A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Shirttail Creek

Forest Service campground in Tahoe National Forest, Placer County, California. About 3,600 feet. 9.5 miles from Colfax.

Managed by
Forest Service Tahoe National Forest
Elevation
About 3,600 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
29 27 standard non-electric, 2 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
50 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Placer County

Overview

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.

Recreation

Fishing, swimming and both motorized and non-motorized boating are popular activities on the reservoir. A paved, non-motorized accessible trail connects recreation sites on the north shore with recreation sites on the south shore and has interpretive signs and shaded benches for rest breaks. The North Fork of the American River is nearby, with additional fishing, white water boating, and swimming. Many miles of hiking, biking and off-road vehicle trails are in the surrounding area.

Facilities

The campground offers single and double family campsites and one triple site; a few of the campsites are accessible. Picnic tables, campfire rings and grills are provided, as well as vault toilets and drinking water. Firewood is available for purchase from the host.

Natural Features

Sugar Pine Reservoir covers 160 acres at an elevation of 3600 feet. The campground lies above the north shoreline, in a forest of manzanita and ponderosa pine. Summertime temperatures are warm during the day and cool at night.

Nearby Attractions

Shirttail Creek Campground is a recreation site within the Sugar Pine Recreation Area which includes an additional family campground, a group campground, a boat ramp, and a day use picnic site, as well as a trail that circles the entire lake. The North Fork American Wild And Scenic River can be accessed near by. Other recreation opportunities include many hiking, equestrian, mountain biking, and OHV trails.

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

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • mountain biking
  • non-motorized boating
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water activities

The land around Shirttail Creek

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 June 19, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.