Cedarville, California provides access to both developed campgrounds and dispersed camping options throughout the Modoc National Forest region. Campgrounds like Stough Reservoir, Cedar Pass, and Plum Valley feature primitive sites accommodating both tent and RV camping in the scenic Warner Mountains. The surrounding area includes a mix of federal lands with several small campgrounds along creeks and reservoirs, typically offering basic amenities such as vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. Most established sites maintain a rustic character while providing essential facilities, creating a balance between convenience and natural immersion.
Road conditions and seasonal access significantly impact camping opportunities near Cedarville. Most campgrounds operate from May through October, with many closing during winter months due to snow and freezing temperatures. The gravel access roads to sites like Stough Reservoir require careful navigation, especially with larger vehicles. Several campgrounds have vehicle length restrictions, with many accommodating rigs up to 19-25 feet but potentially challenging for larger motorhomes or fifth wheels. Cell service ranges from limited to nonexistent throughout the region, requiring advance planning. A review noted: "Camped here in June 2020 and got the single prime spot across the little pond with its own pit toilet. Snowed when we were there in June. No hookups but there's water around the campsites and picnic tables and fire pits."
The mixed-use campgrounds near Cedarville offer varying experiences based on location and proximity to water features. Waterfront sites at places like Stough Reservoir receive consistently positive reviews for their tranquility and natural setting. Campers seeking peaceful campsites will find that these less-trafficked campgrounds provide excellent solitude, with one visitor describing Lassen Creek as having "spots right along the creek with lots of mature trees." Elevation plays a significant role in the camping experience, with higher sites experiencing colder temperatures regardless of season. The area's remoteness provides excellent opportunities for stargazing and wildlife viewing, though visitors should prepare for limited services. Fee structures vary, with some Forest Service campgrounds remaining free while others have implemented modest fees for overnight stays.
$15 / night
"No hookups but there’s water around the campsites and picnic tables and fire pits. Excellent little campground with maybe a dozen or so sites. Clean & well maintained."
"Other than the snow the road was in good condition and easy to drive in our class c."
"Stream & Obsidian Mine nearby."
"Lots to do nearby mostly obsidian collection and fishing. Make sure if you are wanting to collect you get a free permit in town before heading out."
"One person was here to walk her dogs for a bit but otherwise we had the whole place to ourselves."
"My husband and I took a quick trip to North Eastern California for some rock hounding. We came upon this campground toward the end of the evening. It's a dry camp ground with pit toilets."
"This was a lovely spot next to a small creek, and several sites had access to it."
"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."
"Not only is the Falls beautiful but the trek up to Clear Lake is breathtaking! Serene and tranquil. Worth the hike for those wanting to get in touch with Nature! Highly Recommend!"
$60 / night
"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!"
$20 - $42 / night
"The park was easy to find, but a slow drive from the turn off in Likely due to the road being a little rough."
ScoutCamped here for one night, early March. Dirt road was good, careful with the mud if your vehicle has little traction. Nice place, but is just a gravel lot so if there were others it would be pretty cramped. Pit toilet available on site
RangerAnother typical, beautiful Oregon State Park. Well maintained, lots of trees. Nice little hiking path around the park could use a little maintenance.
ScoutThis was a lovely spot next to a small creek, and several sites had access to it. We towed a 18ft travel trailer and found lots of spaces it would fit, though I wouldn't recommend anything longer than about 25 feet. The restrooms were clean and stocked and several sites had stone stoves as well as fire rings. We used our GPS vs Google maps, had no problem finding the campground. It was secluded and had plenty of shade. We only stayed one night traveling through, but would definitely stay again.
RangerWe came here on a recon trip to see if our 26' fifth wheel toyhauler would fit in the spots and the condition of the road to reach this place.
We found this to be a very nice and under used campground. There was one other camper here, spoke to them and they stated they have been the only campers in the week they spent.
The road was well maintained and smooth. We will certainly come back to visit with the toyhauler and RZR. Many FS roads to explorer here.
There are allegedly 12 sites here, we were hard pressed to find them. the main area is graveled with 3 sites, the area to the north is dirt and we saw 4 sites.
Based on the other review we expected to see wild horses and didn't see any or evidence of them either.
RangerDue to the remote location, be prepared to have everything you need before heading there.
Co Rd 502 is narrow but paved (Mail Rte Rd). 12 miles
Co Rd 506 Tuledad Rd is dirt, unimproved and has some washboard areas. Drive slow and you will be ready for the culvert crossing that have washed out a bit but at high speed can cause damage to your vehicle. 11 miles
Driving slow is needed for several reasons. 1. to avoid hitting poor road areas too fast and damaging your rig. 2. to spot and take pictures of wildlife 3. Basic respect to keep road from degrading further.
We did not come across another person while driving in or out or during our stay at the campground.
Tables in each site and fire rings, clean from trash. Vault toilets were also clean.
Reservoir was down but still had enough water for the birds to enjoy.
Excellent for night sky viewing.
We have a 26' toy hauler fifth wheel, it has high ground clearance and upgraded suspension so we would had no difficulty with the road, when we come back with it. This was just a recon trip.
Downside: this is surrounded by public land, Dodge Ranch so you can't explorer off the road. Makes the use limited to light weight boat, kayak or paddle board. If you like to just go to camp, sit and relax, the you can certainly do that.
Advantage: Evidence of lots of wildlife, we saw pronghorn antelope on the way, a couple of foxes and plenty of birds of prey. No people
RangerWe did not camp because we were doing a campground recon. There were 3 of the 8 sites that we could park our 26' fifth wheel trailer.
During our visit there was only one family using the facility. It is a small campground, vault toilets and was clean when we were there.
We plan to come back in the future. We visited on a Sunday afternoon.
GuideNice quick pull in campground while traveling. Campground right next to highway. Campground was deserted on a weekend and it didn’t look like anyone has been here very clean.
ScoutPlum creek is a well maintained forest service campground on Davis creek. Quiet, serene forest setting, good overnight stop coming south on hwy 395.
TravelerSmall campground with 10 or so sites. 6 of them are drive up, and there are 4 tent only sites that you have to cross a small bridge to get to. We walked around back there, and you can tell these barely ever get used. Site #5 fit our 22 foot travel trailer and truck really well. The loop around is tight, but you could probably get through with a 24 or 25 foot trailer if you were careful. I wouldn't try anything bigger than that though.
This was a decent (and free!) place to spend a night if you are traveling through, but probably not worth it to spend more than a day. We came on a Friday afternoon in mid July and had the whole place to ourselves. By that night we had one neighbor, so it is definitely quite, and even during the busiest times you will probably get a spot no problem.
The creek is small, and access is somewhat hard to get to since it has steep sides on a lot of it. There are quite a few ticks that like the grass near the waters edge too. We were careful and still ended up pulling a few off that night, so use caution. Didn't notice any hanging around the campsites themselves.
Also, you are within sight of several properties and houses right next to the campground, so it doesn't really feel all that remote or private. Someone ended up cruising up and down the road in the middle of the night with loud engines, and it kept us awake, so all and all wasn't a super pleasant camping experience, but if all you need is a quick overnight spot it would do the trick.
Camping near Cedarville, California offers access to the remote Warner Mountains, a north-south mountain range with elevations reaching above 9,000 feet. The area sits within Modoc National Forest, characterized by juniper and pine forests interspersed with high desert terrain. Winter temperatures can drop well below freezing with significant snowfall limiting access to many camping areas until late spring.
Obsidian collecting: Obtain a free permit from town before heading to areas near Plum Valley Campground. As one visitor noted, "Love staying here. Lots to do nearby mostly obsidian collection and fishing. Make sure if you are wanting to collect you get a free permit in town before heading out."
Hiking to mountain lakes: Access Clear Lake via trails from the Warner Mountains. A visitor to Mill Creek Falls Campground shared, "Not only is the Falls beautiful but the trek up to Clear Lake is breathtaking! Serene and tranquil. Worth the hike for those wanting to get in touch with Nature!"
Wildlife viewing: Visit the nearby wildlife refuge, accessible within minutes from Alturas. A camper at Sully's RV Park mentioned, "Close to the wild refuge. Walked the 3 mile loop before heading out of town. Super close."
Creek-side camping: Many sites offer direct access to running water at Lassen Creek Campground. A camper observed, "The spot itself is next to a pleasant stream, carpeted with pine needles and nestled among evergreens. It's remote enough that we couldn't hear any traffic or other noise pollution."
Solitude: The less-frequented nature of these campgrounds means visitors often have significant space to themselves. One Lassen Creek camper shared, "Dry Camp with pit toilets. No designated campsites, find a fire ring and make your spot. Beautiful spot, watch out for the cows!"
Clean facilities: Despite the remote locations, many campgrounds maintain good sanitation standards. A camper at Stough Reservoir Campground noted, "It is a small campground, vault toilets and was clean when we were there."
Seasonal conditions: Snow can persist into late spring and return early fall at higher elevations. One visitor reported, "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."
Road access challenges: Many access roads are unpaved and require careful driving. A Plum Valley visitor warned, "The road can be a little rough to the campground with some deep ruts. We were able to pull our 19 foot camper up the road and into the campground not sure if we would try with anything larger."
Communication limitations: Cell service is virtually nonexistent throughout much of the region. A Stough Reservoir visitor noted, "The Verizon phone had basically no service, just some sporadic in and out, but practically unusable. The ATT phone has some service, not great, but usable for texting and light browsing."
Playground access: While most forest campgrounds lack developed play areas, Likely Place RV and Golf Resort offers more amenities. One visitor mentioned, "The playground is on the far side of the meadow," though they also noted the place "is not considered kid friendly" by some.
Creek exploration: Children can wade and explore shallow creeks that run through several campgrounds. A visitor to Plum Valley Campground shared, "Campground is in the shade which is great in the summer and has a creek running through."
Weather preparation: Even summer months can bring surprisingly cold temperatures. One camper at Stough Reservoir experienced, "Snowed when we were there in June," highlighting the need for warm clothing regardless of season.
Size restrictions: Many campgrounds can accommodate smaller RVs but have limitations. A visitor to Cedar Pass Campground noted, "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."
Prime spots identification: The layout of some campgrounds offers certain advantages. A Stough Reservoir camper recommended, "I got the primo site across the water, solo spot with my own pit toilet."
Full hookups availability: For those needing amenities, options exist but are limited. A visitor to Sully's RV Park in Alturas commented, "This is not a high-end RV park. It is small (only 5 FHU sites) and has a number of permanent residences, but the RV sites are level, showers/bathrooms are clean, they have good laundry facilities."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Cedarville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Cedarville, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 58 campgrounds and RV parks near Cedarville, CA and 6 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Cedarville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Cedarville, CA is Stough Reservoir Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 5 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Cedarville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 free dispersed camping spots near Cedarville, CA.
Keep Exploring
