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

North Fork

North Fork Campground is located along the North Fork of the North Fork American River in the Tahoe National Forest, off of Interstate 80, at the Emigrant Gap Exit. Visitors enjoy fishing and swimming in this scenic area.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
North Fork of North Fork American RiverNorth Fork of North Fork American RiverFallsNorth Fork at Campground
Photos courtesy of TNF, tnf · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups13
Tent-only2
Host/management1
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 50 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
002StandardBack-in32GravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
003StandardBack-in32GravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
004StandardBack-in40GravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
005Tent onlyBack-inGravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
006Tent onlyBack-inGravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
007StandardBack-in45GravelPartialRiverfront6 / 2Yes
008StandardBack-in45GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
009StandardBack-in32GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
010StandardBack-in38GravelPartial6 / 2Yes
011StandardBack-in45GravelPartial6 / 2Yes

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 length50 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed

The campground offers single-family sites, a few of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

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

Season & status

SeasonOctober 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
FeesWinter (Oct-May): Free Summer: $24 per site $5 per extra vehicle

Tahoe National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near North Fork30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 10.55 inches of precipitationFebruary: 10.06 inches of precipitationMarch: 8.95 inches of precipitationApril: 5.11 inches of precipitationMay: 4.11 inches of precipitationJune: 1.14 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.04 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.20 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.59 inches of precipitationOctober: 3.59 inches of precipitationNovember: 7.20 inches of precipitationDecember: 10.90 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 40.4°F averageFebruary: 39.0°F averageMarch: 41.5°F averageApril: 44.8°F averageMay: 53.1°F averageJune: 62.1°F averageJuly: 70.2°F averageAugust: 69.8°F averageSeptember: 65.1°F averageOctober: 55.5°F averageNovember: 45.1°F averageDecember: 39.2°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Blue Canyon AP, 3 miles from the campground at 5,276 feet, station USW00023225 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 62 inches a year.

Getting there

From east bound Interstate 80 take exit 158A or west bound Interstate 80 take exit 158B south to Emigrant Gap. After exiting the interstate take a right on Texas Hill Road towards Emigrant Gap. Continue on Texas Hill Road for about 6.5 miles and turn right into the campground.

Nearest townCamptonville, California
Coordinates39.2715° N, 120.6581° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

No Show Policy A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date (or for day-use facilities, by check-in time the day of arrival). No-show customers are only recorded at staffed facilities. At most remote facilities, all customers are noted as automatically checked-in on the date of arrival. It is recommended that staffed facilities hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. It is recommended that staffed facilities hold group day-use facilities until check-in time on the arrival date. There is no change fee if a customer extends or shortens a reservation if the change includes dates from the original reservation. If they choose to depart early, they may forfeit some or all of the recreation fees. There is no change fee if the customer changes campsites that are the same price and on the same reservation dates in the same campground. If the campsite the customer is changing to has a price difference, the customer will be responsible for any additional fees or be provided with a refund, based on the price difference.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Tmu Rx Support

    44 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 ↗4.4 mi
Outdoor gearUpcycled Adventures ↗20.2 mi
RV sales & serviceDeMartini RV Sales ↗21.1 mi

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

Explore

Video

Camping at North Fork Campground in Wyoming | Site 29 Review

Worth a stop

Many hiking, and OHV trails are located nearby as well as foot trail access into the North Fork American Wild and Scenic River canyon. Many more trails can be found a short distance east on Interstate 80 at Grouse Ridge Non-Motorized Area and Donner Summit.

  • 1.2 mi
    Black Mountain OHV
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.3 mi
    Mears Lake Valley
    3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Mears Meadow OHV ↗
    4.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Dawson Spring OHV
    0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Telemark Pond Nordic
    1.3 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 3.9 mi
    Last Chance Nordic
    0.5 mi trail · snowshoe, ski

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 campground is near the beautiful creek-sized river, in a remote location. It is shaded by cedar, pine and fir trees and is a pleasant escape from urban life.

Recreation

A great swimming hole is located a short walk from the end of the campground, on the river. Rainbow trout fishing is a popular activity enjoyed by visitors to the campground. Hiking trails and hunting opportunities are found in the surrounding area.

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 North Fork?

Sites at North Fork 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 North Fork?

Winter (Oct-May): Free Summer: $24 per site $5 per extra vehicle

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at North Fork?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does North Fork have?

16 sites, including 13 standard sites without power and 2 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at North Fork?

The longest site here provides 50 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 North Fork?

Yes, pets are allowed at North Fork. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at North Fork?

A great swimming hole is located a short walk from the end of the campground, on the river. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to North Fork?

Camptonville, California. Many hiking, and OHV trails are located nearby as well as foot trail access into the North Fork American Wild and Scenic River canyon.

Source: Getting there

What if North Fork is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Tunnel Mills II (1.4 mi), Indian Springs (6.2 mi), and Big Bend Group (7.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby