A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service campground

Indian Valley

Forest Service campground in Tahoe National Forest, Sierra County, California. 2,304 feet. 17.8 miles from Nevada City.

Managed by
Forest Service Tahoe National Forest
Elevation
2,304 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
16 16 standard non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Sierra County

Overview

Indian Valley Campground is located alongside the North Yuba River just off Highway 49, about 11 miles west of Downieville. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, white water boating, and gold panning. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.

Recreation

The North Yuba River offers swimming, wading, and rainbow trout fishing. Seasonal rafting, kayaking and tubing are also popular water activities. A network of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and motorcycle singeltrack criss-crosses the surrounding area including the Yuba River, Halls Ranch, and Butcher Ranch trails and the Downieville Downhill.

Facilities

The campground offers both single and double family campsites. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

Natural Features

The campground sits on the north bank of the North Yuba River. Tumbled rock piles from early gold dredging activity are scattered around the campground. A forest of oak, fir, pine and madrone trees provides ample shade. Many sites have views of the river.

Nearby Attractions

Indian Valley Campground is located on the Yuba Donner Scenic Byway (Highway 49) near many gold rush era historical sites and old mining towns such as Camptonville, Goodyears Bar, and Downieville. Many points of interest lie along Highway 49 and are part of the 49 miles of Highway 49 driving tour; look for interpretive signs and other historical sites along this tour route. Other attractions include the North Yuba River, Indian Valley Outpost, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, Downieville, and a network of miles of motorcycle singletrack.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • auto touring
  • biking
  • camping
  • cultural activities
  • fishing
  • mountain biking
  • rafting
  • scenic drive
  • swimming
  • tubing

The land around Indian Valley

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.