White Cloud sits in dense forest right off Highway 20, making it a convenient base camp for exploring the Pioneer Trail system. The wooded setting feels more secluded than the roadside location suggests, with cedar, pine, and Douglas fir providing solid cover at 4,200 feet elevation.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Group
- 💵Fee per Night
- $24
- 📍GPS
- 39.31994, -120.84611
- 🌤️Best Seasons
- spring, fall
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- 530-478-6253
- 🗺️Address
- CA
Amenities
The Camp
The campground spreads through thick forest cover, with sites equipped with the basics: picnic tables, fire rings, and drinking water on tap. You'll find a mix of single-family sites plus one double site, with some spots designated tent-only while others can handle RVs (no hookups, though, and size restrictions apply). Vault toilets keep things simple.
The forest canopy here is the real draw — a mature mix of cedar, pine, and Douglas fir that creates genuine shade and a sense of being tucked away, even with Highway 20 nearby.
The Trail Connection
Pioneer Trail runs right from the campground, giving you immediate access to 25 miles of National Recreation Trail that cuts through Tahoe National Forest. The multi-use path handles hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and winter cross-country skiers. Having trail access directly from camp eliminates the usual shuttle logistics.
Scotts Flat Reservoir sits 6 miles away for water-based activities, though you'll need to drive there.
Location Perks
The Highway 20 corridor puts you on the Yuba Donner Scenic Byway, with Nevada City 14 miles west for resupply, restaurants, and the full range of services. The area's dotted with gold rush history — old mining towns like Washington and Nevada City preserve that era.
Other nearby options include South Yuba River access, various scenic overlooks, Rock Creek Nature Trail, and the Grouse Ridge Non-Motorized Area for those wanting to explore beyond the immediate Pioneer Trail network.
The campground sits unstaffed, so plan accordingly for a self-service experience.