Placer County is directly southeast of both Yuba and Sutter Counties. It is also adjacent to Nevada County and Sacramento County. Its county seat is Auburn. Its largest city is Roseville, which, with a population of 106,266, is the second-largest city in the counties adjacent to Yuba and Sutter—after Sacramento (population 460,242) in Sacramento County.

The Bear River forms most of Placer County's northern border, separating Placer County from Nevada County (above Camp Far West Lake) and from Yuba County (below Camp Far West Lake).

Placer County includes part of Tahoe National Forest.

To find places in Placer County related to specific recreational activities other than camping, see the Recreation page and click on the appropriate recreational activity.

Cities and Nearby Towns

American River North Fork at Auburn State Recreation Area in Placer County. Photo by queerbychoice. Places are listed in order of travel time required to reach them. The travel time shown is from the nearest town in Yuba or Sutter Counties, except when that travel time is an hour or longer, in which case the travel time shown is from Yuba City or Marysville.

  • Sheridan is a 5-minute drive southeast from Wheatland.
  • Lincoln is a 20-minute drive southeast from Wheatland. It has a population of 40,060 (as of the 2009 California Department of Finance estimate). Highlights include Thunder Valley Casino, owned by the United Auburn Indian Community.
  • Roseville is a 30-minute drive southeast from Wheatland, or a 45-minute drive southeast from Olivehurst, or a one-hour drive southeast from Marysville. It has a population of 112,343 (as of the 2009 California Department of Finance estimate).
  • Rocklin is a 30-minute drive southeast from Wheatland, or a 45-minute drive southeast from Olivehurst, or a one-hour drive southeast from Marysville. It has a population of 54,754 (as of the 2009 California Department of Finance estimate).
  • Granite Bay is a 45-minute drive southeast from Wheatland or a one-hour drive southeast from Marysville. It has a population of 19,388 (as of the 2000 census).
  • Auburn is a 45-minute drive southeast from Wheatland or a one-hour drive southeast from Marysville. It is the county seat of Placer County and has a population of 13,432 (as of the 2009 California Department of Finance estimate). Highlights include Auburn State Recreation Area and Mammoth Bar Off-Highway Vehicle Area.

Campgrounds

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

Granite Bay Beach at Folsom Lake. Photo by queerbychoice. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area is a 45-minute drive from Wheatland or a 1-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. Its elevation is 450 feet.

  • Beal's Point Campground—69 sites, flush toilets, piped water, RV dump station, Folsom Lake
  • Negro Bar Group Camp—3 group sites, flush toilets, piped water, Lake Natoma
  • Peninsula Campground—100 sites, flush toilets, piped water, Folsom Lake

Auburn State Recreation Area

Auburn State Recreation Area is a 45-minute drive from Wheatland or a 1-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. Its elevation is 700 feet.

  • Lake Clementine Boat-in Campground—Lake Clementine
  • Mineral Bar Campground—American River north fork
  • Ruck-A-Chucky Campground—American River middle fork

Interstate 80 Corridor

The Interstate 80 corridor at the border between Nevada County and Placer County is a 1.75-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. Its elevation in the area of the campgrounds is 6,000 feet.

  • Big Bend Group Campground—2 group sites, vault toilets, piped water
  • Cisco Grove Campground—flush toilets, piped water
  • Hampshire Rocks Campground—31 sites, vault toilets, piped water
  • Kelly Lake Campground—Kelly Lake
  • Lodgepole Campground—18 sites, vault toilets, Lake Valley Reservoir
  • Woodchuck Campground—8 sites, vault toilets, no running water

Sugar Pine Reservoir Area

Sugar Pine Reservoir is a 1.75-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. It is in the American River Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest. Its elevation is 3,618 feet.

  • Forbes Campground—Forbes Creek, Sugar Pine Reservoir
  • Forbes Creek Group Camp—2 group sites, vault toilets, piped water, Forbes Creek, Sugar Pine Reservoir
  • Giant Gap Campground—30 sites, vault toilets, RV waste station, fishing boats, Sugar Pine Reservoir
  • Shirttail Creek Campground—30 sites, vault toilets, RV waste station, Shirttail Creek, Sugar Pine Reservoir

Big Reservoir Area

Big Reservoir is a 2-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. It is in the American River Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest. Its elevation is 4,000 feet.

  • Big Reservoir Campground—18 sites, vault toilets, piped water, RV waste station, Big Reservoir (no motorboats allowed)
  • Morning Star Lake Campground—100 sites, Morning Star Lake

Lake Tahoe Area

Lake Tahoe is a 2-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. Its elevation is 6,225 feet.

  • Burton Creek State Park—Burton Creek, Lake Tahoe
  • Kaspian Campground—20 sites, flush toilets, piped water, Lake Tahoe
  • Lake Forest Campground—21 sites, flush toilets, piped water, Lake Tahoe
  • Lake Tahoe State Recreation Area—16 sites, flush toilets, piped water, Lake Tahoe
  • Sandy Beach Campground—44 sites, flush toilets, piped water, Lake Tahoe
  • Silver Creek Campground—27 sites, vault toilets, Silver Creek, Truckee River
  • William Kent Campground—95 sites, flush toilets, piped water, Lake Tahoe

French Meadows Reservoir Area

French Meadows Reservoir from French Meadows Campground in Placer County. Photo by queerbychoice. French Meadows Reservoir is a 3-hour drive from Yuba City or Marysville. It is in the American River Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest. Its elevation is 5,263 feet.

  • Ahart Campground—12 sites, vault toilets, American River middle fork
  • Black Bear Campground—French Meadows Reservoir
  • Coyote Group Campground—3 group sites, vault toilets, piped water, French Meadows Reservoir
  • French Meadows Campground—75 sites, vault toilets, piped water, French Meadows Reservoir
  • Gates Group Campground—3 group sites, vault toilets, piped water, French Meadows Reservoir
  • Lewis Campground—40 sites, flush toilets, piped water, French Meadows Reservoir
  • Poppy Campground—12 sites, vault toilets, French Meadows Reservoir

Other Areas

  • Bear Creek Campground—Bear Creek
  • Big Meadows Campground—54 sites, flush toilets, piped water
  • Big Tree Grove Campground
  • Camp Far West Lake is a 15-minute drive from Wheatland or a 45-minute drive from Yuba City or Marysville.
  • Chicken Hawk Campground
  • Dewey Campground
  • Hell Hole Campground—10 sites, vault toilets, piped water, Hell Hole Reservoir
  • Hillside Campground
  • McGuire Campground
  • Middle Meadows Group Camp—2 group sites, flush toilets, piped water, Long Canyon Creek
  • Mumford Bar Campground—elevation 5,300 feet, 5 sites, vault toilets, American River north fork
  • North Fork Campground—elevation 4,400 feet, 17 sites, vault toilets, piped water, American River north fork
  • Onion Creek Campground—Onion Creek
  • Ralston Campground
  • Ridge Campground
  • Robinsons Flat Campground—elevation 6,800 feet, 14 sites, vault toilets, well water
  • Secret House Campground
  • Talbot Campground—elevation 5,600 feet, 5 sites, vault toilets, American River middle fork
  • Tunnel Mill Group Camp—elevation 4,400 feet, 1 group site, vault toilets, no running water, American River north fork

Other Places of Interest

Links

Placer County, California

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