Established Camping

Bushay Recreation Area

1 Review

Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect

There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!

<strong>Bushay Campground and Mesa Day-Use Area are closed indefinitely</strong> due to significant winter storm damage that occurred in February of 2024. Inlet Road, the campgrounds access road and popular fishing destination, may intermittently close due to flooding.

About

US Army Corps of Engineers

Mendocino Lake

Overview

Bushay Recreation Area is situated on Lake Mendocino in California's Mendocino Range, where redwood forests meet wine country. The access road to Bushay Campground is subject to high water levels. For this reason the campground is often closed during the rainy months. If high water levels continue into the late spring and early summer months, reservations may be cancelled by Lake Mendocino staff with a full refund. Every effort will be made to provide advance notice in the event of cancellations.The lake is formed by the Coyote Dam on the Russian River. A wide variety of recreational opportunities is available, including boating, swimming, water skiing, fishing, hiking and horseback riding.

Recreation

The 1,822-acre lake provides abundant boating, swimming and water skiing opportunities. Anglers will find sunfish, smallmouth bass, striped bass, crappie, white and channel catfish, bluegill and perch. Several miles of trails wind around Lake Mendocino, including the 7-mile Kaweyo Trail, which is open to hiking and horseback riding. This trail winds from the lake to the dam, providing excellent views of the lake and wildlife in the area.

Facilities

This campground offers more than 100 family sites, many of which overlook the lake. Multiple group sites are also available. The Mesa Day-Use Area is within the campground and offers a group picnic shelter with electric hookups. Family picnic sites are also located here, complete with tables and grills.Amenities include flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, a dump station and playground. A horse staging area is located in the campground near the Kaweyo Trailhead.

Natural Features

Lake Mendocino lies in the scenic rolling hills of Coyote Valley. Groves of oak mixed with manzanita and pines forest the area, offering limited shade and an excellent bird and wildlife habitat.

Nearby Attractions

The charming city of Ukiah, less than 15 minutes away, offers a variety of shopping and dining opportunities, museums and golf courses. The Ukiah Farmer's Market runs Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings throughout the summer, offering fresh produce, local wines, arts and crafts and live music.

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Unknown
Verizon
Available
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Poor

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group

Features

For Campers

Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Water Hookups
Big Rig Friendly

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Maddy S.

Traveler

Reviewed Apr. 1, 2022

Exceeded all expectations

Since my friend and I decided to plan a last minute camping trip, reservations were hard to find anywhere. I'm from Santa Cruz and hardly ever make it north of San Francisco so Bushay Campground sounded like a nice getaway. However I was a little hesitant since there were so many open sites here and no reviews anywhere but it really was just too perfect.

We stayed Sat-Mon and it was pretty much empty by Sun (workweek + predicted rain). Everyone else staying the weekend was very friendly and helpful. The rain only made the campsite so much more lush and beautiful and luckily we were prepared for the rain. The sound of frogs and turkeys added a nice touch and we also saw tons of fascinating birds (including a bald eagle!!). I'm used to camping on hard dirt so the cushion of the grassy campsites was really nice, plus the dead grass served as decent tinder.

Also, I accidentally left my camping chairs behind :( and an employee reached out to me to let me know! I wish it wasn't a 3+ hour drive for me because I would love to already head back lol.

Anyway, here are the takeaways:

Easy to access, right off the 101
Free firewood all around the campgrounds
Free showers (no need for quarters)
Super clean and well lit bathrooms
Ranger patrolling often (we are 2 young women, this helped us feel a little safer)
Standard campsite setup (bench + fire ring) but also included a pole with a hook - perfect for hanging lights, a tarp, drying dishware, etc.
Heads up! Advanced reservation is required

SiteB82

Month of VisitApril

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Location

Bushay Recreation Area is located in California

Directions

From the South (San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Ukiah): Follow Highway 101 North towards Ukiah. Approximately 5 miles north of Ukiah, take Highway 20 East. Continue on Highway 20 East for approximately 3 miles. Just after you see Lake Mendocino on your right, you will cross a tall bridge. Take the first left after the bridge. Follow the road under the bridge and along the river until you reach the Host Booth at the top of the hill. From the North (Eureka, Willits, Fort Bragg): Follow Highway 101 South. Approximately 15 miles south of Willits, take Highway 20 East. Continue on Highway 20 East for approximately 3 miles. Just after you see Lake Mendocino on your right, you will cross a tall bridge. Take the first left after the bridge. Follow the road under the bridge and along the river until you reach the Host Booth at the top of the hill. From the East (Sacramento): From the city of Williams, take Highway 20 West. Continue on Highway 20 for approximately 2 hours or 80 miles traveling past Clearlake and Blue Lakes. Approximately 2 miles after the Potter Valley turn-off you will see a sign for Lake Mendocino Recreation Area. Take the first right after the sign. Follow the road under the bridge and along the river until you reach the Host Booth at the top of the hill.