U.S. Forest Service · Six Rivers National Forest · Orleans, CA

Nordheimer Group Sites

Nordheimer Group Sites are in a Douglas-fir and hardwood forest close to the Wild and Scenic California Salmon River. Roads and parking areas are gravel. Group sites A, B, and C have large grassy meadows surrounded by forest. Site D overlooks the Salmon River with a short hike access for boaters and swimmers. Sites A, B and C all have accessible double vault restrooms, while Site D has one accessible vault restroom. Picnic tables and fire rings with grills are provided at each site. Popular activities include swimming, sunbathing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, hiking, wildlife and scenery viewing, fishing, and biking. Nordheimer is in the heart of the Salmon River whitewater area.

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in California · reservable in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Nordheimer Group SitesSalmon River in the FallDirective sign at entranceSalmon River
Photos courtesy of Mary "Face" Fairbanks, Six Rivers NF, Wendy Rickwalt January 2026 · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Group sites4
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

4 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopFits, ftSurfaceShadeWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehicles
AACHL75GravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront50 / 15
BBLOO100GravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront50 / 15
CCASC150GravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront50 / 15
DDERV75GravelPartialNo / No50 / 15

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:30 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed

The campground offers four group sites, each able to accommodate up to 50 guests. The sites are equipped with vault toilets, picnic tables, and campfire rings with grills. The main campground offers single fee sites on a first-come first-served basis. Roads and parking areas are gravel. A courtesy local or prepaid landline telephone is located at the entrance to the main campground. There is no cellular service near this remote site.

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

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestSix Rivers National Forest
BookingReservations only. Reservations can be made through Recreation.gov, or call 1 (877) 444-6777; TDD: 1 (877) 833-6777; International: 1 (606) 515-6777.
Fees$50 group site
RulesSite limited to 50 people or less.

Six Rivers National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Nordheimer Group Sites40°50°60°70°80°January: 9.39 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowFebruary: 6.93 inches of precipitation, 1.5 inches of snowMarch: 6.38 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowApril: 3.97 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 2.25 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.89 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.19 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.15 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.76 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 6.81 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 10.49 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 43.4°F averageFebruary: 47.0°F averageMarch: 51.4°F averageApril: 55.8°F averageMay: 62.3°F averageJune: 67.6°F averageJuly: 74.4°F averageAugust: 73.4°F averageSeptember: 68.7°F averageOctober: 58.6°F averageNovember: 48.8°F averageDecember: 42.5°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Orleans, 9 miles from the campground at 403 feet, station USC00046508 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 52 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 3 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From California State Highway 96, turn onto Salmon River Road/Forest Highway 93 and continue about 13 miles to the campground. The first 7 miles are a narrow winding two lane road. At Butler Creek, the second half of this route narrows further to one lane with tight corners and sheer cliffs high above the river.

Nearest townOrleans, California
Coordinates41.2986° N, 123.3639° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Srf 2026 Rx Implementation

    9 mi from the campground · 500 acres

  • Prescribed
    Leary Rx

    13 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Patterson Rx

    15 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Bull D Bear Grass Rx

    19 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 ↗20.9 mi
Outdoor gearEtna Creek Outfitters ↗26.7 mi

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

Explore

Trailheads within three miles

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 Six Rivers 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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground is located in a Douglas fir and hardwood forest, which provides partial shade throughout the day. A few fruit trees remain from past homesteading activities. A variety of wildlife makes its home around the Salmon River area. Sites A, B, and C have large grassy meadows, surrounded by forest. Site D overlooks the Salmon River with easy hiking access for boaters and swimmers. The Marble Mountain Wilderness is located nearby with beautiful views of the mountains and numerous trailheads to access them.

Recreation

The Salmon River is a popular area for swimming and sunbathing, rafting and kayaking. The region is also popular for hiking and biking. The Orleans Mountain Trail begins nearby.

Nearby

The Marble Mountain Wilderness Area is adjacent to the campground, with ample hiking and horseback riding opportunities available, as well as high country fishing in any of the area's 89 lakes.

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 Nordheimer Group Sites?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Nordheimer Group Sites?

$50 group site

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Nordheimer Group Sites?

Check-in 2:30 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Nordheimer Group Sites open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Nordheimer Group Sites have?

4 sites, including 4 group sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Nordheimer Group Sites?

Nordheimer Group Sites is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Nordheimer Group Sites?

Yes, pets are allowed at Nordheimer Group Sites. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Nordheimer Group Sites?

The Salmon River is a popular area for swimming and sunbathing, rafting and kayaking. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Nordheimer Group Sites?

Orleans, California. The Marble Mountain Wilderness Area is adjacent to the campground, with ample hiking and horseback riding opportunities available, as well as high country fishing in any of the area's 89 lakes.

Source: Getting there

What if Nordheimer Group Sites is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Nordheimer Main Campground (0.2 mi, first-come), Hotelling Campground (6.1 mi, first-come), and Oak Bottom Campground (7.1 mi, partly first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby