Recreation

Activities | Camp | Camping | Destinations | Mountains | CA National Forests

nf.plumas

2022 UPDATE: Two thirds of Plumas National Forest (200,000 acres) is now burnt from recent wildfires. The 2020 #BearFire #NorthComplex and the 2021 #DixieFire destroyed historic buildings, fire lookouts, old cabins, residential houses, small towns and rural communities; plus old growth forests and unimaginable numbers of wildlife. Many roads, trails and campgrounds are closed to the public; while reforestation may take many decades, if not a century. see swipe photos (before and after) Decimated Forest Footed Rock Straw Road Swipe Top of Zink Wild & Scenic River miles Feather River 50 Wilderness Area acres Bucks Lake Wilderness 24,023

Plumas Backpacking

Hike the Feather River, Mount Hough, Bucks Lake Wilderness; Camping right next to the water, at gorgeous alpine lakes in the Northern Sierra Nevada. Yes! Short trails, minimal elevation gain, easy access, great rewards are always near the super scenic Lakes Basin. Sierra Buttes is inside Lakes Basin Recreation Area w/ Gold Lake, Packsaddle Lake, Goose Lake, Long Lake, Elwell Lake, Smith Lake, Snag Lake, Grass Lake, Jamison Lake, Eureka Lake, Bear Lake, Salmon Lakes and Frazier Falls

Trailheads located at:

• Berger (Lake Basin)
• Bucks Summmit PCT Access
• Fowler Lake
• Fowler Peak
• Johnsville
• Jamison Mine Grass Lake
• Little North Fork (Feather River)
• Long & Bear Lakes (LakesBasin)
• Packsaddle (LakesBasin)
• Round Lake (LakesBasin)
• Sand Pond (LakesBasin)
• Smith Gray Eagle (LakesBasin)

Plumas Forest Headquarters 159 Lawrence St P.O. Box 11500 Quincy CA 95971 530-283-2050	Beckwourth Ranger 23 Mohawk Highway Rd Blairsden CA 96103 530/836-2575	Feather River Ranger 875 Mitchell Avenue Oroville CA 95965 530-534-6500	Mount Hough Ranger 39696 Hwy 70 NW Quincy CA 95971 530/283-0555
Plumas Forest gov web site	Challenge Visitors Center 18050 Mulock Road Challenge CA 95925 530-675-1146	Greenville Work Center 128 Hot Springs Rd Greenville CA 95947 530-284-7126	Plumas County Visitors Hwy 70, W of downtown Quincy CA 95971 800-326-2247 530-283-6345

Plumas Forest Maps

Bucks Lake Wilderness Map

Lakes Basin Recreation Area Map

Middle Fork Feather River Map

PCT Map - North Sierra

Plumas National Forest Map

Plumas Forest Topo Atlas

Sierra Buttes Map NatGeo

Plumas Campgrounds

Primitive Camping

Hiking Plumas Forest

Rivers, creeks, forests, waterfalls, all around! This forested region has so much to offer for hiking & back road exploration.

Bucks Lake Wilderness has creeks and meadows, with great loop trails.

Lake Almanor has bike trails around lake, that are perfect for families, joggers, walkers & bike riding.

Lakes Basin Recreation Area offers numerous, older, cabin resorts, plus a few developed campgrounds and trails all leading to alpine lakes. Wildflowers, wildlife & heavy snows are seasonal treats.

Lassen Peak inside Lassen NP is a great all day hike rated moderate to strenuous. Lupine wildflowers are all over in the park.

Lakes Basin is on the border between Plumas and Tahoe National Forests. Sierra Buttes, granite spires towering in the North Sierra, is an excellent short hike to a fire lookout, overlooking Yuba River.

Plumas Hiking Overview

Explore Plumas Hiking

Lakes near Plumas, Lake Camping Campgrounds

Antelope Lake Recreation Area:

Lone Rock Campground

Long Point Campground

Almanor Lake:
many campgrounds

Bucks Lake Recreation Area:
many campgrounds

Frenchman Lake:
Cottonwood Springs, Little Last Chance Creek, Chilcoot

Gold Lake & Lakes Basin Recreation Area:
NFS Campgrounds and Cabin Resorts; near Plumas Eureka State Park

Little Grass Valley Reservoir

Black Rock Tent Campground

Horse Camp

Little Beaver Campground

Peninsula Tent Campground

Red Feather Campground

Running Deer Campground

Wyandotte Campground

Lake Oroville, California

More Plumas Forest Lakes

(some w/ no reservations camping)

• Mountain Meadows Reservoir
• Sly Creek Reservoir
• Round Valley Reservoir
• Butt Valley Reservoir
• Lake Davis

 

Plumas Waterfalls

• Chambers Creek Falls, N Feather River @ Hwy 70
• Curtain Falls, Milsap Bar, Berry Creek, CA
• Feather Falls, East Oroville, CA
• Frazier Falls, Gold Lake Hwy @ Lakes Basin Recreation Area
• Indian Falls, North Quincy, CA
• Seven Falls, Milsap Bar, Berry Creek, CA

View Larger Map


LaPorte Road is long, winding and forested, closing for deep snow in winter months and only open partially throughout the year. Climbing to upper elevations between Lake Oroville and Quincy, the area is quite remote, but CHP patrolled along the highway. La Porte is the only town way back here, besides wilderness.