Are you in need of a campground near Alturas, CA? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Alturas, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
Stough Reservoir Campground is only 1 mile off Hwy 299 on a gravel road. At 6,200 feet it provides relief from the heat of the valleys on either side. Small trailers and motorhomes will find access and turn-arounds manageable. The reservoir is small but is kept stocked by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Water is provided and campsites sit away from the shore with nice views of the reservoir. Stough Reservoir is Number 4 on the Basin & Range Birding Trail. Bring you camera and binoculars and expect to see Prairie Falcons, Rufous Hummingbirds and Wild Turkeys.
$15 / night
The recreation opportunities in the Alturas CA area are endless, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, biking, hunting, skiing, boating and OHV. The camping site has nearly 3 acres with a view of the town of Alturas and is a great place to kick back and enjoy the atmosphere of fresh air and juniper trees. There are flat usable campsites around the property and one portion of the property is fenced for horses (bring your own water trough). The property is approximately 3 minutes from downtown Alturas with restaurants and stores. The sleepy town is a perfect place to hang out and relax at the big park in town behind the VFW Hall on Main Street, have refreshments at the two bars in town or try your luck at the Desert Rose Casino. It's also cool to drive around the neighborhoods to see the "town deer", some of them get pretty big! The Wildlife Refuge has a self-driving tour where you can see all kinds of birds and wildlife. Take a drive outside town to the "Ranches" to see more deer, antelope, eagles and various waterfowl!
Alturas is a high desert area with wonderful views of the Warner Mountains and has an enchanting feel to it. Temperatures in the summer rarely get over 100 degrees, mostly low 90's, and in the fall the cool nights make for great sleeping. Pop over Cedar Pass to Cedarville, which is about 20 minutes away, to check out the newly designated "Dark Sky" area.
Come up and hang out in this very cool and special place, you will not want to leave!! The town of Alturas is also in the coveted X hunting zones, X3a, X3b and X2, for those of you who like to hunt. Two sites have full hook ups and the small trailer site on the above pad (see trailer picture) has electric only. During the winter, the pump house is turned off and drained due to freezing temperatures and the risk of blowing a pipe, so campers must bring their own water during November through March. Please ask if there are changes in these dates for the water hook ups. I have At&T phone service up there and it has good signal and I can get wifi through my phone. If you need internet for your computer I suggest bringing a MIFI. I hope you enjoy your stay at Camp Freedom! Cheers! Stacie
#CampFreedomAlturas #ExploreModoc #Duckhunting #DuckHuntingZoneNorthWestCA #XZoneCA
$50 / night
Lassen is a lovely little campground near the obsidian mines. It is currently under discussion for decommissioning.This is__open area camping as there are no designated camp-sites. FRock fire rings are located throughout the area.
Set back off the highway in a tree lined gulch this campground is a very quiet and pleasant place to spend the weekend or your entire vacation. A short hiking trail is available for nature viewing as this is one of the several Basin and Range Birding Trail stops within the Modoc National Forest. A recent dedication of the Highway 139 Auto Tour and Howard's Gulch Interpretive Sites brings an added benifit to this area. The Auto Tour is just south of the campground on the Howard's Gulch Frontage Road.
Shady campsites and a creek running along side make Lower Rush Creek Campground a great getaway destination. Trailers larger than 22 feet are not recommended. In the winter months roads may become soft or impassable. Please do not create resource damage by driving on soft roads or saturated soil. Remember the weather can change quickly and you do not want to be unprepared for extreme conditions.
The Blue Lake Campground is situated in the beautiful South Warner Mountains of the Modoc National Forest in a tranquil and remote area of northeastern California. Blue Lake was formed from a massive landslide several thousand years ago. Over time, the land filled up with water from snow melt and rain where blue lake is today. Blue Lake is truly deep blue in color and remains ice cold even during the hotest days of summer! The fishing is great, and there's a 3 mile trail that goes around the entirety of the lake. Come enjoy your National Forest land by visiting the Blue Lake Campground this summer!
There is a trail around the lake 3 mile, along with many opportunities to walk and bike around the paved campground roads and boat dock area. There are several wilderness trailheads within 6-15 miles from the site as well. The South Warner Wilderness has many trails to offer a true solitude experience away from the big city. Off-highway -vehcle (OHV) use is also a popular recreation activity in the neighboring area road systems.
There is a trail around the lake 3 mile, along with many opportunities to walk and bike around the paved campground roads and boat dock area. There are several wilderness trailheads within 6-15 miles from the site as well. The South Warner Wilderness has many trails to offer a true solitude experience away from the big city. Off-highway -vehcle (OHV) use is also a popular recreation activity in the neighboring area road systems.
There are many ice cold mountain streams feeding into and coming out of Blue Lake. The campground is situated in a lower part of the mountains, but the entire campground is surrounded by mountain ridges scattered with ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, incense cedar, and aspen trees. There was an intense wildfire that came through the area back in 2003, so many of the hillsides near Blue Lake are in the process of regenerating tree stands. Fortunately, the campground was saved from the fire, so there are plenty of big pine trees for shade!
$70 / night
Great getaway property on top of California Pines. Just up the hill from Brown’s Pond and around the corner from Rainbow Pond. You can enjoy a nice camping area in the mountains during the summer. As a forester, I personally love being among the trees, especially the incense cedar and ponderosa pine as the afternoon breeze comes in 🍃🌲
$30 / night
Stough Reservoir Campground is only 1 mile off Hwy 299 on a gravel road. At 6,200 feet it provides relief from the heat of the valleys on either side. Small trailers and motorhomes will find access and turn-arounds manageable. The reservoir is small but is kept stocked by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Water is provided and campsites sit away from the shore with nice views of the reservoir. Stough Reservoir is Number 4 on the Basin & Range Birding Trail. Bring you camera and binoculars and expect to see Prairie Falcons, Rufous Hummingbirds and Wild Turkeys.
$15 / night
The recreation opportunities in the Alturas CA area are endless, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, biking, hunting, skiing, boating and OHV. The camping site has nearly 3 acres with a view of the town of Alturas and is a great place to kick back and enjoy the atmosphere of fresh air and juniper trees. There are flat usable campsites around the property and one portion of the property is fenced for horses (bring your own water trough). The property is approximately 3 minutes from downtown Alturas with restaurants and stores. The sleepy town is a perfect place to hang out and relax at the big park in town behind the VFW Hall on Main Street, have refreshments at the two bars in town or try your luck at the Desert Rose Casino. It's also cool to drive around the neighborhoods to see the "town deer", some of them get pretty big! The Wildlife Refuge has a self-driving tour where you can see all kinds of birds and wildlife. Take a drive outside town to the "Ranches" to see more deer, antelope, eagles and various waterfowl!
Alturas is a high desert area with wonderful views of the Warner Mountains and has an enchanting feel to it. Temperatures in the summer rarely get over 100 degrees, mostly low 90's, and in the fall the cool nights make for great sleeping. Pop over Cedar Pass to Cedarville, which is about 20 minutes away, to check out the newly designated "Dark Sky" area.
Come up and hang out in this very cool and special place, you will not want to leave!! The town of Alturas is also in the coveted X hunting zones, X3a, X3b and X2, for those of you who like to hunt. Two sites have full hook ups and the small trailer site on the above pad (see trailer picture) has electric only. During the winter, the pump house is turned off and drained due to freezing temperatures and the risk of blowing a pipe, so campers must bring their own water during November through March. Please ask if there are changes in these dates for the water hook ups. I have At&T phone service up there and it has good signal and I can get wifi through my phone. If you need internet for your computer I suggest bringing a MIFI. I hope you enjoy your stay at Camp Freedom! Cheers! Stacie
#CampFreedomAlturas #ExploreModoc #Duckhunting #DuckHuntingZoneNorthWestCA #XZoneCA
$50 / night
Set back off the highway in a tree lined gulch this campground is a very quiet and pleasant place to spend the weekend or your entire vacation. A short hiking trail is available for nature viewing as this is one of the several Basin and Range Birding Trail stops within the Modoc National Forest. A recent dedication of the Highway 139 Auto Tour and Howard's Gulch Interpretive Sites brings an added benifit to this area. The Auto Tour is just south of the campground on the Howard's Gulch Frontage Road.
Shady campsites and a creek running along side make Lower Rush Creek Campground a great getaway destination. Trailers larger than 22 feet are not recommended. In the winter months roads may become soft or impassable. Please do not create resource damage by driving on soft roads or saturated soil. Remember the weather can change quickly and you do not want to be unprepared for extreme conditions.
Traveler
Looked nice to camp and the creek might have been a nice place to drop a line. But, no spots available to camp as hunters used campsites for their personal parking lot and even took over the area to the south of the campsites. There were three trailers there but I lost count of the trucks there. We went up the road further to the Trailhead and hunting vehicles everywhere. So we went further and found a nice spot to camp. It would be nice if the campsites were clearly marked and were used as such.
Guide
A good choice if all you want is a place to park for the night. $15 for dry camping, $20 for electric, $25 for water. Free WiFi $5 Dump station Good for dry weather, the parking lot will probably be muddy if wet.
Ranger
So many beautiful trees in the campground and plenty of places to hang a hammock.
We stayed for a long weekend, deer were plentiful and it was a perfect spot to enjoy nature.
TravelerRoad side area, gravel surface. Step entry off road. Creek side good for stop over. State land.
Guide
Needed a place while heading north. Easy to find. Inexpensive free shower and had access to do laundry. Worked well for our camper van.
Close to the wild refuge. Walked the 3 mile loop before heading out of town. Super close
Casino is also within a few miles. Penny slots
Guide
If you need a spot dont moss this one! Easy access from highway though only a 1/4 mile to CG sign . Did not see a Howard's Gulch sign. Clean, quiet, some road noise IF a vehicle goes by. Lots of trees, a short hiking trail, good tasting water. Probably won't accommodate big rigs 35' max????
Scout
Graded dirt road a few miles from highway. Small camping area but not many people.
Scout
This was a great place at the top of the mountain. Rainbow pond was a great place to walk to from the campground. I really enjoyed my time setting up a hammock and enjoying the scenery. There was plenty of shade and a nice breeze in the afternoon that I looked forward to.
Scout
We pulled in a 16ft camp trailer with no problem. Plenty of camp sites to choose from. There are a lot of trees to navigate with larger trailers. 19 ft trailer may be the max. Very peaceful
GuideFirst time I stayed in a campground with heated bathrooms which was great because we pulled into camp during a storm. I do not snow camp so that was a blessing. Next day was beautiful. Even though it is a National Park the rangers allowed us to collect dead and down wood for the fire. They do not sell firewood in the park. Views were spectacular and so much to do and see. Definitely coming back to finish exploring the park.
Guide
A small quiet campground near, but not on Drews creek. Only space for about 4 maybe 5 RVs. All sites great for tents. There are no services - no water, no electric, no dump. It does have two very nice and clean modern pit toilets. We had no cell service.
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! Camp Freedom has a prime location for those who enjoy the outdoors, check out the list of nearby activities to do during your stay! Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!
ScoutCame here for the eclipse and had no trouble on the roads. Free campsites with vault toilets, tables, and fire pits. Enjoyed the sound of the river while camping.
Guide
Beautiful spot, quiet, west of Lakeview approximately 11 miles. Easy to access, sites close together, bathrooms with showers very clean. Friendly accommodating staff.
Legend
After checking out South Lava Beds and West Tionesta (so named on The Dyrt app) this was the winner for us. There was greenery and living trees all around and it made for such a nicer environment. On Sunday, the area was completely silent, except for birds chirping. One logging truck drove by, as well as one park ranger truck, otherwise we didn’t see anybody. However. On Monday morning all the trucks started rolling through. We left about 9 or 10am and maybe 10 trucks had gone by. And they're noisy. And the dirt they kick up is fine and silty, so it just floats around long after they've passed. Definitely a buzz kill! We were debating staying two nights, but the trucks convinced us to leave.
Good enough (not great) cell service for both Verizon and ATT. We actually didn’t need to use our levels for this spot, which is always a treat. Easy access for our 26ft class c and I believe bigger rigs would be ok here as well. No amenities here, obviously, so please pack out your trash.
Legend
Another one of these Dyrt campsites with zero info other than the location- thank you to whoever is adding these. This spot is a little further down the road from South Lava Beds, and would be fine, but we decided to keep going and find something a little less surrounded by blackened and burned trees and debris. There are piles of them everywhere, so I don’t know if workers come through here periodically- we didn’t see anybody when we were here on a Sunday. The area is still recovering from a 2020 fire
(Caldwell Fire, I believe).
Good cell reception, to our surprise. Our 26ft Class C had no problems reaching this spot, just take it slow once you leave the paved road. The dirt road is ok but there were a few dips and ruts that we had to go around. This would make a fine spot to stop over at, but it was a little too barren for us to want to stay here.
Legend
I don’t know who’s adding these dispersed camping spots on The Dyrt (as there are no reviews or any additional info other than the location) but it’s much appreciated. We stopped to check this place out and would have stayed here for the night but decided to keep going and check out one more place first.
The location is easily accessed from the main road, no problems for our 26ft Class C. Cell service was surprisingly good for both Verizon and ATT. There’s a messy little fire pit here, but no other markers. The spot is off the road and has some sad blackened or dead trees surrounding it.
This area is still recovering from a big fire in 2020 and there are piles of burned logs and debris all over the area, giving it a desolate feel. The area is nice and quiet though, and very little traffic. Would make a great stop for a few days.
Legend
Not much to report here, other than be aware of snow in May. We tried to get to this campground but were blocked by too much snow in the road. Other than the snow the road was in good condition and easy to drive in our class c. The website lists the status for this campground as “area not cleared,” so presumably if you have a vehicle that can get through the snow, then you’re ok to go camp here.
Also as of Spring 2023 there will be a $15/night fee, so no longer free. Zero cell service here.
Legend
Sweet little free USFS campground that is open (previous review and Google maps list this as permanently closed). Campground is free and first come first serve. It’s very basic- there are picnic benches and fire pits at each site, as well as several pit toilets throughout the campground, but otherwise there are no services. There’s no host and no trash service and the sites aren’t even marked or numbered.
The Verizon phone had basically no service, just some sporadic in and out, but practically unusable. The cell booster didn’t help. The ATT phone has some service, not great, but usable for texting and light browsing.
The creek runs right through the campground and some of the sites are just right on the water. The sound of the creek drowns out most of the noise from the road (except for the big trucks), so you have the perfect scenario of easy access from the road but not much road noise. There were no other campers when we stayed here on a Saturday in mid May. One person was here to walk her dogs for a bit but otherwise we had the whole place to ourselves. There was still some snow on the ground and it looks like there’s a second entrance to the east but that road was blocked by snow. The website says that the vehicle limit is 17ft, but I’m not sure why. We had plenty of room for our 26ft class c. I could see large class As or 5th wheels having trouble navigating the narrow forest roads.
Traveler
We were driving through and didn't make it to our next destination due to weather. Making a reservation on the road was easy online. Got our spot number and just pulled in and plugged into the power. Not much here but you get power, water, sewer and trash. Great little RV spot. You need to back in though. Only 6 spots here.
Legend
Free usfs camping! Secluded little campground right off 299. Follow directions on Dyrt app as coordinates don’t quite take you to the actual campground. There is signage as you turn off 299 but mileage is off. Pit toilets, trash and seasonal? water (was off when we were here in late October). Sites may be small for a big rig but fit our van with plenty of room.
GuideAlthough we had new solar, it was too hot to depend on that alone for the night, so my wife found this location. It was not a bad night's stay.
There are a few sites, all on dirt/gravel slots, no trees in the parking area. Nearest to the shower-bath house are double sites, a plug, 30-amp power and water for each side of the power box, and out towards the street are more like single sites, my wife was told those sites are for bigger rigs. The RV parking all looked like relatively new installations for the water and power.
Full hook up is water and electric with a dump station on site, no at site dumping available, for $25.00.
There is a pay station located at the shower-bath building with pay envelopes to fill out and drop in a lock box.
Bathrooms were actually very nice and clean. One side is the two bathrooms the other side two shower rooms.
The showers cost $3 or 5 dollars IN QUARTERS ONLY, and there is a change machine by the bathrooms if needed. As we were in our small Micro-Minnie Winnebago we opted to try the shower room. My wife and I paid the $3 for both of us and used the shower at the same time. Good water pressure, clean room, warm water.
We didn't need to dump, but it wasn't said well on any signage we saw, and we believed paying for full hook up was also to mean dumping was paid for. It costs $5.00 to dump if you don't pay for full or just need to stop and dump.
As there were no directions we were unsure how exactly you were supposed to park to be in "your site" so we just kinda went with it and parked to be able to stay connected to our truck without the truck sticking out too far in the driving lanes in case others came in to stay. There were only three RVs at the location that night, including ours, so it wasn't crowded.
It seemed like the back of the RV was supposed to be at the power water connection, but we never did find out for sure.
Since this visit was during the heatwave of July 2022, it was VERY nice to have power for the night, and we had our rig A/C on all night long.
It was a very quiet night, and if we were in in the region again, as long as the fair isn't going, we wouldn't have any problem staying there again. Overall a nice place, and we saved a lot of money from staying at a regular RV park. Nothing fancy but not bad either in our opinion.
LegendThis is a middle of the road, nothing particularly special about it campground. There’s a small lake/pond nearby with fishing but that’s the primary draw; you can hike or drive to additional decent fishing throughout the Sierras but don’t expect a major nearby body of water to give the place a nice ambiance. Mosquitoes are aggressive despite the altitude. It’s first come first served (and almost always has space available because it’s a bit off the beaten track). Two vault toilets in a degrading state of cleanliness.
Note that there are no services here, including no potable water. No trash service so please pack everything in and everything out.
LegendThis campground is HIGH up in the mountains (over 5,000 feet) so remember sunscreen, water, and the fact that it’s going to get plenty cold at night regardless of the season. There is a lot of BLM boondocking activity in this area so it’s nice to have an actual campground.
There are seven sites in total and according to signage you can stay for a maximum of 14 days. This is plenty even when you take into consideration the vast number of hiking trails and off circuit lakes to explore. It’s a beautiful corner of California and highly underrated.
RVs can fit in these spots but the maximum length is about 24 feet. Vault toilets. No camp host and no cell service.
Ranger
Very peaceful campground nestled in the forest. Sites were clearly defined with fire rings and picnic tables. Pit toilets were surprisingly clean given the remoteness of this campground. There are several dirt road trails from campground offering various hiking options.
Road to campground was easily accessible by 2WD.
Only concern we had were the abundance of mosquitoes. Would go again.
No cell coverage.
No cost; FF campground.
TravelerEnjoyed the tent site and it had a nice shower.
Scout
We booked a quick one night stay here, passing through. We wish we had allowed more time! There were loads of walking trails, the pool looked very nice and they have beer on tap in the art garden during the weekend. The owners were very friendly and made us feel welcome. Our kids loved all the the art throughout the property and the new rock pit they'd just finished installing! The sites were very spacious and had full hookups 👍
Camping near Alturas, California, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and peaceful retreats. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot by a creek or a family-friendly campground, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Alturas, California, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, whether you're in a tent or an RV. Just be sure to plan ahead and know what to expect!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Alturas, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Alturas, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 58 campgrounds and RV parks near Alturas, CA and 7 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Alturas, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Alturas, CA is Stough Reservoir Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Alturas, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 7 free dispersed camping spots near Alturas, CA.
What parks are near Alturas, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 parks near Alturas, CA that allow camping, notably Modoc National Forest and Fremont-Winema National Forest.
