Free camping near Portola, CA
Yes. 33 of the 68 camps within 25 straight-line miles of Portola, CA are listed as free; 22 charge a fee and 13 have no price on record. The closest free one is Chapman, 12 miles south, on U.S. Forest Service land. The closest camp of any kind is Grizzly Family Cg., 4.6 miles north, a fee campground.
The 50 nearest camps to Portola, CA
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzly Family Cg. | 4.6 | Fee | Big Grizzly Creek (stream) | 1.1 mi to Lake Davis | — |
| Grasshopper Flat Family Cg. | 4.8 | Fee | — | 2.8 mi to Lake Davis | — |
| Lightning Tree Family Cg. | 7.8 | Fee | — | 5.9 mi to Lake Davis | — |
| Chapman | 12 | Free | Chapman Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Beartrap | 13 | Free | Lunch Creek (stream) | 4.0 mi to Calpine | — |
| Lakes Basin Group Cg. | 13 | Fee | — | 3.4 mi to Graeagle | — |
| Church Meadow | 13 | Free | — | 4.8 mi to Whitehawk | — |
| Crocker Family Cg. | 13 | Free | Frazier Creek (stream) | 5.2 mi to Clio | — |
| Lakes Basin Family Cg. | 13 | Fee | — | 3.7 mi to Graeagle | — |
| Snag Lake | 13 | Free | Church Creek (stream) | 4.3 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Haven Lake Campground | 13 | Free | Haven Lake (water) | 4.5 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Goose Lake Campground | 13 | Free | — | 5.3 mi to Graeagle | — |
| Cottonwood Springs Family Cg. | 13 | Fee | — | 4.9 mi to Graeagle | — |
| Chapman Creek Campground | 14 | Unpriced | Chapman Creek (stream) | 2.5 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Sierra | 14 | Fee | — | 5.4 mi to Sierra | — |
| Lunch Creek | 14 | Free | Lunch Creek (stream) | 4.3 mi to Sattley | — |
| Yuba Pass Campground | 14 | Unpriced | North Yuba River (river) | 3.5 mi to Sattley | — |
| Deadman Lake | 14 | Free | Deadman Lake (water) | 1.9 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Gold Lake 4X4 Campground | 14 | Free | Little Gold Lake (water) | 5.3 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Gold Lake 4x4 Campground | 15 | Unpriced | — | — | — |
| Chilcoot Family Cg. | 15 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Salmon Lakes | 15 | Free | Lower Salmon Lake (water) | 3.9 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Salmon Creek | 15 | Fee | — | 3.6 mi to Sierra | — |
| Diablo | 16 | Fee | — | 4.0 mi to Sierra | — |
| Mcrae Meadows Camp | 16 | Free | — | — | — |
| Spencer Lakes | 16 | Free | Spencer Creek (stream) | 4.6 mi to Johnsville | — |
| Sardine | 16 | Fee | — | 3.3 mi to Sierra | — |
| Berger Creek | 16 | Fee | — | 3.9 mi to Sierra | — |
| Ross Camp | 16 | Free | Spring Creek (stream) | 6.2 mi to Scotts | — |
| Gold Valley | 16 | Free | Pauley Creek (stream) | 6.3 mi to Johnsville | — |
| Spencer Creek | 16 | Free | Spencer Creek (stream) | 4.8 mi to Johnsville | — |
| Spring Creek Family Cg. | 16 | Fee | — | 6.5 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Packsaddle | 16 | Fee | — | 3.8 mi to Sierra | — |
| Conklin Park Family Cg. | 17 | Fee | — | 8.0 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Chilcoot Campground | 17 | Unpriced | Little Last Chance Creek (stream) | 4.2 mi to Scotts | — |
| Pierce Meadow | 17 | Free | William Creek (stream) | 1.6 mi to Bassetts | — |
| Frenchman Family Cg. | 17 | Fee | — | 7.0 mi to Chilcoot-Vinton | — |
| Packer Saddle | 17 | Free | Packer Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Loganville | — |
| Tamarack Lakes | 17 | Free | Tamarack Lakes (water) | 3.0 mi to Loganville | — |
| Butcher Ranch | 18 | Free | Butcher Ranch Creek (stream) | 3.8 mi to Loganville | — |
| Bradys Camp (Family Cg) | 18 | Free | Pine Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Greenhorn | — |
| Nichols Creek | 18 | Free | Bonta Creek (stream) | 2.1 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Wild Plum | 19 | Fee | — | 1.4 mi to Sierra | — |
| Red Bridge | 20 | Free | Bray Creek (stream) | 4.1 mi to Spring Garden | — |
| Loganville | 20 | Fee | — | 1.9 mi to Sierra | — |
| Meadow View (Family Cg.) | 20 | Free | — | 5.2 mi to Doyle | — |
| Cottonwood | 21 | Fee | — | 3.2 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Cold Creek | 21 | Fee | — | 3.6 mi to Sierraville | — |
| Empire Creek | 21 | Free | Empire Creek (stream) | 5.3 mi to Downieville | — |
| Milton Reservoir | 21 | Free | Milton Reservoir (water) | 4.4 mi to Sierra City | — |
The other 18 inside the circle are on the live map — open it centred on Portola, CA.
Who manages the camps near Portola, CA
Who manages them: 68 on the Forest Service.
- Tahoe National Forest — 44 camps: 21 free, 12 fee, 11 unpriced
- Plumas National Forest — 24 camps: 12 free, 10 fee, 2 unpriced
Season read for these camps, today
Our record has no season word for any of these 68 camps today. Call the managing office before you go.
Forecast near Portola, CA
This is the Weather Service forecast for the town, fetched when the page opens. It is not a forecast for any camp in the table; ground higher up or in a canyon can run colder or windier. It needs JavaScript; without it, see weather.gov.
Camping near other towns close by
The nearest towns that have their own page, with the straight-line miles between the towns.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Portola, 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.