Best Tent Camping near Helena, CA
Searching for a tent campsite near Helena? Finding a place to camp in California with your tent has never been easier. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Helena's most popular destinations.
Best Tent Sites Near Helena, CA (55)
2. Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground — Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown, California8 Reviews•15 Photos•64 SavesOverview
Peltier Bridge is a tent-only campground. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, a large bear-resistant storage locker, a metal fire pit with a swing-arm barbecue grill, and a lamp pole. The campsites share two vault toilets. For campsites 1, 2 and 3, park and walk approximately 25-35 feet to your site. Drinking water and electricity are not available. Due to a small parking area, towing vehicles is prohibited in this campground. This includes vehicles towing trailers and fifth wheels and vehicles towing pop-up campers. Motorhomes are not allowed in this campground. No overflow parking is available.
This tent-only campground is located in the southeast corner of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 13.5 miles west of Redding, California, and three and a half hours north of Sacramento. Clear Creek flows past the campground, making it a popular spot for fly fishing. The camp is shaded by alders and large canyon live oaks. The cool, clear waters of Whiskeytown Lake provide endless water activities. The picturesque mountain setting and extensive forested backcountry offer ample opportunities for hiking and biking.
Recreation
During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. Year round, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, gold panning, fishing and picnicking attract visitors. Hunting is allowed in the appropriate season.
Natural Features
Tall trees providing cooling shade make Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground a relaxing retreat. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is located where the Klamath Mountains, Cascade and Coast Mountain Ranges, and the Sacramento Valley meet, creating a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes.
Nearby Attractions
Brandy Creek Beach is located three and a half miles from the campground and features sandy beaches, a large swimming area, picnicking and barbecuing facilities. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are showers, a store with food and supplies and rentals of paddle boards and kayaks.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (530) 246-1225.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
$20 / night
3. Trinity National Forest Big Bar Campground
Helena, California1 Review•5 Photos•10 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
- Tent Cabin
5. Deerlick Springs Campground
Platina, California2 Reviews•8 Photos•37 SavesInformation unavailable at this time.
- Pets
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Market
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
7. Slide Creek Campground
Burnt Ranch, California1 Review•10 Photos•35 SavesSlide Creek Campground is has 5 tent only camp units. There is no water system.
- Tents
- Group
- Tent Cabin
- Glamping
- Trash
8. Shell Gulch Campground
Hayfork, California3 Reviews•7 Photos•5 SavesCampground offers 5 tent only camp units and 2 picnic units. Access to facility is unpaved and there is no water system. Access from facility to the Chanchelulla Wilderness.
- Pets
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Tent Cabin
- Glamping
- Trash
9. Crystal Creek Primitive Campground — Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
French Gulch, California1 Review•6 Photos•10 SavesOverview
This tent-only campground is located in the northwest corner of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 19 miles west of Redding, California, and three and a half hours north of Sacramento. Crystal Creek flows alongside each campsite. The campground stays relatively cool due to the creek and to the shade given by a canopy of fir, maple and pine. Three nearby trails lead to lovely waterfalls. The cool, clear waters of Whiskeytown Lake provide endless water activities. The picturesque mountain setting and extensive forested backcountry offer ample opportunities for hiking and biking.
Recreation
During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. Year round, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, gold panning, fishing and picnicking attract visitors. Hunting is allowed in the appropriate season.
Facilities
During the summer heat, swimming, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding and water skiing are popular on the 3,200 acre lake. Year round, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, gold panning, fishing and picnicking attract visitors. Hunting is allowed in the appropriate season.
Natural Features
The heavy forest canopy and burbling year-round creek make Crystal Creek Primitive Campground an ideal location for a peaceful retreat. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is located where the Klamath Mountains, Cascade and Coast Mountain Ranges, and the Sacramento Valley meet, creating a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (530) 246-1225.
Nearby Attractions
The Tower House Historic District is located within the recreation area less than five miles from Crystal Creek Primitive Campground. Learn about the California Gold Rush history of the area by strolling among the historic buildings, water ditches, and a former gold mine, or by panning for gold or attending an interpretive program at the site. Oak Bottom is located eight miles from the campground and features beaches, lakeside picnicking, and a full-service marina with boat rentals.
- Pets
- Reservable
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Tent Cabin
- Picnic Table
$20 / night
10. Grovers Gulch RV Park and Campground
Helena, California1 Review•2 Saves- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
- Tent Cabin
- Glamping
Showing results 1-10 of 55 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews in Helena
307 Reviews of 55 Helena Campgrounds
Luke D.
Traveler
Lacks Creek BLM
Absolutely Amazing Spot!
Don’t be confused when you arrive and head up the hill where you’ll find camping spots. Even has an area with picnic tables under the trees.
A great spot overall and a nice drive up. We were there when it rained all day one of our days and it didn’t affect the roads much.
We even pulled up our rear drop camper and had no issues at all.
- KKelly S.Traveler
Marina RV Park
Super Hosts
Very basic sites, on the river. Hosts are super helpful and friendly, great for a short time.
- Linda G.
Scout
Trail In RV Park & Campground
I stayed in late october with a fire ban. After a week they liftrd it.
Syayed in #3. Kind of confusing to get a reservation. Couldnt buy a ticket at the visitors center. Online only. Once i figured it out it is easy. Once there i went hiking but something was missing THE CAMPFIRE. That was when i started having fun. This is a clean campsite that is only 9.4 miles to west redding.
- Linda G.Scout
Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground — Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
I can breathe here
I feel like nature is where i need to be. I love it here. Clean
Tessa F.ScoutPeltier Bridge Primitive Campground — Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
had a great time
so far my experience has been great we're camping out for 3 Days got campsite 6 , nice little spot next to the water, first night was peaceful there's no other people reserving any of the campsites so we got lucky, I would definitely recommend camping here however sites four and five are directly next to each other six is separate 7 8 and 9 are a little more secluded in the back I didn't see sites one two and three
Samuel H.
Guide
Hobo Gulch Campground
Incredible!
Wow what a place, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
The road although incredibly long and winding was well maintained and I’m pretty sure even a car could make it without issue.
The drive up was a whole experience in itself, reminded me of Last of The Mohicans, don’t slip!
I went during hunting season without realizing it, out of the 10 sites 7 where taken up by hunters, but I only saw one person my whole stay.
Kalah H.TravelerLacks Creek BLM
Amazing place to stay for free with hikes close by
I loved staying at lacks creek! I had good cell service with att and it was beautiful, quiet and serene. Hikes right by the campsites. Fire pit. No water at all though. Bring your own water. And no bathroom unless you drive like 3 miles down the other way and some of the roads weren't open due to landslides. I drove my honda civic all the way up there. There was a few points I thought I wouldn't make it but sure enough my good ol honda pushed through. Lol Anyways! Highly recommend! Just bring water! Lol
Noel L.Guide
Mountain Gate RV Park
Nice campground
Well maintained and clean park. Actually has grass, not all gravel. Sites level. Nice pool and laundry room. One night stay and arrived late so did self check in...no password for bathrooms were given, so asked a neighbor for a password. One of the restrooms was shut down for repairs. Too pricy.
- TTamara H.Scout
Beehive Point Shoreline Campground
Not what I expected
We were the only ones there for the most part. Every night there would be a few cars that drive through, but they didn’t stay. Bring yellow jacket traps - there’s a reason it’s named beehive
- LLeonardo S.Scout
Matthews Creek Campground
Great campground
This is an awesome campground with a single-lane road. I love visit it and join adventures in geometry dash lite. We managed to navigate it in an SUV with a teardrop trailer, but I wouldn't recommend towing anything longer. During our visit in May, the river flowed swiftly and cold, making it unsuitable for swimming or fishing. There is a well-maintained vault toilet on site, along with bear-proof recycling and trash receptacles. Limited to no service available for most of the journey. Remember, fire permits are mandatory.
- TTara D.Traveler
Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort
Quiet, peaceful
Great little park. Lots of shade and green grass, good management, Clean restrooms and well kept grounds. Close to river and lakes for boating and fishing. There is a great area for tent camping or a place to dry camp with your RV just below the main RV park. There are targets set up for bow hunters in the pines below the park.
Our 35 foot fifth wheel easily navigated the space.
Casey B.Guide
Cline Gulch BLM Dispersed
A little sketchy and not much shade
The first spot you come across is super cute with little stone sculptures in the creek and a little shelter with carpet...and then you realize it's most likely a locals party zone and homeless camp. There was a trash pile, bags of potato chips...and potatoes.
The next spot was cleaner and near the water, but the circular "driveway" was tight and had very little space. This is where we stayed.
The rest of the spots weren't near water and were just open fields directly in the sun.
- Hannah A.Traveler
Lacks Creek BLM
Camping
Other than the long bumpy dirt road this site was great! Easy to find and great views. Had pretty good cell service with AT&T. Very quiet
- SSamuel T.Traveler
Trinity Lake KOA Holiday
Exactly what I needed!
I started my journey up at Shasta lake, but was driven out by bees. I sought several other locations but decided Trinity was a worthwhile shot. I quickly made an online reservation, paid the holding fee, got there 4 hours early because I needed to just land instead of driving aimlessly, and the staff was so accommodating! They allowed me to stay in the parking lot while my site was being prepared, and they even let me in an hour and half earlier than check in! My spot was easy and accessible, close to bathrooms and showers, near the front store which had everything I needed, including coffee, a short walk to the lake, and a view of stars you don’t see very often. I came for solitude, but found comfort in neighbors who have a mutual love and respect for these great outdoors. I even shared a meal with my neighbor! This is an incredible place and very well maintained grounds. Staff are driving around quite literally into the night hours keeping things clean. Thanks Trinity KAO Holiday! I will be seeing you again!
jojo B.Scout
Hirz Bay Campground
beautiful bear playground
oh wow what a fantastic and gorgeous location. really well maintained when it comes to their bathrooms (flushing & sinks) and trash cans… but holy bear. around 4am a black bear (maybe 500lbs?) came through our site and pulled on the bear box and kept it moving to check neighboring sites (which were vacant) only to come back shortly later for a few sniffs. this would’ve been less scary had we been in an RV buuuut tent camping + bear is not the vibe guys. it definitely smelled us and knew exactly where we were & we’re incredibly fortunate but of course we were terrified. i’d definitely come back with different equipment and plenty of mace and really wish there were more signs about the likelihood of bears in this area at this time. there were a handful of signs but so small and easy to get lost amid all the other super valuable information.
- SSamuel T.Traveler
Beehive Point Shoreline Campground
Bees!
It’s likely that the heat draws the bees out, so you may have a different experience other times of the year. The bees made this incredible location no longer worth it.
Angel B.ScoutBeehive Point Shoreline Campground
This place was aptly named
I didn't put two and two together. Woke up to the BIGGEST swarm of wasps circling our fireplace and trying to make a nest in our fender. Be very careful with putting all your cookware away and completely burn your used paper towels. We went during a no burn period, so we were out of luck and ran out of camp.
- LLawrence L.Guide
Redwood Coast Cabins & RV Resort
Most frustrating part is reservation
The campground is ok. The closest bathrooms near our site were closed due to renovation. The main bathrooms were good looking. The men’s bathroom kept running out of paper towels. One of the staff told me they can’t buy any toilet paper or paper towels anywhere. My wife had to keep bringing in toilet paper as they ran out. The pool was warm and spa hot. The most frustrating part was reservations. The website showed only tent sites with water and electricity. I then clicked on military discount and the website showed me a higher price. I called and left a message to get clarification. No one called me back. Turns out they apply the discount after you check in. Check in was another issue. The office was closed early and they gave me a tent site without electricity or water. So I had to call their after hours number to get them to change my site. Later in the office they told me that they aren’t responsible for their website. Campground is ok, but customer service needs work. Wish there were more options closer to Eureka. The WiFi worked good until the last day. The 15A outlet worked until the last day.
Monica C.Traveler
Sims Flat Campground
Fine for a night
Good for a quick stop over. Quiet and never crowded. Clean bathrooms. Right on the river with easy access to the 5.
- Greg B.
Ranger
Denny Campground
Remote, full at first, but then OK
16 miles off Hwy299, with a gorgeous, pretty good paved road, gets you to Denny Campground. Even though the camp is right next to the Denny Rd, traffic is nonexistent. There are 6 camp spots, and I was thankful to get the last open one. Granted school is out, I was hoping for more solitude on a Sunday/Monday stay. Turns out, several people were ‘day users’. The one vault toilet was clean & well supplied with TP. Access to the New River is a trail between site 1 & 2. A fairly steep trail leads down to a gorgeous swimming hole. Slow & steady coming back up wasn’t that bad. No cell service (Verizon). No trash bins or pickup; pack it out!!
Mateo G.TravelerLacks Creek BLM
Confusing
Beautiful area, cool drive in. But the map on here is misleading… Follow Pine Ridge Road all the way till you hit dispersed sites with picnic tables and fire pits on the right.
(41.0051476, -123.7848194)
- Kelly V.Traveler
Lacks Creek BLM
Embrace of forest
Clean, level, spacious campground sites, close together trees so you can hang a hammock, hilltop view, pristine feel. Deep grateful breath. Gaia happy here.
- KKendall V.Traveler
Tannery
Great family camping area
We had such a good time!!! The weather was beautiful, we didn’t have to interact with anyone-just put our fee for staying 2 nights in the designated box. The bathrooms were soo nice! Real toilets and sinks with mirrors. The lake is walking distance from the sites and the sites are far enough apart for privacy. My 2 year old had a blast! Also lots of firewood around, and fire pits were very nice! We bbqed on it everyday. 10/10- we will be back!
Jill P.ScoutMountain Gate RV Park
Super Clean & quiet
We loved our stay. We felt safe and it’s probably one of the most cleanest campground and facilities I’ve ever been to. Clean bathrooms, showers, zero trash around. All around a great visit. Perfect spot if you are traveling with a pet. Highly recommend.
- JJoey A.Scout
Lacks Creek BLM
Great winding drive up
When you get to the area where apple maps says park and walk, just take the pine ridge or whatever trail a couple more miles up. you will pass a single designated camp site( was occupied when I came up). and a ways on past it you will find the Lacks campground! nice little campground and my only complaint is people! Please pack your trash out. the fire pits arent garbage containers. Fruit boxes to soup and beer cans were in almost every fire ring. That’s just irresponsible and is the kind of crap that leads to more and more of these places being closed?
- Stacy L.Guide
Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground — Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
Awesome spot by the creek
There’s like 9 or so sites all pretty far apart. The creek is super beautiful. It was really hot during the day like 90s but site #9 is shady and the river is freezing so it’s easy to stay cool. Gets pretty cold at night. Even with the campground almost full, it’s quiet and peaceful. Pit toilets are very clean!
- PPaul T.Traveler
Burnt Ranch Campground
Closed for the season
Gate is lockwd
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Helena, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Helena, CA is Mary Smith Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Helena, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 55 tent camping locations near Helena, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.