Cold Creek
Cold Creek Campground is located on Highway 89, 4.5 miles south of Sierraville, California. The facility location makes Cold Creek a great base camp for a variety of recreational activities, including fishing, hunting, hiking and biking. This is a small campground recommended for tent camping and small campers. Large RVs will not be able to make the turnaround exit at this facility. There are a couple of hike-in sites within this campground that share a small parking area toward the back of this facility. This facility is operated and maintained by Lake Tahoe Hospitality LLC for the Tahoe National Forest.
More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 10 |
| Walk-in | 3 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 25 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
13 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | Waterfront | People / vehicles | Fires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Standard | Back-in | 25 | Gravel | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | Standard | |
| 002 | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | Standard | |
| 003 | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Partial | 6 / 2 | Yes | Standard | |
| 004 | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Partial | 6 / 2 | Yes | Standard | |
| 005 | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Full | 6 / 2 | Yes | Standard | |
| 006 | Walk-in | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Basic | |
| 007 | Walk-in | Back-in | 20 | Paved | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Basic | |
| 008 | Walk-in | 15 | Paved | Partial | 6 / 1 | Yes | Basic | ||
| 009 | Standard | Back-in | 25 | Paved | None | 6 / 6 | Yes | Basic | |
| 010 | Standard | Back-in | 25 | Paved | 6 / 1 | Yes | Basic |
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
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 30 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
The campground offers single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets are provided.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Season | May 24 to October 14 |
| Forest | Tahoe National Forest |
| Booking | Reservations available online at www.recreation.gov up to six months in advance. |
| Fees | $16 per site $5 for extra vehicle |
| Rules | Bears frequent the area; food should be kept in approved containers or completely hidden such as in the trunk of a car. No off-road vehicle use in the campground. Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. No water available; bring your own supply or fill up at Cottonwood Creek Campground. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Truckee, California, take Highway 80 north to Highway 89 approximately 20 miles. The campground is on the left side of the highway. From Sierraville, head south on Highway 89 approximately 5 miles, the campground will be on the right side of the highway.
| Nearest town | Sierraville, California |
| Coordinates | 39.5428° N, 120.3147° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTmu 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
| Outdoor gear | Upcycled Adventures ↗ | 15.2 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 18.8 mi |
| RV sales & service | RV sales & service ↗ | 37.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Free Camping Review Cold Creek Campground Mineral King Sequoia National Forest California
Worth a stop
Lake Tahoe is conveniently close, only 35 minutes away. Tahoe offers excellent boating, kayaking, fishing, hiking and scenic driving opportunities. Sardine Lakes, and the beautiful Lakes Basin is a 35-minute drive northwest via the Golden Chain/Highway 49. Stampede Reservoir is a 45-minute drive southeast.
- 3.1 mi
- 12.8 miProsser Pits Ohv Area ↗OHV / range
- 14.1 mi
- 14.1 miDonner Summit Day Use Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miCottonwood Overlook0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.4 miCottonwood Botanical0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.5 miCottonwood Fisherman3.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.3 miCottonwood Moto Trail0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 1.9 miCottonwood OHV1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
- 2 miLittle Cottonwood OHV1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 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
This campground sits inside Tahoe National Forest.
- inTahoe National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,181,139 acres
- 11.3 miPlumas National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,431,953 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Sierraville SchoolBuilding · Sierraville · 4.1 mi
- Webber Lake HotelBuilding · Sierraville · 8.3 mi
Natural features
The campground lies in a meadow between Cold Creek and Highway 89. Jeffrey pine and white fir trees cover half the campground, while the other half is situated closer to the creek among cottonwoods, willow and aspen trees.
Recreation
Cold Creek offers rainbow trout fishing and swimming. Cottonwood Creek Botanical Trail and Overlook Trail both begin at nearby Cottonwood Creek Campground.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Cold Creek?
Sites at Cold Creek are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations available online at www.recreation.gov up to six months in advance. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Cold Creek?
$16 per site $5 for extra vehicle
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Cold Creek?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Cold Creek have?
13 sites, including 10 standard sites without power and 3 walk-in sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Cold Creek?
The longest site here provides 30 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 Cold Creek?
Yes, pets are allowed at Cold Creek. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Cold Creek?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Bears frequent the area; food should be kept in approved containers or completely hidden such as in the trunk of a car.
Source: Fire nearby
What is there to do at Cold Creek?
Cold Creek offers rainbow trout fishing and swimming. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Cold Creek?
Sierraville, California. Lake Tahoe is conveniently close, only 35 minutes away.
Source: Getting there
What if Cold Creek is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Cottonwood Creek (0.5 mi), Bear Valley Campground (4.3 mi, first-come), and Upper Little Truckee (5.1 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby