Cisco Grove Area Campgrounds
Cisco Grover is about 13 miles west of Donner Summit along Interstate 80. Campgrounds in the area are situated along the South Yuba River. In some of the campgrounds you can hear the nearby buzz of the freeway, but after a short time it simply fades as background noise.
The area includes Big Bend, Hampshire Rocks, Sterling Lake, and Soda Springs. Many of the campgrounds are operated by the Tahoe National Forest. Kidd Lake Group Campground and Sterling Lake Campground are PG&E facilities, while Cisco Grove Campground & RV Park is a privately operated for public use.
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Big Bend Group Campground
Located at 7,700 feet along a pretty section of the South Yuba River. Take the Rainbow Road exit off Interstate 80 and then go west 1.5 miles. Access is via a road next to the new Visitor Center and across a bridge. A picnic area is located adjacent to the group campground.
Campground Amenities
- 2 accessible group campsites (Lincoln and Victory) for up to 25 campers each, vault toilets, piped water
- Picnic tables, campfire rings
- Nearby trails
Reservations: (877) 444-6777 or Recreation.gov - Big Bend Group Campground
Fees: $99 per night
Hampshire Rocks Campground
Located along the South Yuba just east of Big Bend and the Rainbow Lodge, on a frontage road next to Interstate 80. Use the Rainbow Road exit. The campground is at 6,900 feet, close to the historic California Emigrant Trail. The campground is usually open from late May to the end of September.
Campground Amenities
- 15 campsites (10 for tents or RVs, 5 are tent-only)
- Piped water, vault toilets
- Picnic tables, fire rings, grills
- hiking, fishing, swimming
Reservations: (877) 444-6777 or Recreation.gov - Hampshire Rocks Campground
Fees: $24 per site, $5 for extra vehicle
Indian Springs Campground
Located ½ mile off Interstate 80 on Eagle Lakes Road and next to the South Yuba River. The campground is at 5,400 feet, close to the historic California Emigrant Trail. Campsites are usually open from the end of May to the end of September.
Campground Amenities
- 35 campsites (28 sites for tents or RVs, 7 walk-in tent-only sites)
- Vault toilets, piped water
- Picnic tables, fire rings, grills
- Indian Springs OHV Trailhead, hiking, fishing, late-summer swimming (swimming is dangerous in early summer when river is high and swift)
Reservations: (877) 444-6777 or Recreation.gov - Indian Springs Campground
Fees: $24 per site, $5 for extra vehicle
Kidd Lake Group Campground
Located on the northeast side of Kidd Lake, 3.5 miles from Soda Springs via Soda Springs Road and Kidd Lake Road. Operated by PG&E. The campground is at 6,600 feet, close to the historic California Emigrant Trail. Campsites are usually open from late-June to mid-September.
Campground Amenities
- 10 group camp areas for up to 100 people, areas can be grouped together
- Vault toilets, piped water
- Picnic tables, fire rings, grills
Reservations: (916) 386-5164 or
PG&E Campground Reservations
Fees: $75 - $200 per day
Sterling Lake Campground
Located on the west shore of Sterling Lake, 5 miles north of Cisco Grove on Rattlesnake Road. The road is steep and winding in places. Sterling Lake has a 10 MPH speed limit. This PG&E campground is at 7,000 feet and is usually open from early July through the end of October. (Closed through 2024 due to construction)
Campground Amenities
- 5 campsites, vault toilets, no piped water
- Picnic tables, fire rings, grills
- Hand-launched boating, hiking, swimming
Reservations: None
Fees: $15 per site
Woodchuck Campground
Located on Rattlesnake Creek along Fordyce Lake Road, 3 miles north of Interstate 80 at Cisco Grove. Although it is sometimes listed as a group campground, it appears that it is now used as a family site campground. The campground is at 6,200 feet.
Campground Amenities
- 8 campsites, vault toilets, no piped water
- Picnic tables, fire rings, grills
- OHV area, swimming
- Near Woodchuck Flat 4-H Club Camp
Reservations: None
Fees: $18 per site, $5 for extra vehicle
Cisco Grove Campground & RV Park
Privately owned campground and RV park open to the public year-round. Located at the west end of Hampshire Rocks Road on the north side of Interstate 80. Take the Cisco Grove exit. Motel rooms are also available for rent.
Phone: (530) 426-1600
Campground Amenities
- 406 campsites for tents or RVs, basic sites have water and electric, premium sites include sewer hook-ups
- Picnic tables, free standing BBQs, restrooms with flush toilets, showers
- Grocery store, laundromat, dump stations, lodge, outdoor pavilion
- Access to OHV trails, tubing hill in the winter
Reservations: Cisco Grove Campground & RV Park