Cottonwood Creek

Show on map530-994-3401
SIERRAVILLE RANGER DISTRICT, 317 SOUTH LINCOLN ST (HWY 89), PO BOX 95
SIERRAVILLE, CA 96126

Overview

Cottonwood Creek Campground is located on Highway 89, four miles south of Sierraville. Its location makes it a great base camp for a variety of recreational activities, including fishing, hunting, hiking and biking. This facility is operated and maintained by Lake Tahoe Hospitality LLC for the Tahoe National Forest.

Recreation

Cottonwood Creek Botanical Trail and Overlook Trail are both short, foot trails that begin in the campground. The surrounding area offers additional trails and fishing opportunities.

Facilities

The campground offers several single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided.

Natural Features

The campground sits along Cottonwood Creek, in a stand of Jeffrey pine, and red and white fir trees. The forest provides shade and privacy between sites, but noise from the highway can be heard within the campground.

Nearby Attractions

Lake Tahoe is located about 40 minutes from the campground. Scenic Tahoe offers excellent boating, kayaking, fishing, hiking and scenic driving opportunities.

Sardine Lakes, within the beautiful Lakes Basin, is a 35-minute drive northwest of the campground, via the Golden Chain/Highway 49. Stampede Reservoir is a 45-minute drive southeast.

Contact Info

Between 05/21/2027 and 09/25/2027 this location is staffed. Please call (530) 606-3978 to speak with local staff. From 09/27/2026 to 05/20/2027 this location is unstaffed. Please call (877) 444-6777 for general information.

Camp site features

Across 48 camp sites:

  • Fire pit: all 48 sites
  • Picnic table: all 48 sites
  • Pets allowed: all 48 sites
  • Longest RV: 45 ft
  • Largest party: 6 people

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 18.5 mi · Loganville Campground

Nearest water fill: 21.6 mi

Directions

From Truckee, travel north on Highway 80 to Highway 89 approximately 20 miles to the campground. From Sierraville, travel approximately 5 miles south on Hwy 89, the campground will be on the left side of the highway.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

106 reviews
5 stars
63
4 stars
17
3 stars
16
2 stars
7
1 stars
3
Maria G
Loop:Cottonwood Creek
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Say was good only reason I did not give an excellent is, because the bathroom smelled really bad. The Yellow jackets were really bad but, that's part of nature.
Michelle S
Loop:Cottonwood Creek
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Camped here for the second time this summer. Camp hosts are wonderful! Water is currently potable although online when we booked it said it wasn't. We had a blast - we had the whole loop to ourselves.
Michael S
Loop:Cottonwood Creek
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Great, quiet campsite. Campground was everything a campsite should be. Camp host, Patrick was extremely nice and helpful. Site was clean, was enjoyable.
Alan D
Loop:Cottonwood Creek
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
We stayed in loop farthest from the hwy. It was quiet and very pleasant. The campsites are spaced well apart with adequate screening. Water readily available. Pit toilets were clean and well maintained. Camp host was excellent! A couple of nice trails in the campground. The town of Sierraville is close by. It’s small . Had a good restaurant for dinner and a store to get supplies and breakfast. We actually forgot the camp stove so took advantage of the town. Close to Independence lake. A nature conservancy preserve with free kayak use Thursday through Sunday.
Joseph T
Loop:Cottonwood Creek
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
I can not say enough good things or express the joy it was to spend 2 weeks at Cottonwood Creek campground. It's a beautiful peaceful campground just close enough to civilization and plenty far at the same time to really feel the escape. The GREATEST part of my trip has to be the friendship and bond I made with the hosts. Carrie and Pat are truly family to me now. They work harder for and care more about the campers experience than just about any hosts I've ever been around. They go above and beyond with making sure everyone knows the rules (telling you in a conversation not just reading from a card), making sure everyone understands it's a community that watches out for each other. The campground this year has had a bear frequently about, but Pat and Carrie have been vigilant about keeping visitors "bear aware" and having everyone follow a bear in camp signal with car horns just enough to make it known and not misused. They've been doing extra patrolling collecting trash bags from campers at night to run to dumpster, just so it isn't forgotten about by anyone overnight. Pat and Carrie are class acts, friendly, nature minded, and just great examples of what a great host can be. I look forward to returning and camping at Cottonwood Creek campground again and hopefully with Pat and Carrie especially
Gregory L
Loop:Cottonwood Creek
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
Host was great. Facilities were very will maintained. My only complaint was my site was at a fairly steep slope and made it difficult to walk around
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

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Season dates

Peak season

May 21, 2027 – Sep 25, 2027

Reservable online

Peak season

May 19, 2028 – Sep 23, 2028

Reservable online

Camp Sites

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