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

Forest Service campground

Wild Plum

Forest Service campground in Tahoe National Forest, Sierra County, California. 4,392 feet. 18.8 miles from Portola.

Managed by
Forest Service Tahoe National Forest
Elevation
4,392 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
47 24 standard non-electric, 23 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
43 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Sierra County

Overview

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.

Recreation

Wild Plum Loop Trail can be accessed from the campground. The 2.5-mile trail is open to hiking and horseback riding and provides access to the Pacific Crest Trail and Haypress Trail. The scenic and historic town of Sierra City is just two miles from the campground. A variety of lodging and dining options are available.

Facilities

The campground offers several single-family sites, many of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site has a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. The campground's two smaller loops have paved roads and parking spurs; the larger upper loop has a gravel road and spurs.

Natural Features

The campground is situated on the banks of Haypress Creek. A forest of hardwood and pine trees covers the area, offering pleasant shade. Many rocks, from early gold dredging activity, cover the forest floor. Several sites overlook the creek.

Nearby Attractions

Wild Plum Campground is located about 1 mile east of historic Sierra City which is on the Yuba Donner Scenic Byway (Highway 49) near many gold rush era historical sites and scenic mountain vistas. Gold Lakes Basin offers boating, fishing, biking, and hiking. Boating, fishing, and swimming are available at nearby Sardine Lakes, about 7 miles north of the campground. Sardine Lakes Resort offers boat rentals. Anglers will find rainbow and brook trout in many of the lakes, streams, and rivers throughout the basin. Over 30 miles of maintained trails for hiking, mountain biking, and motorcycle singletrack branch out across the area and the Pacific Crest Trail can be accessed from with in the campground as well as at a few spots in the Lakes Basin area. The historic town of Sierra City offers historic and cultural attractions, restaurants, shops, churches, and vistor information.

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

What people do here

  • backpacking
  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • kayaking
  • mountain biking
  • scenic drive
  • swimming
  • water access

The land around Wild Plum

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.