Forbes Creek

Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Foresthill, CA, CA

Price: From $132 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (6 reviews)

Season: May through October

Forbes Creek Group Campground is located near the southeast shore of Sugar Pine Reservoir in the Tahoe National Forest. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.The campground offers two group campsites, Madrone and Rocky Ridge.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/forbes-creek to be notified when sites open up.

Forbes Creek Group Campground offers excellent fishing, boating, and hiking opportunities near Sugar Pine Reservoir in Tahoe National Forest. A trail system connects the two group sites to the lake and nearby boat ramp, with activities including canoeing, swimming, and non-motorized biking.

Wildlife alert: Western Rattlesnake present in area—use caution when hiking. Also present: Steller's Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Western Fence Lizard, and Sierra Garter Snake.

Insider tips for Forbes Creek: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 2 sites and high demand Bring a self-contained RV; no hookups available Sites are spaced approximately 30 feet apart, offering relative privacy

Skip Forbes Creek if: You need RV hookups—none available at this campground. You visit outside May-October season—campground is closed. You require numerous flat tent spaces for large groups—limited flat areas reported.

Best time to visit Forbes Creek: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Giant Gap (Foresthill, CA), Tunnel Mills Ii (Camptonville, CA), North Fork (Ca) (Camptonville, CA), Skillman (Nevada City, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Forbes Creek

Cell signal at Forbes Creek (Foresthill, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Forbes Creek

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Foresthill, CA, CA★ 4.2 (6 reviews)From $132/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Forbes Creek Group Campground is located near the southeast shore of Sugar Pine Reservoir in the Tahoe National Forest. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.The campground offers two group campsites, Madrone and Rocky Ridge.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV45 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites2 sites
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—none available at this campground✕ You visit outside May-October season—campground is closed✕ You require numerous flat tent spaces for large groups—limited flat areas reported

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 2 sites and high demand

Bring a self-contained RV; no hookups available

Sites are spaced approximately 30 feet apart, offering relative privacy

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Western Rattlesnake present in area—use caution when hiking. Also present: Steller's Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Western Fence Lizard, and Sierra Garter Snake.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-367-2224· Tahoe National Forest
Getting there →

Take Interstate 80 to the Foresthill/Auburn exit, near Auburn. Continue east for 17 miles to Foresthill. Travel through town, about 9 miles, to Forest Road 10/Sugar Pine Road. Turn left and continue about 9 miles. Look for the Sugar Pine Recreation Area sign and turn right on the first road after the sign. Continue about a half-mile to the Rocky Ridge Group Campground, on the right, and to the Madrone Group Campground, at the end of the circle.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Tahoe National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tahoe National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Forbes Creek cost per night?+
Forbes Creek costs $132 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Forbes Creek open?+
Forbes Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Forbes Creek have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Forbes Creek?+
Forbes Creek can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
How do I make reservations at Forbes Creek?+
Forbes Creek is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Forbes Creek?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Forbes Creek is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Forbes Creek open, and what are check-in times?+
Forbes Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$132 /night★ 4.2 (6)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Forbes Creek cost per night?+
What season is Forbes Creek open?+
Does Forbes Creek have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Giant Gap

Foresthill, CA

From $24/night

Tunnel Mills Ii

Camptonville, CA

From $99/night

North Fork (Ca)

Camptonville, CA

From $24/night

Skillman

Nevada City, CA

From $18/night

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