Wild Plum

Tahoe National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Nevada City, CA, CA

Price: From $24 per night

Price range: $24–$50 per night

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 (158 reviews)

Season: May through October

Wild Plum Campground is located on Haypress Creek in the North Yuba River area. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, and gold panning. this facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.This location is unstaffed.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Wild Plum sits directly on Haypress Creek in a dense Sierra Nevada forest of pines and cedars. The creek runs through the campground — you fall asleep to the sound of water. Only 47 sites so it never feels overcrowded. Primitive enough to feel like real camping, close enough to Sierra City for resupply.

The swimming hole just downstream from the campground where Haypress Creek widens into a pool about 4 feet deep. Locals know it — most camp guests never find it. Walk the creek trail 10 minutes south of the last campsite.

What is new at Wild Plum: Wild Plum is operated by the Tahoe National Forest and reservations are managed through recreation.gov. No recent facility changes reported as of 2025.

Wildlife alert: Black bears are active in the North Yuba corridor. Use bear boxes at every site (provided). Do not leave food in vehicles — bears have learned to break windows. Dogs attract bears — keep food inside and never leave dog food out overnight.

Fire rules: Campfires allowed in provided fire rings only. Tahoe National Forest fire restrictions apply — check fs.usda.gov/tahoe before arrival. Restrictions common July–September.

Things to do near Wild Plum: Haypress Creek swimming hole — 10 min walk downstream, locals’ favorite, bring water shoes. Sierra City (5 miles) — Gold Rush town, good lunch at the Sierra Country Store. North Yuba Trail — trailhead 2 miles from camp, gorgeous ridge hike with creek views. Gold panning — the North Yuba was a major Gold Rush river, still yields color. Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout — 30-min drive, 360° view of Lake Tahoe and beyond.

Insider tips for Wild Plum: Sites 1–12 are closest to the creek — request them when booking on recreation.gov Sierra City General Store (5 mi) has ice, firewood, and basic groceries — stock up there Arrive Friday before noon in summer or you’ll lose the creek-side sites to weekenders

Skip Wild Plum if: You need hookups — no electric, water, or sewer at any site. You need cell service — essentially zero at the campground. You’re in a large RV — access road is narrow with tight turns.

Best time to visit Wild Plum: Jun–Jul — Creek is high and fast from snowmelt. Wildflowers. Cool nights. Best swimming.. Sep–Oct — Crowd drops off after Labor Day. Fall color starts. Creek is lower but warm enough to swim..

Common issues at Wild Plum: No hookups of any kind. Bring a generator if you need power. Solar works well in the open sites. Narrow access road with tight turns. Max recommended RV length is 43ft but 30ft+ is difficult. Scout the last mile before committing. Zero cell service. Download offline maps (Maps.me or Gaia GPS) and save the ranger station number: (530) 288-3231.

What campers say about Wild Plum: "Creek runs right through camp. We slept with the windows open just to hear the water." — Recreation.gov reviewer "Dogs loved the creek. Shallow enough for them to wade, deep enough to swim." — Recreation.gov reviewer "Vault toilets only — bring your own hand sanitizer and don’t expect a shower." — Recreation.gov reviewer

Nearby campgrounds: Loganville (Nevada City, CA), Sardine Lake (Nevada City, CA), Salmon Creek (Nevada City, CA), Packsaddle (Nevada City, CA).