Shirttail Creek

Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Foresthill, CA, CA

Price: From $24 per night

Price range: $24–$72 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (110 reviews)

Season: May through October

Shirttail Campground is located on the north shore of Sugar Pine Reservoir, in the Tahoe National Forest, 15 miles from Foresthill. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, boating, OHV and hiking opportunities. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.Sugar Pine Reservoir covers 160 acres at an elevation of 3600 feet.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Camp Host, Fishing, Boat Launch, Firewood for Sale

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

Shirttail Creek offers excellent fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities on Sugar Pine Reservoir with well-maintained facilities and plenty of shade. Google reviewers consistently praised the clean bathrooms, beautiful setting, and proximity to hiking trails.

Wildlife alert: Steller's Jay, Black-headed Grosbeak, Douglas' Squirrel, and Sharp-tailed Snake are documented in the area. Swimming and water activities may encounter Domestic Mallard.

Insider tips for Shirttail Creek: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with only 29 sites Sound carries throughout the campground; be mindful during quiet hours Bring a self-contained RV; no hookups available Access boat launch and fishing directly from the north shore location

Skip Shirttail Creek if: You need RV hookups — this campground has none. You plan to visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You prefer larger, less crowded campgrounds.

Best time to visit Shirttail Creek: May-October — Official operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Giant Gap (Foresthill, CA), Forbes Creek (Foresthill, CA), Tunnel Mills Ii (Camptonville, CA), North Fork (Ca) (Camptonville, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Shirttail Creek

Cell signal at Shirttail 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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Shirttail Creek — photo 1
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Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Shirttail Creek

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Foresthill, CA, CA★ 4.2 (110 reviews)From $24/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Shirttail Campground is located on the north shore of Sugar Pine Reservoir, in the Tahoe National Forest, 15 miles from Foresthill. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, boating, OHV and hiking opportunities. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.Sugar Pine Reservoir covers 160 acres at an elevation of 3600 feet.

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 RV100 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites3 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic TablesCamp HostFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

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 — this campground has none✕ You plan to visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only✕ You prefer larger, less crowded campgrounds

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 29 sites

Sound carries throughout the campground; be mindful during quiet hours

Bring a self-contained RV; no hookups available

Access boat launch and fishing directly from the north shore location

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

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: Steller's Jay, Black-headed Grosbeak, Douglas' Squirrel, and Sharp-tailed Snake are documented in the area. Swimming and water activities may encounter Domestic Mallard.

Location

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

From either east bound or west bound Interstate 80 take exit 121, Auburn Ravine Road to Foresthill. Continue east for 17 miles, to Foresthill. Travel through town, about 9 miles, to Forest Road 10/Sugar Pine Road. Turn left and continue 9 miles to the Sugar Pine Campgrounds road (approximately 1 mile after crossing the Sugar Pine Reservoir dam). Turn right and continue about 1.5 miles, turn left into the campground.

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 Shirttail Creek cost per night?+
Shirttail Creek costs $24–$72 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Shirttail Creek open?+
Shirttail Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Shirttail Creek have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Shirttail Creek?+
Shirttail Creek can accommodate RVs up to 100 feet.
How do I make reservations at Shirttail Creek?+
Shirttail 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 Shirttail Creek?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Shirttail Creek is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Shirttail Creek open, and what are check-in times?+
Shirttail Creek is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$24 /night★ 4.2 (110)
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 Shirttail Creek cost per night?+
What season is Shirttail Creek open?+
Does Shirttail Creek have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Giant Gap

Foresthill, CA

From $24/night

Forbes Creek

Foresthill, CA

From $132/night

Tunnel Mills Ii

Camptonville, CA

From $99/night

North Fork (Ca)

Camptonville, CA

From $24/night

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