Dispersed camping near Strawberry Valley, California ranges from forested sites to reservoir-adjacent spots between 3,000 and 4,000 feet elevation in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Summer temperatures typically reach the high 80s during day and drop to the 50s at night. Most campgrounds in this region have bear boxes due to active black bear populations, making proper food storage essential for campers.
What to do
Water recreation at Sly Creek Reservoir: The pristine waters at Sly Creek Campground offer excellent kayaking and fishing opportunities. As one camper noted, "We enjoyed getting into our kayaks and on to the water. We took some video footage as well. There was great fishing but we didn't catch anything."
River swimming and floating: The North Yuba River runs near several campgrounds in the area. At Fiddle Creek, "People pan for gold and some walk up the road to Jackson Hole to float down. About 5 mins up, pass a few houses on your right."
Wildlife viewing: The region supports diverse wildlife populations. At Lake of the Springs, "Each day a family of deer came thru our site and were so tame they ate fruit right out of the kids' hands. So cool!"
Hiking nearby trails: Multiple hiking options exist within short drives of campsites. Carlton Flat Campground offers "awesome place for bird watching, hanging up your hammock and enjoying nature. Wonderful views of the mountains and sunset. Also best place for a long hike."
What campers like
Secluded riverside locations: Indian Valley provides quiet camping away from busy roads. One camper described it as "Beautiful and peaceful. We were looking for a spot next to the Yuba River and found this gem. Only 17 campsites so it's not crowded. It's also away from any road noise."
Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds offer generous spacing between sites. At Schoolhouse Campground, "the campsites are shady and spacious, awesome hiking trail nearby, bathrooms were clean, and the reservoir was beautiful!"
Swimming options during hot weather: Lakes and reservoirs provide relief from summer heat. At Lake of the Springs, "It was over 100 degrees the wknd we were there so we spent practically the whole wknd in the lake. It was the perfect temperature to sit in for hours. No motorized water craft kept it quiet."
Clean facilities: Most campgrounds maintain well-kept amenities. Bidwell Canyon Campground has "clean campground, efficient check in" and "bathrooms were top notch clean!"
What you should know
Road noise impacts some campgrounds: Highway proximity affects certain sites. Carlton Flat Campground has "ROAD NOISE. So. Much. Road. Noise. There was next to zero peaceful outdoor serenity. Not only the noise from the road, but the headlights hit our tent all night as well."
Water access varies significantly: Not all waterfront campgrounds offer easy shore access. At Schoolhouse Campground, "From the campground there is no easy access to the water. We were looking forward to spending some time in the water but learned that we could only do that by renting a boat."
Limited cell service: Many campgrounds have poor connectivity. Lake of the Springs has "no cell service in any of the loops and WiFi isn't great" while at Bidwell Canyon Campground, visitors report "spotty cell service."
Seasonal wildlife concerns: Depending on timing, insects can be problematic. At Fiddle Creek, "Another negative is the abundance of mosquitoes, which I guess you have to expect when you're near a river but still not pleasant."
Tips for camping with families
Look for campgrounds with beach access: Collins Lake Recreation Area offers family-friendly shorelines. "Great Lake and RV Park. We stayed in spot 110 with a lakefront view" and another camper noted it's "Great place for family camping. They also have boat rentals."
Choose sites with shade during summer: Temperature management matters for comfort. "The site gets a lot of sun in the morning and afternoon, so bring a popup canopy for shade—it made a big difference for us!"
Consider off-peak timing for less crowding: Some campgrounds become very busy during peak periods. One camper at Collins Lake reported it was "Not a bad campsite, but was surrounded by RVs and people walking around. Can't bring dogs onto the beach area which was a bummer, but was too crowded anyways."
Prepare for wildlife encounters: Bears frequent many campgrounds in the area. At Schoolhouse Campground, "This is bear country so we had a nightly visitor, the bear boxes are there for a reason so use them!"
Tips from RVers
Check site dimensions carefully: Many campgrounds have challenging terrain for larger rigs. At Bidwell Canyon Campground, "A lot of the sites are very uneven, ours was almost terraced, and the tent area was barely big enough for our 8 person tent. When I took a drive around it looked like many were similarly sloped/terraced not a flat site."
Reserve lakefront sites early: Premium waterfront locations fill quickly. At Collins Lake, "Both campsites, #66 and #116 had power, water and sewage. They were both lake front campsites, which meant the water or shoreline was right at our 'front door' from our 27' travel trailer."
Be prepared for tight navigation: Some campgrounds have challenging entry points. Schoolhouse Campground can be difficult as "While the space was long enough for our 35 ft trailer and truck the pad was narrow and there are a lot of rocks to maneuver around. We were barely able to open our slide and drop the stairs due to the amount of large rocks on each side of the pad."
Plan for generator noise or restrictions: Different campgrounds have varying policies. At Schoolhouse Campground, "It's mixed RV and tent with no RV power so the generators are loud and you'll be surrounded by them."
