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Camping near Junction City, CA

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    Camping opportunities around Junction City, California include both established campgrounds and more primitive sites along the Trinity River. Junction City Campground offers tent and RV camping from mid-May through November, with sites set near the river. Nearby Douglas City Campground provides access to fishing spots and swimming holes along the Trinity River, while Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort offers year-round camping with full hookups and cabin options for those seeking more amenities.

    Most campgrounds in the Trinity River area operate seasonally, typically opening from May through October or November due to weather conditions. A review noted that "the river is gorgeous, cold, clean, and refreshing" at Douglas City Campground, highlighting one of the region's main attractions. Primitive camping areas often require visitors to pack out all trash and practice proper food storage due to local wildlife. Several campgrounds provide bear-safe storage boxes, particularly those closer to the Trinity Alps wilderness. Cell service throughout the area ranges from spotty to nonexistent, with most reviewers reporting better connectivity in Weaverville than in smaller communities like Junction City and Douglas City.

    The Trinity River serves as a focal point for recreation, with multiple campgrounds offering direct river access. Campers frequently mention the peaceful sound of flowing water as a highlight of their stay. Steel Bridge Campground and Douglas City Campground both provide riverside sites popular with anglers and swimmers during summer months. Forest Service and BLM campgrounds in the area typically offer basic amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Many sites maintain reasonable privacy with natural vegetation between campsites. One camper described Douglas City as "one of the nicest public campgrounds I've seen," noting its recently improved facilities and proximity to the Trinity River. Visitors should be prepared for variable temperatures, with summer days reaching 100°F while evenings cool significantly after sunset.

    Best Campgrounds near Junction City (218)

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      1. Douglas City Campground

      4.7(6)8mi from Junction CityRVs, Tents

      "While I generally like campsites close to the river, those set against the hill seem to provide a little more shade and privacy."

      "This campground is tucked down from the road and into a fairly narrow canyon. The trees are mostly oak, madrona, fir and pine, with the occasional mountain ash."

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      2. Steel Bridge Campground

      4.8(4)8mi from Junction CityRVs, Tents

      "Lots of people in and out fishing Short trail at the end of the campground that follows the river."

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      3. Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort

      5.0(6)12mi from Junction CityRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "We were looking for.a place to camp near Redding, our home town. This campground is about 30 mins from Redding. It was an easy tow on rural but well maintained roads all the way to the campground."

      "There are tent sites away from the rv part, but we never checked that area out. The rv spots are very clean, and even though they’re close together with no privacy it was an amazingly quiet park."

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      4. Junction City Campground

      3.3(4)1mi from Junction CityRVs, Tents

      "Beautiful location"

      "Not too far from a glacier lake, so good for hiking. Bears not too far away."

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      5. Mary Smith Campground

      4.2(5)13mi from Junction CityTents

      "Great little hiking trail steps from our site. Easy access to the water for some swimming. Smoke blew in from wildfires. Visibility very low but still beautiful."

      "Luckily the weather was so amazing especially being right next to this beautiful clear clean lake. We stayed at site 14, across from us was a small path that lead you down to the water."

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      6. Strawhouse Resorts and Cafe

      5.0(2)8mi from Junction City8 sitesRVs, Glamping

      from $60 - $70 / night

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      7. East Weaver Group Campground

      4.5(2)7mi from Junction City1 siteRVs, Tents

      "Beautiful creek running through so many different trails to choose from. Nice and shady"

      from $120 / night

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      8. Tannery

      4.5(4)13mi from Junction City90 sitesRVs, Tents

      "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!"

      "This is a great camp area, however when we went the Lake was really low. It was still very nice for fishing and kayaking."

      from $30 - $60 / night

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      9. Pigeon Point Group Campground

      3.0(2)5mi from Junction City1 siteRVs, Tents

      from $75 / night

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      10. Ripstein Campground

      5.0(2)10mi from Junction CityRVs, Tents

      "There are 8 spots, 4 fairly close to a parking 'slot', 4 that you can park in an open area and walk to (at most 10-15 yards away).  There is one pit building with 4 toilets, 2 men/women. "

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    Recent Camping Photos near Junction City, CA

    109 Photos of 218 Junction City Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers

    Recent Reviews near Junction City, CA

    444 Reviews of 218 Junction City Campgrounds

    • Alexander K.
      Sep. 5, 2026

      Green Acres RV Park

      Great Sites for the Price

      The site itself is great. It's well kept, grass is green and watered nightly, sites are clean, and it has nearly all the amenities you need (no public restrooms/showers). The Wi-Fi is excellent - it's honestly one of the standout features. I need good internet for work and I had zero problems working and streaming video at the same time. The coin-only laundry machines are a bit cumbersome but there is a change dispenser so it's not a big deal. The pool and fish pond are nice but there's no hot tub for the winter. Neighbors and staff are great. The surrounding neighborhood is a little less welcoming but it's not a big deal considering the fair price.

    • NThe Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 5, 2026

      Rattlesnake Cr. near Hwy 36, Shasta-Trinity NF

      An option where there are few along HWY 36

      This dispered site is 75 miles west of I5 and Red Bluff and just north of Hwy 36 about a 1/2 mile along USFS [Shasta-Trinity] Road 30N59. It is about 7 miles west of the 36/3 junction. Also about 3-4 miles east of USFS campgrounds Forest Glen and 2-3 miles east of Hell Gate. The entrance road here (30N59) is not very well marked but there is a large road sign on the south shoulder of 36, as shown in the pics, that is directly across from the entrance. Road 30N59 was not well maintaned (as of July 2026) but passable with care even with my 2wd SUV and teardrop. Like most disperesed camping bring everything and pack it out. Note - on Google Maps forest rd 30N59 is called Lower Rattlesnake Rd. Sites are flat areas with grass along the margins of 30N59 and right along the creek which was flowing well even in July.

    • iThe Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 31, 2026

      Camp Saw

      beautiful space

      the directions in the review were accurate and easy to follow. the road gets pretty steep, though 90% is paved and only turns to gravel at the end. no water source that we could find for filtering, so pack in as much as you need 💕🏔️

    • Erin G.The Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 18, 2026

      Aikens Creek Recreation Area

      No longer maintained but good

      Had a few creepy types slow driving thru campground- but otherwise it was very quiet and felt a bit apocalyptic. It obviously used to be maintained, old dump station (not working) and plenty of spaces. Drive all the way to the end to get near the river. Big rig friendly. Beautiful River views, interesting geology. Aiken creek was cool and runs behind some sites but we ran into some yellowjackets nesting in the bank of it.

    • Matthew G.The Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 17, 2026

      Castle Lake Dispersed Camping

      Beautiful spot, great starry night sky, and mountain view

      Easy to find if you are looking. Gravel road off of the main paved road. Not recommended for truck and trailer, but almost any car or truck can handle the rough entry, just go slow. There are a few gravel areas to park in if you look for them. Beautiful spot, quiet at night.

    • LThe Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 16, 2026

      Junction City Campground

      Closed

      This campsite is closed. All the Recreation.gov website does not clearly indicate that it is not available. It’s suspiciously available for reservations, however which should be enough to question its status.

    • Erin G.The Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 16, 2026

      Kangaroo Lake Campground

      Gorgeous glacier lake

      The views were unbeatable and extensive trails right from camp kept me happy. Site was clean and huge, big enough for dog tie out, and it had a tent pad in addition to accommodating our 33 foot trailer. Level and enough sun for solar. Starlink was fine. Neighbors were far enough but annoying barking dogs that the owner couldn’t control were annoying. Campground host did his best to ask her to quiet them but she told him off, poor guy. Toilets were so clean and actually smelled good ! Bear cans and spring water spigots everywhere. What luxury despite the remoteness!

    • Erin G.The Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 14, 2026

      Aikens Creek West Campground

      Basically dispersed camping

      It looks like this camp got defunded - which is fine with us! Very quiet and unpopulated . the spots are very far apart- Aiken creek runs behind most of them on the right as you come in. Pull through the entire road to the river in order to get the full gist of how large this place is. A forest ranger stopped by to say hi and was very helpful. I saw a dump station but I don’t think it’s operational anymore. Free! Right by the Salmon River.

    Guide to Junction City

    The Trinity River corridor offers several camping sites near Junction City, California, with some locations open mid-May through November. The area sits at elevations ranging from 1,600 to 2,200 feet with summer temperatures typically reaching 85-95°F during day and cooling to 50-60°F overnight. Most campgrounds require a 10-14 day maximum stay during peak season.

    What to do

    Fishing access points: Junction City Campground provides convenient river access for anglers. "Not too far from the river and it's a quiet campground with great sites," notes camper Bryan C.

    Water activities: Tannery Gulch Campground offers lake-based recreation despite fluctuating water levels. "The lake level is very low. Quite a walk down to the water from the camp sites. $24 per night +$10 for extra vehicles," reports Cody S.

    Gold panning: Trinity River contains deposits of gold and pyrite that catch sunlight. Pigeon Point Group Campground has "beautiful camp spot right off of Highway 299 and beautiful Trinity County river access," according to a visitor.

    Hiking trails: East Weaver Group Campground features "so many different trails to choose from," with Jennifer S. adding it has a "beautiful creek running through" the area.

    What campers like

    Waterside camping: Steel Bridge Campground offers riverside sites. One visitor mentioned, "Short trail at the end of the campground that follows the river," making it easy to access water.

    Peaceful atmosphere: Many campsites provide quiet surroundings away from crowds. Junction City Campground visitor Rhonda W. notes, "Most likely, you will have a campground to yourself."

    Natural shade: East Weaver Group Campground has "nice and shady" sites according to Jennifer S., while other campers appreciate tree coverage during hot summer days.

    Wildlife viewing: Mary Smith Campground offers nature observation opportunities. Karen O. noted, "Birds and frogs were in abundance" during their stay, adding natural ambiance to camping experience.

    What you should know

    Seasonal water levels: Lake and river conditions vary significantly throughout camping season. At Tannery Gulch, "The lake level is very low. Quite a walk down to the water from the camp sites," reports Cody S.

    Limited amenities: Most campgrounds near Junction City offer basic facilities. "No firewood for sale at the campground so plan ahead," advises Cody S. about Tannery Gulch Campground.

    Bear safety: Several campgrounds require proper food storage. Mary Smith visitor Karen O. mentioned, "We set our tents up on the platforms and had a great view of the lake and trinity alps in the distance," with platforms helping keep food away from wildlife.

    Water temperature: Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort visitor Jason D. notes, "River access right around the corner," but Trinity River waters remain cold even during summer months.

    Tips for camping with families

    Tent platforms: Mary Smith Campground offers raised tent platforms at some sites. "We had the campground to ourselves as they hadn't put up the glamping tents yet. We set our tents up on the platforms and had a great view of the lake," reports Karen O.

    Shallow water access: Look for campsites with graduated water entry for safer swimming. At Mary Smith Campground, "We took tubes out and laid in the water and soaked up the sun," describes Azizah T.

    Bathroom facilities: Trinity Alps RV Park provides convenient restrooms. "Pleasant, grassy, mostly shaded area behind the main building. Restroom and showers, no extra charge," notes Robert A.

    Playground alternatives: Natural features often substitute for play equipment. At Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort, "We will definitely be back," says Corey L., noting the nearby river and forests provided entertainment.

    Tips from RVers

    Site size considerations: Most campgrounds accommodate smaller to mid-size RVs only. Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort visitor Jason D. advises, "Biggest I would put in here would be about a 30 foot trailer. You have to disconnect your tow vehicle."

    Level pads: Tannery Gulch Campground has well-maintained RV spaces. Tammy H. notes, "The RV pads were nice and level," making setup easier.

    Distance from town: Factor in driving time for supplies. Tara D. says about Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort: "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."

    Cellular connectivity: Service varies by provider and location. Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort offers "ok Verizon signal," according to Corey L., though service deteriorates further into the mountains.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where are the campgrounds located in Junction City?

    Campgrounds in the Junction City area are scattered throughout the stunning Trinity River region. Junction City Campground is centrally located with drive-in access. For a riverside experience, Trinity River (Ca) — Shasta Trinity National Forest offers beautiful sites surrounded by mountains along the river. Nearby, you'll find Douglas City Campground and Steel Bridge Campground just a short drive away, providing additional options for exploring this picturesque area of Northern California.

    What amenities are available at Junction City campgrounds?

    Junction City area campgrounds offer a range of amenities to suit different camping styles. Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground provides clean, spacious sites with basic facilities. For more comforts, Trinity Lake KOA Holiday offers full amenities including sites suitable for trailers, tent camping areas, and access to the river. Many local campgrounds feature fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets. Tannery Gulch Campground provides well-shaded sites, some with lake views, tables, fire rings, and select sites even include bear boxes.

    When is the best season for camping in Junction City?

    The prime camping season in Junction City runs from late spring through early fall (May to October). Summer offers perfect conditions for enjoying water activities at Bailey Canyon Campground, where you can swim, fish, and boat on the lake. Late spring provides flowing waters at Pearch Creek Campground, with the river offering refreshing pools to splash in. Early fall brings cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. Be aware that some campgrounds like Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park Campground may have seasonal closures during winter months.

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