North Fork Yuba River
North Fork Yuba River
Yuba River
Campsite Carlton
Carlton Campground

Featured amenities

River Access River Access

Available sites

16 total sites

About Carlton

Carlton Campground is located along the North Yuba River, adjacent to Highway 49 and 13 mi from Downieville. Visitors enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities in the area, including hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing and biking. This facility is operated and maintained by the Tahoe National Forest.

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Canoeing

Canoeing

Spring Summer Fall
Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Hiking

Hiking

Year-round
Hunting

Hunting

Year-round

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Oct 16 to Oct 31

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

River Access River Access
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

16 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 002, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 003, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 004, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 006, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 007, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 008, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 009, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 010, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 011, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 012, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 013, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 014, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 015, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 016, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 017, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In
🚐 018, Loop: AREA CARLTON RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel · Driveway entry: Back-In

Reviews (63)

What Guests Are Saying

Overall, Carlton campground is praised for its beautiful setting, quiet atmosphere, and direct access to the river, making it a favorite destination for many campers. Although some concerns were raised about full dumpsters, restroom cleanliness, and noise from the nearby highway, most guests found their experiences enjoyable and relaxing. Many expressed a desire to return, highlighting specific campsites for their privacy and river access.

Review Summary

4.1
63 reviews
5
61.9%
39
4
12.7%
8
3
7.9%
5
2
11.1%
7
1
6.3%
4

Maria H

Verified

September 29, 2026 • Stayed at: 007, Loop: AREA CARLTON

5

Camped at Carlton in mid September. Fire restrictions were at a level 2 so we obtained a permit for propane camp stove and fire. Know your restrictions before you go! The fire service comes by regularly to keep the toilets stocked and clean. The sites are large. My family shared sites 7 and 8 and it was perfect. Easy access to the river. Hiking is about half a mile away or you can drive to several locations nearby. A bear and two cubs had been spotted in the area but we never actually saw them. The place is great for star gazing too! It is adjacent to the road but there isn’t too much traffic at night so it didn’t really bother us. The campground has water. Bring bug spray or citronella. Overall it was a great little spot for dry camping.

Diego A

Verified

September 24, 2026 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: AREA CARLTON

5

Exelent

Denise L

Verified

September 23, 2026 • Stayed at: 003, Loop: AREA CARLTON

4

We stayed in Site #3, which was where we've stayed in the past (last time was 8 yrs ago, but had been yearly for the 8 or so years prior to that). We arrived to find burned wood in the fire pit, left by a prior camper (during a period of fire restrictions). We also found the bear box door completely broken off the box, due to rusted hinges. Rangers came through Sunday (the day we arrived) and Thursday (the day we left). Bathrooms had almost run out of toilet paper in the meantime. We didn't know until we arrived, that the vault toilet (single, wood frame building) near our site had been removed at some point since we camped last, so it was a bit of a walk to the 2-toilet brick building at the far end of the campground.

The site has easy access to the river, down a small embankment. Is big enough for two 8-person tents, and a 10x10 pop-up. Fairly level and mostly rock free, it's easy to walk around.

Luis G

Verified

September 6, 2026 • Stayed at: 007, Loop: AREA CARLTON

5

Really nice campground very quiet

Joanna W

Verified

August 23, 2026 • Stayed at: 008, Loop: AREA CARLTON

4

Nice campground, well maintained, close to the river though also close to the road, with cars going by loudly. The particular campsite we stayed at was a bit too close to the one next to it

Thomas C

Verified

August 17, 2026 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: AREA CARLTON

5

A great trip! I look forward to next year!
Only one concern. We arrived Aug 9.
We left Aug 14. Dumpsters were mostly full when we arrived. Topped off by Friday and smell was beginning to annoy.
The recycling bins were completely full and we had to place plastic next to bins.
No biggie but a concern.
Thx

Lisa H

Verified

August 6, 2026 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: AREA CARLTON

5

Beautiful small campground. Access to the river/creek. And very quiet.

Irene J

Verified

July 22, 2026 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: AREA CARLTON

4

River access, close to road but not bad at night

Koorosh G

Verified

July 15, 2026 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: AREA CARLTON

5

Great experience.

maya s

Verified

July 13, 2026 • Stayed at: 010, Loop: AREA CARLTON

2

Right next to the highway. Trucks like to honk their horns randomly. Site 10 & 11 are a bit cramped. Bathrooms are nasty
Loved that it was right in the water.

Location & Directions for Carlton

Yuba River Ranger District, Nevada City, CA 95959 United States

Elevation: 690 ft

Getting There

From Downieville, travel south on Highway 49 for just over 13 mi. The campground is on the left side of the highway.

From Nevada City, travel north on Highway 49 for just under 30 mi. The campground is on the right side of the highway.

Nearest town

Nevada City, CA - 30 mi

About 43 min to downtown

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 18, 2026

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Explore Nevada City, CA

Population: 3,172

Nearby larger city

Yuba City, CA

Approx. 42 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 2,513 ft

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Managed by the USDA Forest Service