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Camping

Established Camping

Ellery Creek

Closed For the Season

This campground is closed for the season from September 16, 2024 through March 31, 2025.

Ellery Creek, near Lakehead, California, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature. This campground offers a laid-back vibe with access to the beautiful McCloud Creek, making it a great choice for both tent and RV camping.

The amenities here include clean bathrooms, bear boxes, and drinking water, which campers appreciate. One visitor mentioned, “Good amenities, clean, bathrooms available as well,” highlighting the well-kept facilities that make your stay comfortable. While there are no electric hookups or showers, the natural setting more than makes up for it, with plenty of shade to keep you cool during those hot summer days.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the area is perfect for exploring. You can enjoy peaceful views from your campsite and take advantage of the water access, although some campers noted that the water can get a bit muddy. Keep an eye out for wildlife; deer sightings are a bonus! Just remember to plan ahead since there are no stores nearby once you leave the freeway.

Ellery Creek is open from mid-May to early September, making it an ideal summer getaway. Whether you're looking to relax by the water or enjoy a quiet night under the stars, this campground has a lot to offer.

Description

National Forest

Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Overview

Ellery Creek is located on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. The campground is terraced, providing views of the lake from all of the lower sites and some of the upper sites. At certain water levels, boats can be moored on the shore within sight of the campground, making Ellery Creek a very popular place to camp among boaters.

Recreation

A public boat ramp is located approximately 4 miles away at Hirz Bay, but informal mooring is allowed at Ellery Creek if the water levels are sufficient. This area is popular for water skiing and jet skiing. Lake Shasta offers excellent fishing for trout, catfish, Chinook salmon, crappie, bluegill, white sturgeon, brown bullhead and bass.

Natural Features

Shasta-Trinity is the largest national forest in California with a diverse landscape encompassing five wilderness areas, hundreds of mountain lakes and 6,278 miles of streams and rivers. Lake Shasta sits at an elevation of 1,067 feet, with 365 miles of shoreline punctuated by steep mountains blanketed in manzanita and evergreens. A snow-capped Mount Shasta, the second-tallest mountain in the Cascade Range, looms in the distance. Lakeside sites at Ellery Creek offer excellent views and access to the water. Wildlife is abundant in the area.

Nearby Attractions

The Lake Shasta Caverns are also located on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake in an area know as the Grey Rocks. Tours are given daily at this privately owned facility. The nearby Hirz Mountain Lookout offers panoramic views of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen and the surrounding area at an elevation of 3,500 feet. The nearest store is 21 miles away in Lakehead.

Fee Info

If the reservation was made through recreation.gov please call 1-877-444-6777 to make a refund request. Refunds must be requested no later than 14 days before your scheduled arrival date for a full refund (excluding recreation.gov fees). Reservation Fee: For some facilities, an additional reservation fee is charged. This additional non-refundable fee is $10.00 for the call center and online reservations. Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for cash payments will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. For cash or check refunds please call us at 530-275-8113. Please Note! Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy. Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure the Recreation.gov will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates and sites (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be canceled and all fees paid will be refunded. Refunds for Naturally Occurring Events: Refunds will not be issued for naturally occurring events like rain, snow, wind, smoke, extreme temperature, low lake level, etc. If you are requesting a refund for a walk-up site, please contact the host on-site or call us 530-275-8113. All refunds must be approved and issued through our office or processed though Recreation.gov.

Reservation Info

Reservation season is May 13 - Sept 15 through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) @ recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.

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Location

Ellery Creek is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Redding, California: Take I-5 to Gilman Road. From the north take the Salt Creek exit to Gilman Road. Go east for 16 miles to the campground entrance (located on the right hand side of the road between Moore Creek and Pine Point Campgrounds). \*The Map Driving Route link gives directions to mail office, not the campground.

Address

Gilman Road Exit off I-5
Lakehead, CA 96051

Coordinates

40.9158333 N
122.2408333 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
    Available
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Available
  • T-Mobile
    Good

Site Types

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

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets

Contact

General Info

Reservations


Reviews

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4 Reviews

Reviewed May. 7, 2023

Great time!

Stayed here as a backup since another site was closed. Good amenities, clean, bathrooms available as well. Enjoyed my stay and would stay again! Also saw some deer and ended the night with a great view!

Site19
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Gregory G., May 7, 2023
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Gregory G., May 7, 2023
Reviewed May. 17, 2021

Right on mc cloud creek

Great camp ground. $25 a night. Bathrooms, bear boxes, water and trash cans. Lots of mosquitoes at night of course you’re right on the water. Water is very low this year (2021) so you are on the creek. Normally the you will be on lake Shasta. No camp host and a lot of the site you can reserve online. Wasn’t busy in may but, I was also here last June and it was crazy busy.

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Toni  K., May 17, 2021
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Toni  K., May 17, 2021
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2020

Shady, spacious with water access

Really nice campground with access to the water. I was there in mid July so it was very hot, but there is enough shade that the camp site stayed fairly cool. Water access is pretty messy/muddy (water levels were low). Water floats of some sort are a good idea to avoid the sticky dense mud.

Dog friendly campground (on leash) - there were multiple sittings of rattlesnakes so I kept a close eye on my pup.

Also there were a lot of bees around.

Plan ahead since there are no stores once you exit the freeway and it’s a trek to get in and out. And no cell service for miles.

Reviewed Jun. 12, 2018

Perfection!

Camped in late May. Weather was perfect. Not busy. Beautiful views from our campsite and easy access to water. It was super peaceful!

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Amber D., June 12, 2018
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Amber D., June 12, 2018
  • Review photo of Ellery Creek by Amber D., June 12, 2018

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the max vehicle length at Ellery Creek?

    Ellery Creek allows vehicles up to 40 feet.

  • Does Ellery Creek have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Ellery Creek does not have wifi.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Ellery Creek?

    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 Ellery Creek. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Ellery Creek, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Ellery Creek?

    There are 20 campsites at Ellery Creek and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts