Free Camping Near Sloat | McDermott Ravine Road

After getting evacuated from Bucks Lake Road in Quincy (07/21), we went looking for a new spot and found some low key dispersed camping near Sloat. Sloat is a super small town about 40 minutes from Quincy by the Western Pacific Railroad. Across the 89 in Plumas National Forest we found several good dispersed camp spots on the McDermott Ravine Forest Road . Many of the spots in this area are among the pretty wooded area with a mix of manzanita, conifers and oaks. We found this spot to be a bit off the beaten path yet easily accessible and we met a local who pointed us in the direction of the local Sloat swim hole on the Feather River!

Quick Info: Camping Near Sloat

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Quincy, follow the CA-70E/CA-89 S for about 14 miles then turn left onto Rattle Snake Creek Road. After 0.3 miles go right at the split towards McDermott Ravine. There are several dispersed camp sites along this road to choose from.

Solar: Good but it depends on the tree coverage in the spot you choose

Water: None

Miles From Town: About 14 miles from Quincy or 11.5 miles from Graeagle

Cell Service: None

Road Conditions: The dirt road is in great condition

Our Experience Camping Near Sloat

We hadn’t planned on leaving our camp spot near Quincy so soon but the Dixie Fire was becoming a threat. So after a quick exit we didn’t know where we were headed. As we were heading east we were checking out forest roads along the way. We found some roads that were closed due to extreme fire danger per the lumber company, some had gates up and some just had a lot of abandoned cars and trash. Finally, we turned left onto the McDermott Ravine Forest Road directly across from Sloat.

We parked our truck and trailer and set out to scout on foot. Eventually we found several dispersed sites and we were happy with the road condition as well. So we drove up the hill and chose a nice spot in the woods.

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For the first couple days we didn’t see any other people up here, not even driving by. And as we walked around the area on the many dirt roads we realized that there were homes in the area and sections of private property mixed in with the forest service land. The more we walked the more dispersed camp spots we found too!

While we were camping near Sloat it was very pretty and peaceful. But there also wasn’t a lot going on. We ended up meeting a local on one of our jogs and talked to him about the Feather River. That’s when he told us about the Sloat swim hole! It was nice and hot, so later that day we drove down through the tiny town of Sloat to the Feather River and went for a swim!

Sloat Swim Hole

To get to the Sloat Swim Hole, drive across the CA-89 towards the Feather River. At the stop sign, turn right and follow the road as it curves left. The railroad and the river will be on your right. Continue to parallel the railroad until you reach the dirt road. At the fork in the dirt road, go right and you’ll reach the parking area. From the dirt parking area, walk across the railroad and go through the trees to the river.

Once you reach the Feather River, there will be a large lava rock. Near this rock, there is an area of the river that is deep enough to swim in. There is also a ledge under the water that is fun to stand on and jump off of. If you decide to swim or jump in here, do so at your own risk.

We also climbed on the lava rock a bit and did some little jumps into the water. It was really hot while we were here so it was a refreshing little adventure. And it gave us something new to check out while we were camping near Sloat.

All in all, camping near Sloat was a chill experience with river access a short drive away! We didn’t stay here long but it nice to get to know a new area.

Thanks for Reading About Camping Near Sloat!

We love getting to know new areas and seeing new things! Let us know in the comments below where your favorite place to go camping is.

If you’d like to see some of our other dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

• Camping Near Camp Verde
• Free Camping Near Forest Road 07 in Tahoe National Forest
• Dispersed Camping near Homestake Road
• Camping and Exploring Fossil Falls

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