28 Free Swimming Holes near North Fork Falls
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of North Fork Falls near Colfax, California City, Zip, or Address
Heath Falls Overlook Trail
Truckee, California
13.4 miles EHike and Swim near Truckee, California
Hike, Swim
Palisades Creek Trail
Truckee, California
13.4 miles EA difficult Sierra Nevada trail past Palisade Falls — one of the tallest on the American River — with views of Devils Peak, alpine lakes, and 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
Hike, Swim 0.1 mi
Edwards Crossing
Nevada City, California
16.9 miles WDeep blue water, rock cliffs, and a sandy beach on the Yuba River — with a half-mile walk from the parking lot and cliff jumping spots up to 20 feet deep.
Hike, Swim
Hell Hole Reservoir
Georgetown
19.9 miles SEA 4,630 foot Rubicon River reservoir in the Eldorado National Forest, 51 miles and two hours east of Georgetown, where the boat ramp cove is the only drivable shoreline and the lake drops over 100 feet by September.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Hoyt's Crossing
Nevada City
21.6 miles WA deep pool and boulder beach on the South Yuba River in South Yuba River State Park, reached by a 0.75-mile walk on the Hoyt Trail from the Highway 49 bridges north of Nevada City. Free to walk in.
Hike, Swim
Jones Bar
Nevada City
22.8 miles WA primitive South Yuba River swimming hole at the mouth of Rush Creek in South Yuba River State Park, reached by a steep trail from the Independence Trail lot on Highway 49 or a rough 4WD road. No fee posted at the bar.
Hike, Swim
China Cove Beach
Truckee
23.3 miles EChina Cove Beach is the sandy, shallow corner at the west end of Donner Memorial State Park, on the south shore of Donner Lake outside Truckee. California State Parks runs it, access is open to anyone paying the 10 dollar day use parking fee, and there is
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim 4.1 mi
Shirley Lake Canyon Trail
Olympic Valley, California
23.9 miles EA 2.5-mile hike from Squaw Valley Village past streams and waterfalls to a pure Sierra lake — rocky near the top, with a free gondola ride back down from High Camp as a reward.
Hike, Swim
Upper Lake Clementine
Auburn
25.7 miles SWA cobble beach at the head of Lake Clementine in Auburn State Recreation Area, reached by a steep dirt road off Foresthill Road. $10 per vehicle, open mid-April to mid-October, with weekend reservations required in summer.
Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Gold Lake
Graeagle
29.5 miles NGold Lake is the largest lake in the Plumas National Forest's Lakes Basin Recreation Area, with a free cartop launch and day-use area by the dam on its north shore where swimmers can get in.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
William Kent Beach
Tahoe City
29.5 miles EA free Forest Service swim beach on Lake Tahoe's West Shore, two miles south of Tahoe City on Highway 89, with a pebbly shore, cold clear water and picnic tables across from William Kent Campground.
Kayak, Swim
Commons Beach
Tahoe City
29.6 miles EFree public beach and lakefront park in downtown Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe, run by the Tahoe City PUD, with cold clear water, a sand and cobble shore, kayak rentals and free summer concerts.
Kayak, Swim 1.2-2.7 mi
Lake Clementine Trail Loop
Auburn, California
30.5 miles SWFour connected trails loop around Lake Clementine on the North Fork American River — wheelchair accessible, pet friendly, and great for fishing, camping, and family summer outings.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Swim
American River Confluence
Auburn, California
30.6 miles SWThe Confluence — where the North and Middle Forks of the American River meet below Foresthill Bridge — is Auburn's favorite swimming and rafting hub.
Hike, Horseback, Kayak, Rock Climb, Swim, Whitewater
Lake Forest Beach
Tahoe City
30.8 miles EA free public beach at the end of Bristlecone Street, owned by Placer County and run by the Tahoe City Public Utility District. Sandy, pine shaded and genuinely quiet, with the one real constraint being how few cars fit at the end of the road.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Boca Reservoir Hidden Beach
Truckee, California
33.5 miles ESandy informal beaches on the northeast shore of Boca Reservoir above Truckee, free to use, windy in the afternoons, and drawn down hard by the end of summer.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Kiteboard, Swim
Sugar Pine Point Beach
Tahoma
33.6 miles SEA quarter-mile walk from the parking lot puts you on a sand beach at the foot of Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, where General Creek meets Lake Tahoe and the water runs clear enough to read the bottom. It is also genuinely cold, even in August.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Kings Beach State Recreation Area
Kings Beach
35.1 miles EA wide sand beach with a shallow, gently sloping entry on Lake Tahoe's north shore, run by California State Parks in downtown Kings Beach. Parking costs $3 an hour or $10 a day, charged year round.
Kayak, Swim
Lester Beach
South Lake Tahoe
36.0 miles SELester Beach is the sandy main swim beach at D. L. Bliss State Park on Lake Tahoe's west shore, with clear, cold, shallow water and a $10 per vehicle day-use fee in season.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Vikingsholm Beach
South Lake Tahoe
37.5 miles SESandy beach at the head of Emerald Bay in Emerald Bay State Park, below the 1929 Vikingsholm mansion, reached by a steep one-mile trail. Free to walk in; parking is $10 a day.
Hike, Kayak, Swim
