

What if Forbes Creek is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Forbes Group Campground (0.1 mi), Giant Gap (0.8 mi), and Shirttail Creek (0.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby