Castle Crags State Park Campground

Some info to keep in mind when visiting...

Year-round campground. Dry camping only. Has showers (nice hot water), and flush toilets. Showers are designed to accept tokens but this season not needed.

Each site has a parking space, picnic table and fire pit. Some have older stone fireplaces (but most of these need repair). Nicely maintained. Staff is helpful and knowledgeable.

This is an older campground , originally built by CC in 1930s. Oldest camping area is right next to I-5 (which was not there when the campground was built!). But there are newer camping sites farther away from I-5. Sites 39-63 are the farthest from the freeway noise.

Most campsites have parking for one vehicle. Some will accept two vehicles like a truck and trailer. But, there are no sites for large RVs, or large trucks and 5th wheels and/or large pull behind RVs. Max length is 27' and only a couple of spaces that handle those.

Campground and day use are mainly for people who like walking and hiking. Many hiking trail options. And a "vista point" that shows Mt. Shasta, Castle Crags and the Eddies (outstanding view, ADA accessible). No playground for kids. Though there is a second campground on the Sacramento River that is first come/first serve (13 sites) that allows fishing and river access for swimming.

Both campgrounds have camp hosts on site for most active months. (May-Sept.)

Reservations can be made online at reservecalifornia.com during the most active camping months May-Oct. Rest of the time first come/first serve. But, at any time, there are usually open sites. Feel free to call and check if sites available-even on short notice.

Very popular campground for folks from OR and WA who are passing through going north or south on I-5. And there is a PCT campsite specifically made for those folks.

Nearest town is Dunsmuir, CA about 5 miles north of the campground. Has nice city park (for kids). And, shops, grocery store, restaurants, etc.  Gas station/convenience store is 1/4 mile from park entrance.

Come and see us and let's enjoy being outdoor again!

Castle Crags State Park is a family favorite park, as is the hike to the Crags via Crags Trail. The park doesn’t have a ton of trails on offer, but it does have some great ones.

The campground itself is pretty standard. Sites along the road are less desirable in my mind because of the constant traffic going by, but the Upper Loop has some great sites. The Upper Loop is fairly densely wooded so sites don’t seem as on top of each other as other campgrounds. I have not personally stayed in Little Loop before, but with just four sites it seems like it could be nice and quiet.

All campers at Castle Crags State Park, and within a 10-mile range, should be aware of the well-traveled train tracks that parallel highway five. Several train pass each night and you will hear them. Even if you sleep like a bear (more on them later) you will likely hear the train. This isn’t as much of an issue in the Upper Loop, and I imagine Little Loop, but campers in the Lower Loop and Riverside Campground should definitely be aware of this. The train is by no means a reason not to camp here, but maybe bring ear plugs if you think you’ll be sensitive to the sound.

Personally I’ve camped there about half a dozen times and have seen bears more times then I haven’t. Because too many campers aren’t responsible with their food bears in the area have gotten pretty used to people and often come into camp. On our last trip a mom and two cubs were walking just 50 feet north of us in site 52 when the two cubs decided to come closer for a look. They got within about 10 feet of us and the picnic table before mom called them back, but it was a bit concerning (my wife was on top of the picnic table!).

I am not aware of any bad bear encounters where people or bears have been injured, but you may want to check with the ranger station about bringing bear spray. At least bring a whistle or some other way to startle the bear, remember they are pretty used to humans. Most importantly, remember to always lock up your food and any other items with scent inside the bear box. This is extremely important for your safety, for the safety of the bears, and the other campers around you.

As for the hikes in the park, you can’t beat the hike to “the Crags” via Crag Trail. It’s a tough hike and I highly suggest you start early when hiking in the warmer months. You can access this hike from all the camp loops or if you want to shorten the hike a bit you can drive up to the Vista Point. Plan on a side trip to Indian Springs for a water bottle refill and refreshing head-soak. The top section of the trail is very exposed and there is no water, so make sure you bring enough. The trail is steep and requires a bit of scrambling over rocks. Once on the top, after you catch your breath, you will be treated to spectacular views of Mt. Shasta and the surrounding area and lots of great places to explore the Crags. Summiting Castle Dome is possible but includes some class 4 climbing (don’t do this without proper gear or training).

Castle Crags State Park is also nearby the towns of Dunsmuir and Mt. Shasta. Dunsmuir has a good brewery and Mt. Shasta has about anything you could need, including a great outdoor store called The Fifth Season. Other nearby hikes to check out include Black Butte and Castle Lake.

We actually had booked a dispersed camping spot close to this campground, but once the high winds picked up on the plateau we were on we decided to high-tail it over to Castle Crags to have a less windy night!

It is right next to the highway and close to a high-volume railroad track, so BRING EARPLUGS! It really does get very noisy. There are a wide variety of sites (some include a grade you need to back your camper up onto), some close to streams, etc etc. so from that perspective it's quite nice. And if you want to climb the Crags you really can't pick a better location.

They have the usual bear lockers and fire rings, there is usually a host, and the bathrooms are actually quite nice (well-heated, which is what we needed during a soggy November trip!) The gas station down the street has a VERY big selection of beer (I was super surprised).

Be careful of two things: one, there is abundant poison oak in the area and two, we found a very big and nasty spider in the bag of firewood I bought.