Best Tent Camping near Big Bar, CA

My brother and I hit the north grove campground for the first time this past weekend. My expectations weren’t high but this place was great.

The campground we chose was kind of close to the road which would have been the only real negative. The campground map makes it seem like the road was further away from the sites but I woke up a couple of times from road noise.

Our campsite had a fire ring, bbq, picnic table and bear box and still had a large flat spot for my huge tent as well as parking for my car.

The weather was great, no bugs to be found and plenty to do. I already want to go back next year but choose a site further from the road.

General: Normally, there are 18 designated sites that are reservable only from May 1– October 15. What we didn’t know until we arrived was that only Sites 1-7 were open after this date; fortunately, only two other sites were occupied when we arrived at 5:30 pm on a Monday in late October. The access road is about six miles of curvy, hilly, and narrow (sometimes only one lane) pavement. There is a sign prohibiting trailers; our 18-foot camper van did fine but anything much larger would definitely be challenged. 

Site Quality: Many of the sites are more suitable for tent campers. The parking area is at the top of the hill, and you set up your tent below. Most of the sites that have a “driveway” were not level, except for Sites 5 and 6. We lucked out with Site 6 – it was large and level and directly across from the vault toilets. A fire pit/grill, large concrete picnic table, and bear box complete the site (although there was a fire ban in effect).

Bath: Only one vault toilet was open, and it was very clean. It was cleaned again the next morning. 

Activities: This campground is located on the North Fork of the American River. In season, this campground would be very popular with rafters; there is a raft launch and takeout area close to the campsites. The river was crystal clear and beautiful.

This was a small but beautiful campground. We were surprised that we had a semi-decent cell signal ranging from 1 to 2 bars (Verizon).

Beautiful sunsets. No showers. Bathrooms are clean. Some sites are rather small and have little flat ground. Pics on website are tough to see when booking. Lake to most sites is a drive, but there are a few campsites on the lake. Many sites are on hill, you walk up the hill or down a hill with stairs. Lake has day use area, but also a dock area for camping folks. Lots of mosquitoes. They have a fire are to cook, no fire ring, have a bear box and picnic table. Some sites have plenty of shade while others are just plain sun so be prepared.

Water is nice temperature and super clean! Nice to kayak, paddle, boat (they have boat ramps), fish, swim. Beach areas are rocks with weeds, but pretty.

This is a well maintained RV and tent camping resort. It’s great for kids that want to ride bikes around the sites- but be careful of the river, it’s swift. The RV and tent sites are in two separate areas, with more updated amenities available for RVs like hot showers. Shared pool site. Lots of great trails to weave through the campground on a mountain bike.

One downside- it can be hot. Not a lot of tree cover for the RV sites- make sure you bring shade with you. Luckily, there’s a nice cool river to swim in!

Fires are restricted sometimes in the summer. Some sites require a membership.

Local grocery and pizza, frozen yogurt available within walking distance.

Lots of great fishing, floating, and kayak accessibly. Bring tubes and life vests. Poles and bait.

We arrived on a Friday afternoon with fingers crossed to get a walk-in campsite. We lucked out and got the last one! The camp host was wonderful! He sold us some wood, showed us the features of our site (we weren’t on the water, but very nearby with a great granite mound behind our site that made for some beautiful views) and told us a lot about the area. The campsite was clean, well laid out, very private, and nicely shaded. The bear box was quite large. It had a shelf, so some taller coolers might not fit well. We set up camp, grabbed our paddle boards, and headed out on the lake. It was absolutely gorgeous even at low water levels. The water was cold, but refreshing and very clear. There are granite islands to explore on the northern end that have great spots for jumping. The campsite was full, the day use area seemed full as well, but the lake wasn’t crowded anywhere. The restrooms are pit toilets, but the cleanest I’ve seen anywhere. Bugs weren’t terrible, but it was a very dry year. I think in a wetter year, mosquitoes could be an issue. All in all, I’ve been to lots of campgrounds, and I really can’t wait to go back to this one!

We recently spent a night at this campsite and found it to be perfect for a quick overnight getaway. The area is spacious and conveniently located not too far off the main road, making it easy to access without feeling too isolated.

There are plenty of sites to choose from, catering to different preferences. However, we recommend taking some time to survey the land before setting up camp, as some spots are slightly sloped.

A huge plus is the gas station just about 5 minutes down the road. It’s well-stocked with all the convenient store items you might have forgotten at home, making it easy to grab any last-minute necessities.

Overall, it was a delightful stay. Just remember, always practice Leave No Trace principles—pack out what you pack in!

The location and weekend was amazing and beautiful. The 105 daytime temps were quelled by dunking ourselves in the lake and taking excursions to some of the other local wonders. We had a great view of the lake and the stars overnight were amazing. It was extremely easy to socially distance from others at all times.

We spent the weekend camped out here but when we arrived, our location was filled with trash. The previous occupants had left garbage strewn everywhere and a garbage bag that was torn into by the wildlife. We cleaned for about half an hour and filled a large black yard waste bag with garbage before we could start to settle in.

The other big issue is that the site says “all facilities are open” but in reality all the restrooms are closed and locked with a solution of putting portable toilets in front of the restroom areas. This is in no way better for dealing with bathroom needs.

Also, the camp host location was marked but no host appeared or was available. The rangers drove by maybe 6 times total.

Be aware when coming here that many sites do not have shade or places to set up hammocks.

Don’t let my negative points turn you away, many of these things were going to be situational and we would love to go back (just not in the midst of a heatwave like that).