USDA Forest Service · California
North Fork Campground
USDA Forest Service · California, United States · in Smith River National Recreation Area
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 942 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- NORTH FORK CAMPGROUND (NFSR 18N28) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Six Rivers National Forest
- Nearest town
- Rockland
- Address
- CA
- Activities
- <p> <strong>Hiking:</strong> There are no trails in the area but hikers may go cross-country.</p> , <p> Although the campground can accomodate trailers up to 22 feet in lengh, road access will be tricky. It is a 2-hour drive over winding, rocky gravel roads to reach the campground. Large motorhomes are not advised. High clearance is not required.</p> , Camping
About
North Fork Campground is a quiet, semi-shaded, remote campground bordered by the North Fork of the Smith River. This is a perfect place to “get away from it all” and to stay before rafting the Wild North Fork. The campground is also popular with four-wheel-drive groups who enjoy driving the jeep trails and back roads of the area.
The landscape surrounding the campground is dramatically steep and rocky. The vegetation is sparse due to the serpentine soil which stunts plant growth. The Biscuit Fire swept through the area in 2002, burning much of the vegetation in the surrounding area.
Spring and early summer bring beautiful wildflowers to the area including the fragrant western azalea and beautiful blue brodiaeas. The campground is within the North Fork Smith River botanical area, which harbors many rare plants adapted to the serpentine soil.
Access to the North Fork of the Smith River is ¼ mile west of the campground at the North Fork river access (also known as Brown's Flat and Major Moore's). There are some nice pools but the water is very chilly and the shoreline is very cobbled except for a small patch of sand at the upstream end. It is a good place to sit on a rock and soak your feet on a hot day.
Click on the "Photos and Multimedia" link on the right sidebar to view a photo of the North Fork river access.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55° | 40° | 33° | 68° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 52° | 40° | 26° | 71° | 3 of 11 |
| March | 54° | 40° | 30° | 75° | 1 of 11 |
| April | 57° | 43° | 33° | 74° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 63° | 49° | 40° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 73° | 54° | 44° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 60° | 53° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 84° | 63° | 55° | 98° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 76° | 57° | 49° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 69° | 52° | 43° | 83° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 58° | 47° | 37° | 70° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 51° | 40° | 26° | 69° | 2 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
- Winchuck · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi
- Ludlum House · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 1 sites
- Grassy Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 19 sites
- Patrick Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 13 sites
- Panther Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 39 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.