Searching for a tent campsite near Capay? Find the best information on tent camping near Capay, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Capay, California's most popular destinations.
Black Rock Campground is a dispersed campground situated in the Oak Woodlands along Mill Creek. 6 sites are available for primitive dispersed camping. Grills and tables are provided at each of the 6 sites. Black Rock Campground is open year round.Black Rock Campground is located on the Northeast corner of the Ishi Wilderness. Hiking in the Ishi and along Mill Creek is wonderful and the fishing in Deer and Mill Creeks can be very rewarding.__Black Rock Campground is accessible via Highway__36 east from Red Bluff to__Ponderosa Way. Ponderosa Way is a dirt road, not recommended for RVs, that leads to the Ishi Wilderness.
The Wilderness Act of 1984 established 23 new wilderness areas including the 60,000-acre Snow Mountain Wilderness in the Mendocino National Forest. The Snow Mountain Wilderness straddles the summit of the North Coast Range within Colusa, Glenn and Lake counties. The area is less than a four-hour drive from San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Sacramento. The central feature of this wilderness is the large broad topped Snow Mountain, which drains water toward the Sacramento River on the east and the Eel River Basin on the west. The wilderness also has the largest known waterfall on the forest. Elevations range from 1,800 feet in the gorge of the Middle Fork of Stony Creek to 7,056 feet on the summit of East Snow Mountain Peak. The deep canyons skirting the Wilderness compress ecological life zones creating a unique biological sky-island. Forty miles of trail are located in the wilderness. This leaves a vast amount of acreage very remote and highly conducive to cross-country exploration. The moderate hike to the top of East Peak affords visitors a magnificent view of the Sacramento Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east, Clear Lake to the southwest, the Coastal Mountains to the west, and the timbered mountains of the Mendocino National Forest to the North. Good drinking water is scarce in the Snow Mountain Wilderness during much of the summer. Plan ahead and refill canteens at every opportunity. Mountain streams may look inviting but they may not be safe for drinking. Treat all water for drinking and cooking by either processing through a portable water filter or by boiling over a portable cook stove.
Small creek flows through camp early in the season (dry in late season). Camp is situated amidst oaks and ponderosa pines.
Nestled adjacent to the beautiful Deer Creek, Alder Creek is a semi-developed campground with 6 designated sites. Space is limited.
Dispersed camp site not as developed as the regular campgrounds. No traffic control such as paved loop road and parking spurs that you find in "developed" campgrounds, and no water system. Pack out garbage.
11 sites, tents and RV's, vault toilets, piped water, 6 persons per campsite
Has 6 developed sites and 1 vault toilet. No water.
Small, quiet camp amidst large oaks and ponderosa pines.
GuideI tent camped and loved it. Very quiet and beautiful scenery. A water faucet and picnic table at every campsite .
Guide
This campground is just south of Lassen Volcanic National Park. It has two main sections, one for RVs and the other for tents. There are a small number of RV sites with full hookups and then a larger number of tent sites. The RV sites are fairly small, but felt separated enough to have some privacy. The tent sites are a bit more rustic.
The other slightly odd part is that most of the RV sites were filled with people who came and stayed for the entire summer, year after year. We were the only not long-term camper in the RV section.
Pros:
* Close to a lot of amazing scenery with Lassen
* Well kept, clean, quiet campground
* Camp store/restaurant is great
* Laundry on site
* Access to a nice little creek w/swimming hole
Cons:
* Camp store is open limited days
* Tent sites only have pit toilets which are not the best maintained
OK:
* No fires in the RV sites
* Showers were not always very clean
Ranger
There are 4 tent sites and 20+ RV sites.
9 miles away from the Lassen Volcanic NP southwestern entrance.
They have restrooms and showers (one stall and one shower for men and one and one for women).
There are are two fire pits for the “community” but we were the only tent campers for two nights in the middle of June. Each site has a picnic table and charcoal only bbq also.
Scout
Tent camped here a few nights ago. A little spendy at $37 for a single night but it is super close to I5 and a few gas stations. Nice property with some grass to throw the tent on, none of the other residents were super loud. Restrooms and showers onsite and they were both clean. Didn't get to talk to any of the property managers in person due to COVID-19, but the woman on the phone who did the booking was super helpful. Seems like a better for RV camping as there are many more spots for that.
ScoutPerfect RV and tent campground just outside of Lassen National Park. The RV sites are somewhat close to each other but there are plenty of trees around so you really have a forest feeling. There is a good restaurant and general store next door where you register. We would definitely stay here again.
ScoutThis campground was very close to Lassen NP, which is convenient. Check-In is simply looking at your name on the board and finding your campsite, which is not clear from the confirmation email. It would've been nice to speak to a host to get the lay of the land. The vault toilets in the tent area are very dark even during the day, and are not well maintained. The showers were also very dirty with dead bugs everywhere. The trail down to Mill Creek while short, is incredibly steep and narrow. The creek itself is beautiful and you can hear it while you fall asleep which is nice. The tent sites in the upper numbers are well spaced out. And there are deer in the area that come right by your site :) Mosquitoes were not bad at all even right next to the creek. I would maybe try another campground that came recommend from a fellow tent camper while at this one. Also, I couldn't get a cell signal for Verizon the whole time I was at the campground.
Guide
Why we booked: Came to see Lassen NP. Manzanita Lake Campground canceled on us, and we needed a spot with plenty of FCFS availability.
Campground: Basic USFS campground. Heavily wooded with pine and sequoias, sites relatively spacious, vault toilets and threaded water spigots throughout. We were able to fill our tank by connecting a couple of hoses. Some spots for okay solar—we were getting 200W of a possible 400 after picking a sunny campsite in the summer. Being on a 55mph road, you do get road noise that dies down at night. Probably makes this a better campground for RVs than tent camping. Combining Verizon and T-Mobile with our router and booster let my wife and I work on video calls with few problems.
Quirks: Huge stacks of free firewood due to work done since a huge fire swept through the area a couple of years ago.
Site: Ours was one of a handful that can fit bigger rigs. Most folks should be able to get in here just fine—but if you're bigger, be good at backing.
Nearby: The southwest Lassen NP entrance is about 20 minutes away. The town of Chester is 20 minutes the other way, with propane and diesel and some decent food.
Value: Perfect!
Ranger
We stayed here after a long day of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The trail goes right through the "resort" town. The place is very eclectic, full of antique, unusual and thrift store kinds of stuff. You can stay at the motel, cabins, RV or tent sites. There's a restaurant, bar, and country store. The prices at the store are exorbitant, ($5 for 4 ramen packs). The bathrooms were dirty and so was the shower. The laundry machines outside the bathrooms were broken. The waitresses we had for dinner and breakfast were rude. We spent a lot of money at the store, restaurant and bar and as soon as bikers and locals showed up we stopped getting any kind of service. You can ask the staff for password for the wifi but the wifi is extremely slow and cell service is almost nil. Camping was weird. We had to ask three people before we got directed to where to camp at. One person suggested if we paid the bartender $20 we could get a campsite. Another one told us the campground was full with a family reunion. We were finally directed to free camp sites behind the school house. It wasn't a reunion, unless Grandma is really hip and likes rave music. But the baby there did not like it and cried all night. We were next to the "festival". The rave music played until 7 am. The bartender in the morning told us that they have music festivals like that all summer long. Even being free this place was not worth the stop. Caribou Crossing up the road was kinder and had amenities that worked.
Scout
Pitched 2 tents on asphalt. 3 other cars here. Picnic tables and an outhouse. Saw/heard great horned owl, fox, then cows in the morning.
TravelerStayed here for a second time driving from Southern California to Oregon. The sites are spacious and there is a pool to cool down during the hot summers. There is wine tasting as well. Management kept in communication with us through text (my preferred method). Easy access to I-5, very close to a Pilot for larger rigs. Definitely somewhere I plan to stay on my journeys through California.
Guide
I love the potato patch. Large spaces and great easy going people; primarily tent campers. Clean, clean creek...Deer Creek, Lassen Snow melt.
Fishing is made easy as the Creek is planted two times a month.
ScoutRV, Camper, Tent, and hammocks within few yards from creek. But get to sleep right next to the creek. And wake up to it with beautiful forests. Bring tube and rope! You will thanks me. Dog MUST be on leashed.
Traveler
Just got back yesterday from a weekend trip with the family. The campground is huge 137 sites in 3 groups, we were one of maybe 15 sites occupied while there. The sites/bathrooms were all very clean, didn't smell at all. Unfortunately the beach access/swimming area has turned into a meadow which was nice to see deer but there wasn't a place for the little ones to swim (but that's the drought out here for you). A lot of the sites are very uneven, ours was almost terraced, and the tent area was barely big enough for our 8 person tent. When I took a drive around it looked like many were similarly sloped/ terraced not a flat site. Unfortunately this weekend was 108 or so as highs, so it was a very hot weekend. The campground would likely be better in late September/October.
Ranger
This is a hidden gem on highway 36. Most of the sites had good shade for both trailers and tents. You have to boil the water, so we brought plenty with us. Lassen Park is just a short drive away.
Ranger
Wonderful spot. Sites were kinda small, but we we able to fit 2. -6 person tents and a 4 person in a row. Wasn’t windy when we got there in the morning, but that night the wind started and almost blew everything away. STAKE down, no matter the weather. Water was super warm, but gets icky in the summer, so definitely need to go early in the season.
GuideGeneral tent spots available with picnic tables. The campground itself is tucked back in the trees with fewer spots than some of the more popular spots near by. Close to the creek. A little uneven on the ground front, but enough choices to make due. This site is mostly shaded, so can be colder than other setups around.
ScoutThe campground has several campsites for tents and trailers. Each time we stayed at this campground, I became more and more disappointed. The campground is much too close to Hwy 36. You can see the highway from most campsites, the creek runs close to the busy highway as well. There also seems to be an issue with meat bees during certain times of the year, this makes for uncomfortable meal times.
GuideThis was a short one night stop on a camping roadtrip but it was nice. The park was beautiful and on the way in we passed a bison conservation area nearby which was cool. Falling asleep to the shrieks of distant coyotes was cool too. Heard lots of critters in the night, owls, deer, rabbits. In the morning was woken up by woodpeckers. Site 22 was huge and had plenty of space for our two tents and more. Our loop was full of RVs full of people having a great time. Weather was perfect and couldn’t ask for a better night in the middle of nowhere.
GuideI have stayed here several times as a waypoint on my travels between California to Washington.  It is a nice safe quiet park that has many pull through spaces for RVs spending the night.  I have used their website to reserve a space and then pick up the paperwork outside the door of their office.  so far I haven’t met any of the owners or staff but all the hook ups work and I believe they have Wi-Fi as well. 
GuideWe’ve been on a road trip through California living in a van so after hiking lassen all day we were on the lookout for a shower . This place had a hot shower and toilet ! Community firepit was nice to share stories around with fellow travelers. Very nice folks running the place .
Traveler
A pretty primitive place only 10 or so sites to camp. Tent only as the road to get here at the end you need high clearance vehicle. Although there was a Tesla and other cars that made it up remarkably!! The river is flowing real good. There are 2 trailheads in the area. It rained some while we were there so we didn’t venture too far out. There is a primitive toilet that was pleasing to see. A small building with a hole in the ground but better than nothing. I wished I had brought a rod and reel and license to fish. Next time!!
Scout
This is a great reservoir to camp, boat, jet ski, fish, etc. It is a pretty good size that has plenty of space for small parties or large party campsites. It is not too far out from the town of Stonyford but still has enough privacy. Not too many people are familiar with East Park Reservoir which is nice in the sense that it usually isn't over crowded on holiday weekends and especially not during regular seasons. The pricing is pretty inexpensive but the only downfall is that here isn't a whole of tree coverage for shade(hence why I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5) so make sure to bring a pop up tent/canopy for shade. Otherwise, this is an overall great reservoir to camp at and a friendly one.
RangerI've been to this campground twice now, and had very different experiences.
The first time was memorial day in 2019, and we had a great spot right on the water. We took our canoe and were able to launch from our site. So ideal. It was relatively quiet, and nobody immediately near us. Amazing sunsets.
The second time we went was June 2020. This time we stayed on the other side of the lake. The water was super low, so our view was completely dried up. Also, it was pretty noisy with sites cramming several tents onto their sites.
Either way, on both occasions we the site relatively last minute, maybe a week or two in advance. Any Californian will know it isnt always easy to book last minute campsites, so I appreciate that! There are 100+ campsites there, so it seems like always something available. Plus, not too far from the bay area.
Scout
This is a great campground in Mendocino NF. It's about an hour away from Willows, CA on I-5 but you feel like you're hours away from civilization. Campsites have pull-through's for trailers and back-in's for tent campers. The pit toilets are very clean, trash service is twice a week, and right now there is no water as there is a leak in the pipes they haven't been able to find. There are 2 ponds for fishing trout and the upper pond is usually stocked each year. The campsite #12 has a beautiful meadow behind it with deer that pass through. The downside for us is there isn't much nearby to do. A great place to spend a night or day or a great place if you're looking for quiet in nature. No reservations and I haven't ever seen this campground full. It does get busier around deer season with hunters.
Ranger
This campground is a very quiet spot after Labor Day, it is small, only 10 sites total and it is only open until September 30, which I don't understand since there is no snow here until November.
When we were there only one other camper was staying here and he was a deer hunter.
The water is shut off after Labor Day so come prepared. This campground has two sites that will take a 30' trailer and the remaining sites will take smaller trailers, tents or campers.
One site has a new picnic table but all sites have tables, fire pits and plenty of room between sites. Pit toilets are near the entrance and only one was clean when we stayed here.
Not to far from Bucks Lake if you want to camp and then drive to the lake.
Fees have changed, they are $25 a night and $12.50 if you have the pass.
TravelerMost people flock to the nearby Lake Almanor or Butt Valley campgrounds, so Yellow Creek Campground is a nice place to go to escape bigger and busier spots. Nestled in the pines and bordering the Humbug valley, this campground has some of the best views in Northern CA. It's off the beaten path a bit. About an 8 mile trip down a gravel road but very well maintained and easy to get a smaller RV back in there if you like. There's a natural soda spring on the entrance road where the local indigenous Maidu used to gather and drink for healing. https://www.outdoorproject.com/united-states/california/soda-springs-historic-site
TravelerI visited Battle Creek with a friend on a motorcycle trip. We did not pack tents, just tarps that we used our bikes to create shelter. Dean Creek is a really nice camp ground. There is swimming and fishing within walking distance. There were also plant of spots available. However, upon arrival, there were no forms to fill out and pay the self registration, and the camp host was nowhere to be found. This was also a problem because we were unable to buy wood to burn. The host stopped by a few hours later, well after dark, to record our license plates and provide the registration form. The campground is really wide open and the spots are really large. This was sort of a problem due to our loud drunk neighbors. No problem though we got to pay them back when we started up our Harleys and rode past their RV in the early morning. I would like to go back and spend a little more time here exploring the area around the campground.
Tent camping near Capay, California offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying various amenities and activities. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Capay, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Capay, CA is Black Rock Campground (Lassen NF) with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Capay, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 34 tent camping locations near Capay, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
