USDA Forest Service · California
Snake Lake Campground and Equestrian Camp
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 21
- Hookups
- 15 with water, 17 no hookups
- Season
- May 22 to October 31
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 4,068 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- SNAKE LAKE PICNIC (NFSR 24N56X) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Plumas National Forest
- Nearest town
- Quincy
- Phone
- N/A
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Snake Lake is located at approximately 3900 ft in elevation and is about 8 miles from the quaint town of Quincy, CA. Upon arriving, you are greeted by a mixed pine and fir forest as well as the shallow, lilly pad filled Snake Lake. Easy access to multi use trails can be found within the Snake Lake Basin.
Recreation
This campground is a hub of activity and hosts staging areas for mountain biking, equestrian, and OHV use. Play hard and respect everyones rights and activies. This is one of the only campgrounds that has use access to forest roads directly from the campground.
Facilities
These improvements can be found at each campsite:
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Food storage locker
Vault toilets
For the equestrian users there is a small corral and a ADA mounting ramp
Please use certified weed-seed-free feed for horses
Please remove, scatter or bury manure piles left in corrals or while dispersed camping
Use the provided corrals or hitching posts to stage horses; use high lines with tree saver straps to protect trees and minimize impact while dispersed camping
Natural Features
Snake Lake is a shallow reservoir that promotes the growth of Lilly Pads. Swimming is not in the best interest of the user.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (530) 283-0555.
Nearby Attractions
The hamlet town of Quincy hosts many activities during the warm summer months. Music festivals, the Plumas County Fair, and other random activities are within a quick drive from the campground.
Fees
Sites are $15 per day; maximum stay limit is 14 days in a calander year
Pay by cash or check using the provided fee envelopes or scan the QRCode and submit fees directly to REC.GOV (only works if the REC.gov app is already installed on your portable divice)
Pay for your site in the middle of the campground near the information boards
This campground will be managed by staff from May 16th, weather permitting, until September 28th.
Bring your own water; No water is available at this campsite
Trash is not provided at this campsite; take your trash home with you
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 26° | 11° | 58° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 44° | 27° | 6° | 61° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 46° | 29° | 11° | 80° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 55° | 33° | 15° | 73° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 70° | 45° | 30° | 83° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 80° | 52° | 36° | 98° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 92° | 61° | 48° | 102° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 90° | 61° | 53° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 81° | 53° | 43° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 70° | 41° | 30° | 83° | 1 of 10 |
| November | 52° | 34° | 12° | 68° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 43° | 28° | 11° | 60° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Meadow Camp Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 10 sites
- Hallsted · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 20 sites
- Spanish Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 27 sites
- Rock Creek (Family Cg) · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- Deanes Valley Family Cg (CA) Plumas Nf · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 11 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.