Best Campgrounds near Meadow Valley, CA

Plumas National Forest surrounds Meadow Valley, California with a range of camping options from developed sites to remote backcountry areas. Haskins Valley Campground operates from June to October with full amenities including showers, drinking water, and sewer hookups for both tent and RV campers. Nearby Silver Lake Campground provides more basic facilities with vault toilets and water hookups but no electrical connections. Spanish Creek Campground, located along Highway 70, offers a seasonal experience from early June through late August with picnic tables, fire rings, and potable water. The region's campgrounds typically sit beneath towering pine forests that provide natural shade and privacy between sites.

Road conditions vary significantly throughout the area, with some campgrounds requiring travel on unpaved forest service roads. As one camper noted about a nearby site, "It can be a little rough to get to, requiring careful driving even on the paved road with big potholes, but that just serves to help feel remote." Many campgrounds in the region have limited or no cell service, making advance planning essential. Summer temperatures typically remain moderate due to the elevation, though nights can be quite cool even during July and August. Fire restrictions are common during dry periods, with several campgrounds prohibiting open flames entirely. Winter access becomes limited after October, with most facilities closing until late spring snowmelt.

Pine-shaded sites receive consistently positive reviews from visitors who appreciate the natural setting and spacious campsites. "The campsites are huge, with lots of room to spread out," noted one reviewer of a nearby forest service campground. Fishing opportunities abound in the area's lakes and streams, with several campgrounds providing direct water access. Campers frequently mention the quiet atmosphere and star-gazing opportunities as highlights of their stays. Weekday visits typically offer the best availability, as one visitor observed: "Most people appeared to have reservations starting on Wednesday, so Monday-Tuesday are very light." Bear activity requires proper food storage, with some campgrounds providing bear boxes while others recommend securing food in vehicles. The proximity to hiking trails, including segments of the Pacific Crest Trail, makes the area popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

Best Camping Sites Near Meadow Valley, California (302)

    1. Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) — Plumas National Forest

    5 Reviews
    Meadow Valley, CA
    3 miles
    Website

    $20 / night

    "Excellent location for lake and swimming hole access. Kirkwood right down the road provides groceries as needed"

    "It was a beautiful small lake with hiking trails right off of the lake."

    2. Spanish Creek Campground

    5 Reviews
    Twain, CA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 283-0555

    $35 - $80 / night

    "I would stay here a couple nights again, because the creek is beautiful, and the valley seems remote, while still being close to a moderately large highway, and Quincy, for restocking."

    "Only downside is it is near a railroad. Be aware that google maps will take you through private property so you need to look at the map to avoid that!"

    3. Whitehorse Campground - Bucks Lake Recreation Area

    4 Reviews
    Meadow Valley, CA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 283-0555

    $31 / night

    "Walking trails connect to the campground! What a delight and right near Bucks Lake

    It is bear country, and the campsite was visited by a bear at night."

    "Clean campground, great fishing, and nice trail around lake. Kids love camping here. Bathrooms are kept clean and stocked 2-3x a day."

    4. Lower Bucks Campground

    3 Reviews
    Belden, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 283-0555

    $5 / night

    "You may drive to a bathroom.

    Now, surpass those issues, and the bears and rattlesnakes and hoards of meat bees, lol, and this was the most beautiful site I've ever stayed in."

    5. Sundew Campground

    3 Reviews
    Meadow Valley, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 927-7878

    $32 / night

    "Bucks lake is our family’s favorite. Lake is big enough for boating and fishing and never seems to be overcrowded."

    6. Haskins Valley Campground

    2 Reviews
    Meadow Valley, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (916) 386-5164

    "It's close to the lake and market. We love to get ice cream before dinner :) Only negative - not all of the spaces have bear boxes and we had a nice visitor one morning."

    "It's along a cove in the lake. Super nice hosts and nice campers. The bathrooms are kind of gross but that's expected. Always camp here when we go to the lake."

    7. Snake Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Quincy, CA
    5 miles
    Website

    $15 / night

    8. Plumas National Forest Hallsted Campground

    1 Review
    Twain, CA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 283-0555

    $35 - $45 / night

    "Its a short walk down to the river. The river is warm and slow right there and it has crawfish. My boys caught a handful and had a great time!"

    10. Grizzly Creek Campground

    1 Review
    Meadow Valley, CA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 927-7878

    $29 / night

    "Pit toilets are near the entrance and only one was clean when we stayed here.

    Not to far from Bucks Lake if you want to camp and then drive to the lake."

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Recent Reviews near Meadow Valley, CA

642 Reviews of 302 Meadow Valley Campgrounds


  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Bowman Lake Dispersed

    Awesome site for SUVs

    Awesome site, stayed in my van on the boat launch. There are tent sites above the boat ramp with bear boxes and fire rings. Left side of tent sites is very loud due to the rushing river. Very secluded from others, only 2 others on the boat ramp in vans. do not attempt to do this in anything smaller than an SUv sedans would definitely not be able to make it to this site. Road has lots of holes and rocks sticking up out the ground.

  • marcus K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Manzanita Lake Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park

    Excellent NPS CAMPGROUND

    Simple but beautiful campground. Use Recreation.gov to reserve a site. If you dont have reservation you still need to log into the site to claim a spot. Fortunately there is wifi at the visitor center (not at the park store).

    Keep in mind that there is no water available. Need to bring your own.

    Also, no cell service but campground is sparsely tree covered. We were able to use Starlink just fine at our site.

    Lots of hiking nearby.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    South Yuba Campground

    nice wooded campground

    No cell signal here - speed test is from starlink. Note google & garmin routing from Nevada City takes a bridge with a 4 Ton weight restriction.

  • M
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Tahoe National Forest Salmon Creek Campground

    First time here

    What a great camp site. We used site 31, with a tent. While it was a little rocky the site was great. Located near the restroom but not to close (if you know what I mean). The site is while in five to 15 mins of several lakes and breathtaking water falls. The walking trails being the grounds are easy and shady for those hot summer days.

  • Mar S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Clio's Rivers Edge RV Park

    Cute but small

    It’s a cute RV park, it’s clean and close to a little town the bad thing is that every space is so close to each other, you have next to you their services and it’s impossible to access your storage without bothering your neighbors.

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 31, 2025

    Christie Hill Basecamp

    Under Construction

    There appears to be logging or construction going on, as a previous review stated most of the pull ins are just areas that the bulldozer is pushed everything back. There is one a few hundred yards in that is decent nice and quiet, but very dusty.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 24, 2025

    White Cloud

    Beautiful but LOUD

    Awesome spots to camp, it’s just insanely close to the 20 so you’ll hear non-stop traffic.

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Scotts Flat Lake

    Pricey but nice

    Paid $68 for a tent site with no hookups. Showers take quarters too. Price is a bit steep IMO but the site was nice, a quick walk to the lake to cool off.


Guide to Meadow Valley

Camping near Meadow Valley, California offers access to several established Forest Service sites ranging in elevation from 3,500-4,000 feet. Most campgrounds in the area remain closed during winter months due to snow accumulation, with accessible camping typically available from May through September. The region features a mix of pine and fir forest camping with several sites situated near lakes and streams for water recreation.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Snake Lake Campground provides a convenient fishing spot just 15 minutes from Quincy. "Great place to camp. Easy to get to, maybe 15 minutes from town. Hiking, 4 wheeling, fishing. One of my favorite places to camp," notes a visitor to Snake Lake Campground.

Swimming in clear waters: The Spanish Creek area features multiple swimming locations with clean water access. According to a camper at Spanish Creek Campground, "There is no shortage of swimming holes with beautiful clear water and breathtaking views."

Hiking trails: The area around Silver Lake offers trail access directly from camping areas. As one visitor reported, "It was a beautiful small lake with hiking trails right off of the lake," making it convenient for day hikes without driving.

What campers like

Spacious sites: Haskins Valley Campground offers room to spread out between campsites. A regular visitor commented, "The campground is nice and the spots seem to be spacious. It's close to the lake and market. We love to get ice cream before dinner," showing the appeal of both space and convenience at Haskins Valley Campground.

Clean facilities: Sundew Campground maintains exceptionally clean restrooms. "Cleanest toilets I've ever seen at a campground," reported one camper at Sundew Campground, highlighting the maintenance standards.

Privacy between sites: Meadow Camp offers natural separation between campsites. "Pretty spot with 7 camp sites between a meadow and creek, nestled in a grove of beautiful olds growth trees," notes a visitor, though they caution "there's not much space between sites so noise could be an issue."

What you should know

Train noise: Spanish Creek Campground experiences train noise due to nearby tracks. A camper explains, "The trains were definitely loud in the night, because the rails cling to the sides of the canyon, and the wheels scrape against the rails on the curves," suggesting earplugs for light sleepers.

Bear activity: Wildlife encounters are common in the area. At Lower Bucks Campground, a camper reported, "We heard bears fishing and roaring just feet from us. Coyotes visited, raccoons, squirrels and chipmunks," indicating proper food storage is essential.

Road conditions: Access to many sites requires travel on unpaved roads. One camper noted about Whitehorse Campground, "Biggest downfall of this area is the hour long drive with a trailer down the wash board road," warning those with trailers or RVs.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly water access: Some sites offer safe swimming areas for children. At Hallsted Campground, a parent shared, "Its a short walk down to the river. The river is warm and slow right there and it has crawfish. My boys caught a handful and had a great time!" showing the appeal for families at Plumas National Forest Hallsted Campground.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Children can observe small wildlife throughout the camping areas. According to a visitor at Whitehorse Campground, "Trees and birds! Chipmunks! Walking trails connect to the campground!" making it engaging for young nature enthusiasts.

First-come, first-served challenges: Popular sites fill quickly, especially on weekends. A visitor to Bucks Lake noted, "This camp specifically can get busy and is a first come first serve basis so sometimes is tough to find spots," suggesting weekday arrivals for better site selection.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup options: Most campgrounds offer minimal or no hookups. At Grizzly Creek Campground, an RVer noted, "This campground has two sites that will take a 30' trailer and the remaining sites will take smaller trailers, tents or campers," making size restrictions important to know at Grizzly Creek Campground.

Seasonal water availability: Water sources may be turned off outside peak season. "The water is shut off after Labor Day so come prepared," advises a late-season camper, highlighting the need to bring your own water after early September.

Dump station access: Very few campgrounds offer dump stations. A visitor to Whitehorse noted, "Only downside was no dump or fresh water and it's a 30+ minute drive to town," indicating RVers should plan accordingly for waste disposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Meadow Valley, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, Meadow Valley, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 302 campgrounds and RV parks near Meadow Valley, CA and 24 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Meadow Valley, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Meadow Valley, CA is Silver Lake Campground (Plumas National Forest, Ca) — Plumas National Forest with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Meadow Valley, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 24 free dispersed camping spots near Meadow Valley, CA.

What parks are near Meadow Valley, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 19 parks near Meadow Valley, CA that allow camping, notably Plumas National Forest and Lassen National Forest.