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Nature
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Water
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Facilities

Established Camping

Buckhorn Recreation Area

Buckhorn Recreation Area, near Orland, California, is a scenic campground that invites you to unwind amidst beautiful views of Black Butte Lake. With sites that offer a good amount of space, it’s a great place for both tent and RV camping, allowing you to soak in the natural surroundings.

The campground is open year-round, making it a convenient choice for those looking to escape at any time. Visitors have enjoyed the well-maintained facilities, including clean restrooms, and many have commented on the peaceful atmosphere, especially during quieter months. One camper noted, “This is a beautiful, quiet campground!”

For outdoor activities, you can take advantage of the nearby lake for fishing or simply enjoy the trails that wind through the area. The wildlife adds to the experience, with sounds of owls and distant coyotes creating a true nature vibe at night. Just be prepared for some bugs, especially in late spring!

While some sites can feel a bit snug, the overall vibe is friendly and welcoming. Whether you’re here for a quick stop or a longer stay, Buckhorn Recreation Area offers a nice blend of relaxation and adventure.

Description

US Army Corps of Engineers

Black Butte Lake

Overview

Buckhorn Recreation Area is at Black Butte Lake, situated at the northern end of the Sacramento valley, 100 miles north of Sacramento, CA and 30 minutes south of Red Bluff, CA. The lake is a popular meeting place for water sports and outdoor enthusiasts, so bring family and friends for an incredibly scenic getaway.

Recreation

Find excitement with wake boarding and sailing or explore the shoreline's 13 miles of fitness trails for hiking, running and biking. Black Butte is renowned for its warm-water fishing, including catches such as crappie, channel catfish, and large and smallmouth bass.

Natural Features

Black Butte Lake was formed in 1963 with the completion of the Black Butte Dam on Stony Creek. The lake's surface area measures 4,460 acres when water levels are high. Black basalt buttes and blue oak woodland hug the lake's 40 miles of shoreline.

Nearby Attractions

A 18 hole disc golf course can be accessed across from the Orland Buttes Campground. Horeseback riders can make use of the horse trails at Grizzly Flat and Burris Creek. Drive east to visit the Mendocino National Forest.

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Location

Buckhorn Recreation Area is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Interstate 5, take the Black Butte Lake exit at Orland, CA. Travel west on County Road 200/Newville Road for 12 miles. Turn left on Buckhorn Road and enter the Buckhorn Recreation area.

Address

19225 NEWVILLE ROAD
Orland, CA 95963-8901

Coordinates

39.8120972 N
122.3668389 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Fair
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Water Hookups
  • Pull-Through Sites
  • Big Rig Friendly

Drive Time


Reviews

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4.0

out of 5

7 Reviews

Reviewed Jun. 1, 2024

Spacious, Good views

We just spent one night in sight 6 with our 24’ camper and we had a good experience. Didn’t really have neighbors too close and had a great view of the lake. It only took a couple minutes to get down to the water, however, there aren’t a lot of places to sit and relax for the day (i.e. not many beach spots) close by. The site itself was mostly level side to side but our back stabilizers were nearly fully extended (with blocks) and the front ones we barely had to put out. The water spigot is close-by but in an awkward spot where other folks were skirting the boundary of our campsite to get to. It’s close to the bathrooms/showers which we didn’t use much, they were mostly clean but were inundated with insects. Note: there were LOTS of bugs everywhere when in late May and early June.

SiteBH 06, 1-22
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Tanner P., June 1, 2024
Reviewed Nov. 28, 2022

Pretty hills and nice lake

This was a short one night stop on a camping roadtrip but it was nice. The park was beautiful and on the way in we passed a bison conservation area nearby which was cool. Falling asleep to the shrieks of distant coyotes was cool too. Heard lots of critters in the night, owls, deer, rabbits. In the morning was woken up by woodpeckers. Site 22 was huge and had plenty of space for our two tents and more. Our loop was full of RVs full of people having a great time. Weather was perfect and couldn’t ask for a better night in the middle of nowhere.

Site22
Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Stephani H., November 28, 2022
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Stephani H., November 28, 2022
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Stephani H., November 28, 2022
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2021

Gorgeous!

This is a beautiful, quiet campground! A lot of the sites have fabulous views of the lake. The surrounding area is beautiful to see as well. Great trail system for exploring the park. Boat ramp, old bathrooms. I was the only person in the park in mid December, so peaceful and beautiful. Great day use areas! Nice playground area for kids. The swimming looks good as well.

Site8
Month of VisitDecember
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Mimi , December 22, 2021
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Mimi , December 22, 2021
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Mimi , December 22, 2021
  • (12) View All
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2021

Fun lake/ maintained campsites

The campsite/campground were well maintained the restrooms were decent. The price wasn’t bad at all for dry camping. Only downfall it was really hot!

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Scotty B., July 11, 2021
Reviewed Jun. 9, 2021

Great Spot, very windy

Wonderful spot. Sites were kinda small, but we we able to fit 2. -6 person tents and a 4 person in a row. Wasn’t windy when we got there in the morning, but that night the wind started and almost blew everything away. STAKE down, no matter the weather. Water was super warm, but gets icky in the summer, so definitely need to go early in the season.

Site36
Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Sep. 29, 2020

Very Hot

Not much to the site. It was very hot and a distance to the lake. Not to mention the rangers were very grumpy.

Reviewed Dec. 29, 2019

Year round camping.

Open all year is the draw for Buckhorn. Camp sites were plentiful in November. Took the canoe out every day.

  • Review photo of Buckhorn Recreation Area by Tom W., December 29, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does Buckhorn Recreation Area have RV hookups?

    According to TheDyrt.com, Buckhorn Recreation Area has water hookups.

  • What is the max vehicle length at Buckhorn Recreation Area?

    Buckhorn Recreation Area allows vehicles up to 150 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Buckhorn Recreation Area?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Buckhorn Recreation Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Buckhorn Recreation Area have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Buckhorn Recreation Area does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Buckhorn Recreation Area?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is good, AT&T is unknown, and T-Mobile is unknown.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Buckhorn Recreation Area?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Buckhorn Recreation Area. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Buckhorn Recreation Area, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Buckhorn Recreation Area?

    There are 93 campsites at Buckhorn Recreation Area and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts