U.S. Forest Service · Tahoe National Forest · Nevada City, CA

Fiddle Creek

Fiddle Creek Campground is located alongside the North Yuba River, just off Highway 49, about 12 miles from Downieville. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, hunting, fishing and mountain biking. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.

More like this: reservable in California · tent only in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
North Fork Yuba RiverCampsites 13 & 14North Fork Yuba RiverFiddle Creek Campground View
Photos courtesy of TNF, tnf · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Tent-only15
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

15 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntrySurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
001Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
002Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
003Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
004Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
005Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
006Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
007Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
008Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
009Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes
010Back-inPavedFull6 / 1Yes

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

Max vehicle length15 ft
EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The campground offers several single-family sites, all of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site is equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring and bear proof food locker. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. While located close to the parking areas, campsites cannot be directly accessed by motor vehicles.

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

Season & status

SeasonApril 17 to October 15
ForestTahoe National Forest
BookingThis site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777), or on-line at www.recreation.gov
Fees$24 per site $5 for extra vehicle
RulesCamping outside designated campground is prohibited in this area

Tahoe National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Fiddle Creek40°50°60°70°January: 14.69 inches of precipitation, 17.7 inches of snowFebruary: 13.71 inches of precipitation, 19.4 inches of snowMarch: 12.83 inches of precipitation, 17.1 inches of snowApril: 6.39 inches of precipitation, 8.1 inches of snowMay: 4.00 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowJune: 1.23 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.02 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.20 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 4.10 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowNovember: 8.60 inches of precipitation, 3.5 inches of snowDecember: 16.25 inches of precipitation, 15.1 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 40.7°F averageFebruary: 40.9°F averageMarch: 43.4°F averageApril: 47.1°F averageMay: 54.7°F averageJune: 62.2°F averageJuly: 68.6°F averageAugust: 68.0°F averageSeptember: 64.1°F averageOctober: 55.4°F averageNovember: 45.7°F averageDecember: 40.1°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Strawberry Valley, 7 miles from the campground at 3,808 feet, station USC00048606 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 83 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 82 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, April 17 to October 15.

Getting there

From Downieville, travel south on Highway 49 for about 12 miles. The campground is on the left side of the highway. From Nevada City, travel north on Highway 49 for 30 miles. The campground is on the right side of the higway.

Nearest townNevada City, California
Coordinates39.5183° N, 120.9925° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceDeMartini RV Sales ↗20.7 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗25 mi
Outdoor gearUpcycled Adventures ↗40 mi

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

Explore

Video

Fiddle Creek - Tahoe National Forest, C

Worth a stop

  • 0.4 mi
    Fiddle Creek Ridge ↗
    5.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle
  • 0.9 mi
    North Yuba ↗
    15.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1 mi
    Canyon Creek
    4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 2 mi
    Young'S ATV
    2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 2.2 mi
    Brandy City OHV
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 2.3 mi
    Cherokee ATV
    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 →

Tahoe National Forest begins about 1.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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 stretches along the north bank of the North Yuba River. Stands of oak, maple, locust and pine trees covers the area providing ample shade at this location.

Recreation

The North Yuba River offers swimming, wading and rainbow trout fishing. Seasonal rafting, kayaking and tubing are popular water activities. Hiking and hunting are available in the surrounding area. A network of trails crisscrosses the surrounding area. A footbridge accessing the North Yuba Trail is located at nearby Rocky Rest Campground.

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 Fiddle Creek?

Sites at Fiddle Creek are reservable on Recreation.gov. This site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777), or on-line at www.recreation.gov Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Fiddle Creek?

$24 per site $5 for extra vehicle

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Fiddle Creek?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Fiddle Creek have?

15 sites, including 15 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Fiddle Creek?

The longest site here provides 15 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 Fiddle Creek?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Fiddle Creek?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. Camping outside designated campground is prohibited in this area

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Fiddle Creek?

The North Yuba River offers swimming, wading and rainbow trout fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Fiddle Creek?

Nevada City, California.

Source: Getting there

What if Fiddle Creek is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Cal-Ida (0.3 mi), Carlton (0.4 mi), and Indian Valley (0.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby