North Fork Campground
The numbers that decide it
Recreation.gov publishes no site-level detail for this campground, so we cannot say what length of rig it takes. Call the managing office before committing to it in a large vehicle.
Site-level detail from Recreation.gov, checked 2026-08-05. Where a field says “not published”, the agency has not published it — it does not mean zero. See it on Recreation.gov
North Fork Campground
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.
Before you go
Reservations
First-come, first-served
Fees
$8/per night, $5/extra vehicle charge
Hours
Open all year.
Scenic drives that pass close
Make it a night on a better road
Byway plans the drive in — real stops, real weather, nothing invented.