Free camping near Loyalton, CA
Within 25 straight-line miles of Loyalton, CA there are 85 camps: 36 free, 36 fee, 13 unpriced. The closest is Smithneck, 8.2 miles south-east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Smithneck, 8.2 miles out. One of them is a camp Dave has slept at.
Who manages them: 84 on the Forest Service; 1 on an agency our record does not name.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithneck | 8.2 | Free | Smithneck Creek (stream) | 8.1 mi to Loyalton | — |
| Bear Valley Ohv | 8.3 | Free | Bear Valley Creek (stream) | 7.3 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Cottonwood | 9.7 | Fee | — | 3.2 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Cold Creek | 9.9 | Fee | — | 3.6 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Nichols Creek | 11 | Free | Bonta Creek (stream) | 2.1 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Lookout Campground | 11 | Fee | — | 5.7 mi to Verdi-Sierra Pines | — |
| Dog Valley Campground | 13 | Free | — | — | — |
| Hunter Camp 4 | 13 | Free | — | 3.7 mi to Verdi-Sierra Pines | — |
| Upper Little Truckee | 13 | Fee | — | 8.9 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Lower Little Truckee | 13 | Fee | — | 9.4 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Hunter Camp 2 Campground | 14 | Free | — | 3.1 mi to Verdi-Sierra Pines | — |
| Chilcoot Campground | 14 | Unpriced | Little Last Chance Creek (stream) | 4.2 mi to Scotts | — |
| Yuba Pass Campground | 14 | Unpriced | North Yuba River (river) | 3.5 mi to Sattley | — |
| Beartrap | 14 | Free | Lunch Creek (stream) | 4.0 mi to Calpine | — |
| Lake of the Woods Campground | 14 | Unpriced | Lake of the Woods (water) | 6.1 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Hoke / Verdi | 14 | Free | Merril Creek (stream) | 4.5 mi to Verdi-Sierra Pines | — |
| Lunch Creek | 15 | Free | Lunch Creek (stream) | 4.3 mi to Sattley | — |
| Chilcoot Family Cg. | 15 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Chapman | 15 | Free | Chapman Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Spring Creek Family Cg. | 16 | Fee | — | 6.5 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Ross Camp | 16 | Free | Spring Creek (stream) | 6.2 mi to Scotts | — |
| Emigrant Campground | 16 | Fee | Little Truckee River (river) | 2.6 mi to Russell Valley | — |
| Logger | 16 | Fee | — | 6.8 mi to Verdi | — |
| Frenchman Family Cg. | 16 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Chapman Creek Campground | 16 | Unpriced | Chapman Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Sagehen Creek | 17 | Free | Sagehen Creek (stream) | 4.5 mi to Hobart Mills | — |
| Deadman Lake | 17 | Free | Deadman Lake (water) | 1.9 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Conklin Park Family Cg. | 17 | Fee | — | 8.0 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Sierra | 17 | Fee | — | 5.4 mi to Sierra | — |
| Boyington Mill | 18 | Fee | — | 5.0 mi to Floriston | — |
| Grizzly Family Cg. | 19 | Fee | Big Grizzly Creek (stream) | 1.1 mi to Lake Davis | — |
| Grasshopper Flat Family Cg. | 19 | Fee | — | 2.8 mi to Lake Davis | — |
| Little Lasier Meadow Horse Camp | 19 | Fee | Pass Creek (stream) | 7.2 mi to Baltimore Town | — |
| White Rock | 19 | Free | White Rock Creek (stream) | 6.7 mi to Soda Springs | — |
| Boca Springs | 19 | Fee | Little Truckee River (river) | 3.6 mi to Russell Valley | — |
| Pierce Meadow | 19 | Free | William Creek (stream) | 1.6 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Pass Creek Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Pass Creek (stream) | 6.8 mi to Sierra City | — |
| Church Meadow | 20 | Free | — | 4.8 mi to Whitehawk | — |
| Aspen Group Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Pass Creek (stream) | 6.6 mi to Sierra City | — |
| East Meadow Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Pass Creek (stream) | 7.1 mi to Sierra City | — |
| Boca Rest | 20 | Fee | — | 4.2 mi to Floriston | — |
| Nevada CountyDave slept here | 20 | Free | Little Truckee River (river) | 2.5 mi to Russell Valley | — |
| Salmon Creek | 20 | Fee | — | 3.6 mi to Sierra | — |
| Jackson Point Campground | 20 | Unpriced | Pass Creek (stream) | 6.8 mi to Sierra City | — |
| Sardine | 20 | Fee | — | 3.3 mi to Sierra | — |
| Snag Lake | 20 | Free | Church Creek (stream) | 4.3 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Wild Plum | 21 | Fee | — | 1.4 mi to Sierra | — |
| Haven Lake Campground | 21 | Free | Haven Lake (water) | 4.5 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Milton Reservoir | 21 | Free | Milton Reservoir (water) | 4.4 mi to Sierra City | — |
| Lakeside Campground | 21 | Fee | Alder Creek (stream) | 1.4 mi to Hobart Mills | — |
The other 35 inside the circle are on the live map — open it centred on Loyalton, CA.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Loyalton, CA, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.