Bushay Recreation Area is located near Mendocino Lake, featuring terrain with rolling hills and open spaces. The area experiences temperatures ranging from 30°F in winter to 90°F in summer. Nearby attractions include Mendocino National Forest and Lake Mendocino, offering opportunities for hiking and water activities.

## 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.
## 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.

Bushay Recreation Area

Redwood Valley is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Redwood Valley is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Redwood Valley, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Redwood Valley

The Best Camping Near Redwood Valley, California

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

Photos of Bushay Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers