Butte Lake Campground, near Mineral, California, is a peaceful spot tucked away in Lassen Volcanic National Park. This campground offers a serene escape with spacious sites surrounded by tall pines, making it a great choice for those looking to unwind in nature.

The campground is just a short walk from Butte Lake, where you can enjoy swimming, kayaking, or simply soaking in the stunning views. Visitors have noted the clean facilities, including well-maintained latrines with running water, although you’ll need to fill up your jugs from the sinks since there are no water hookups. As one camper put it, “The sites are large and spaced far apart and shady,” which adds to the overall tranquility.

For adventure seekers, the area is a gateway to numerous hiking trails, including the challenging Cinder Cone trail, which rewards you with breathtaking vistas. The road to the campground is a bit bumpy, but many have found it manageable for RVs and trailers. Just be prepared for a little dust and some potholes along the way.

While the campground is remote, it’s a fantastic base for exploring the natural wonders of Lassen National Park. With no motorized boats allowed on the lake, you can expect a peaceful atmosphere, perfect for stargazing and enjoying the sounds of nature. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Butte Lake Campground is a solid choice for a relaxing outdoor experience.

## Overview

 Butte Lake Stock Corral (elevation 6,100 ft.) is located in the northeastern section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. It is fairly remote and within walking distance of Butte Lake, which is popular for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. Several trails are located nearby. The facility is 45 minutes from the main park road.
## Recreation

 Outdoor enthusiasts stay at Butte Lake Stock Corral for its many recreation opportunities. The lake is popular for trout fishing, as well as non-motorized boating. Trailheads within the facility include the hike to Snag Lake, trails leading to the interior of the park, and the Cluster Lakes loop. Longer trails nearby will take you to Juniper Lake and Summit Lake. The Pacific Crest Trail can also be accessed from Butte Lake and runs through the park.
## Natural Features

 The area is dominated by Ponderosa pines and surrounded by soft volcanic soils. Extending into Butte Lake is a large black lava flow, creating rocky shores and interesting views for visitors in kayaks and canoes to explore. Trails suitable for horses are easily accessed from the corral and numerous forest roads just outside the park boundary. The national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes and many hydrothermal features, such as mud pots and steam vents. Lassen Peak is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascades, and the second most recent volcano to erupt in the lower 48 of the United States before Mount Saint Helens. Lassen Volcanic National Park boasts over 700 species of flowering plants and 250 species of vertebrates, including birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. The park is at the junction of the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin, thus providing many unique habitats. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The Caribou Wilderness area is managed by the Forest Service has numerous trails that are suitable for stock use and can be accessed directly from the park via the Widow Lake trail.

Butte Lake Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Old Station. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Old Station camping trip.

Old Station

The Best Camping Near Old Station, California

This is my favorite campground in Lassen because it is not crowded and the sites are decent sized. It's right by Cinder Cone (amazing views up top), Butte Lake and many nice hiking destinations. Bear boxes (yes, you need to use them), toilets, running water (though you need to check late season). It is a gravel road. There is a boat launch for kayaks and canoes..

This campground is 45 minutes from the main park road, so plan accordingly. If you stop at Hat Creek Rim Overlook on the way by, there is cell reception. Firewood and supplies are available at Old Station.

Best in Lassen

I think the most important thing to know about this camp site is that it is not always open. When we went there, it was closed (apparently only open 6/8/18 - 10/23/18, weather permitting per the website).

We were still able to see and explore the camp sites which looked very standard.

The best thing about this site would be its location close to many spectacular trails. The cinder cone is very close to here, and while it is quite a journey to get to the top, it offers spectacular views of the nearby lakes, lava beds, and painted dunes.

Butte Lake

Group camps have plenty of room in a fairly shaded Pine tree environment. Campers are spaced adequatley apart. Have to get water from the faucet outside the rest rooms which have flush toilets. No showers and no electricity but the Lake was great for cooling off.

Roomy and plenty of shade

Great campground right next to the beautiful Butte Lake. Campground has two decent sized loops. Some of the sights seemed fairly close together but despite that they were nice sites.

Beautiful and secluded campground

The camping spot was near the lake and good hiking trails. The road getting in you need a suv not a car. It’s very bumpy lots of pot holes. 

Crazy bumpy road

This little gem is a great place to stay while visiting Lassen. Located off a well maintained gravel road near beautiful Butte Lake. We had no problem towing our trailer to this location and neither did our friends whose trailer is 30+ ft. The campsites are spacious and well maintained. Lots of trees and within walking distance to the lake. Flush toilets were decently clean. 

There are no sites located on the actual lake so you have to pack a beach bag, chairs, toys and snacks and haul them down to the waters edge if you want a beach day. Mosquitoes were HUGE so don’t forget bug spray! 

The Cinder Cone hike along the old lava flow behind the campsite is spectacular! Don’t let the climb up the cinder cone dissuade you; the panoramic view from the top is well worth it! We did it with two 6 year olds. Don’t forget to visit the nearby Lava Tubes and geothermal sights. 



Tucked away

Despite the remote location and the bumpy gravel road to get to this park, it is a very popular campground. Advanced reservation is a must. Make sure to read the signs about the wildlife and take the advice of how to store food seriously. We saw a bear just a mile outside the campground. 

The sites are large and spaced far apart and shady. The lake is only a short walk away and great for swimming, kayaking or paddle boarding. The lake is surrounded by lava and the beach has been formed by volcanic material and smells a little sulphuric but the water is very clear. There are several stunning  hikes starting right at the campground .

Remote Campground at Lassen NP

The road is bumpy in, so plan on that. We pulled in our R V with no problems. The lake is small but beautiful.  It has a lava flow going right into it. Great for hiking, biking, paddleboard, kayaking, whatever.  It is a great place on its own, but if you are trying to see the Volcano National Park, it's a bit of a drive. We loved camping here. 

Great Spot, but far from all of the National Park sites

If you're up for driving down a bumpy gravel road for 5-6 miles, this campground is a hidden gem within Lassen. Facilities are clean, sites are decent sized and there's a beautiful lake (Butte Lake) and a couple of great hikes that you can do directly out of the campground. We did the Cinder Cone trail, which is short, exposed, extremely steep but has a great payoff in terms of view and curiosity factor. We stayed for one night only, as we were passing through and I enjoyed our stay. If you're freaked out about taking your rig down a bumpy and dusty road, I would avoid this one. Otherwise, this is a tranquil spot away from the masses, which easily offers a day or two of activities, including potentially serving as a base camp to see other sites in the park and area. e.g. Barney Falls.

Out of the way and peaceful

Stayed at Butte Lake for two nights in late June 2022. None of the campsites has an unobstructed lake view, but it’s a short walk to the day use area on the shore. This is a good jumping off point for a ton of hikes on this side of Lassen NP; excellent signage tells you how far each destination is. The sites themselves are not very private; kids were rolling through our site on bikes all afternoon and evening, dogs were barking at each other, it was a little crowded feeling even though it was probably only at half capacity. (There were reservation cards on almost all the sites, but it seems like a lot of people didn’t show up.) That said, after driving past some of the other campgrounds right next to the highway, I was happy to have chosen this one.

If you want remote in Lassen…

Nice campground with all year facilities. We enjoyed a hike to nearby cindercone volcano. 
Campground is nicely shaded. The water in the lake is low this year,  but lots of campers brought canoes and boats.  The boat ramp is closed. No motorized boats allowed. 
The last 7 mile to the campground is dirtroad.
Rv spots are drive through. 

Nice quiet campground near lake

Large campsite with fire pit and large trees.  There are toilets but I didn't see any showers.  If you visit after the summer season it is dry camping meaning there is no drinking water available so keep that in mind. The campground is near the lake, and cinder cone trailhead. 

Nice and quiet with big campsites 

This was a very peaceful campground, given it was in a popular National Park.  The setting is very open, with tall pines and no undergrowth, but the sites are far apart.  There is no cell service, no dump site, nor any grey water dump pits.  The latrines are very nice with running water and toilets.  The toilet houses are the only place you can get drinking water and there are only about four locations.  There is no way to hook up a hose, even with a water robber, so you have to fill jugs and carry from the sink.  There is a campground host, but we had no interaction.

I was there in late July and the lake was great (cold, not numbing) for swimming.  Several people launched kayaks and lots of people did the many hikes around the area.  Not really a place for riding bikes.

The campground is at the end of a six-mile gravel road.  Not too dusty or bumpy.  Maybe that is why it wasn't so populated.

For those looking for boondock sites, the first five miles are National Forest with several side roads.

Peaceful visit in a National Park

It's a great place to camp out of the way from all the other campgrounds in Lassen Park. Just beware of the 5 mile gravel road into camp. The lake is close to the campground, quiet and peaceful. No motor boats. You must wear a life preserver if you put your boat in the water.

Photos of Butte Lake Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park

Real photos from real campers