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$35 - $50 / night
Lacks Creek is a recreational treasure hidden in the coast range and offers a wide range of outdoor opportunities. Ride your horse or bike along the shared use trails, or find your own secluded campsite with a view. Lacks Creek is located in California's northern Coast Range, approximately 15 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The area is in Humboldt County, approximately 20 miles northeast of Eureka. The management area includes 8,673 acres of BLM managed public lands 7,377 acres are within the Lacks Creek watershed, with the other acreage made up of contiguous lands. The management area is surrounded by large private land timber holdings, and the region contains some of the most productive and intensively managed commercial forest lands in the United States. The immediate area is sparsely populated with scattered ranches in adjacent Redwood Valley.
A backcountry permit is required for overnight camping: https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm To prepare for any trip to this location, download the detailed Elam backcountry guide and map: https://www.nps.gov/places/elambackcountrycamp.htm
• When parking at trailhead, secure items of value and keep them out of sight; better yet, leave them at home! Lock vehicle doors, roll up windows, and engage anti-theft devices. • Hikers/backpackers only: 7.5 miles to camp from Orick Horse Trailhead. • Hikers/backpackers only: 3 miles to camp from Redwood Creek Trailhead. Note: Frequent vehicle break-ins at trailhead parking area. • Hikers/backpackers only: 6.5 miles to camp from Tall Trees Trailhead. • Pets (with the exception of service animals) and bicycles are not permitted on trails or in camp. • Redwood Creek may be impossible to cross during the rainy season and/or during high flow stages; two bridges over Redwood Creek are only in place seasonally, usually June–September.
The Lover's Camp Trailhead is the starting point for popular hikes to Marble Valley, Sky High Lakes, Red Rock Valley, Little Elk Lake and Deep Lake. The Canyon Creek Trail connects with the PCT. Be sure to park in area designated and not in campsites.
Traveler
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.
TravelerI 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
Guide
This is a great place to see an elk herd as they sometimes come grazing through the campground. The campsites were more spacious than other campgrounds we stayed at. The restrooms are ok, however take a light with you at night because the motion lights will turn off before you can finish your business. The showers are in need of an upgrade. Plus they are coin operated which was disappointing considering the condition. Very convenient beach access road is almost directly across from the campground entrance. Also, there are two areas to camp, the meadows with no shade and the woods with little sun. WiFi is free for 30 minutes each day or pay for longer periods and Verizon signal is weak Overall a nice place with friendly staff.
GuideVery special to see Elk roaming the campgrounds. Nice large campsites, clean bathrooms, and great service.
TravelerOther 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
TravelerBeautiful 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)
TravelerClean, level, spacious campground sites, close together trees so you can hang a hammock, hilltop view, pristine feel. Deep grateful breath. Gaia happy here.
ScoutWhen 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?
GuideSites are ok. Elk wander around the campground and in the meadow. Gravel and grass pads. Power did not work at our first site but host moved us over one site.
GuideWe used this as a checkpoint in 2021 when traveling from Oregon to Southern California via HWY-101. The park is clean, and we had a great time walking around and resting between the legs of our trip. We arrived after hours and our stay information was available in an envelope at the main building. Here's a view from the back-in site 510. We would stay here again.
TravelerIt was great very peaceful. Only saw one person in the whole time I realize I’m probably going in the off-season thing I went in the middle of November.
GuideWhen we pulled in the herd was on the property . All our stay info was in an envelope hanging on the office porch . Clean warm bathrooms , coin operated showers .not a lot of other campers felt private and cozy to sleep with elk surround by redwoods
TravelerHad booked and paid for a site but when we arrived it was closed up and no record of my booking. We just found an empty space and parked up for the night. No info on facilities. Left early
ScoutGreat spot. The site is very secluded and well maintained. Note the gps coordinates take you to the right of the sign at the top of the hill after you turn off the main road. I would recommend going straight. Just follow it to the end. There is three fire pits and a bathroom. That is okay. But it will do. Note there is no trash can on site and the closest gas station is probably an hour from the camp site. After you drive down the dirt roads. They are a little road but any vehicle could make it.
TravelerAwesome pull outs on easy terrain. Lots of hiking and mountain bike trails too. Quiet, well maintained spots. Mosquitoes are bad this time of year so prepare well!
Can easily drive a van or pick up. I saw one large trailer here, but there are only 1-2 spots, as corners are too tight as you get higher.
LegendI’ve driven by this RV campground at least 20 times in my life now and have ALWAYS seen elk. It has never disappointed. I wanted to bring my kids to see elk, so we booked a site in December. It was wet, rainy, and cold (at no fault of the campground lol) but we’re not fair weather campers and came prepared.
Lo and behold, ELK AS PROMISED! My kids were fascinated and very excited. We kept them a safe distance and followed the campgrounds rules and precautions about being near elk.
The campground is HUGE. There are over 500 sites so I can imagine how mobbed this place can get when the weather is nicer. We didn’t have any issues getting a site in the winter. It was rather empty with a few other RVs, schoolies, an van lifers around.
The restrooms were big and clean. Showers had plenty of hooks for keeping dry things dry.  
GuideWe’ve only stayed here one night but Would recommend staying here. Pretty expensive and still had to pay for the shower, which was kind of dirty.. staff is really friendly tho.
GuideThis is a nice place to stay while visiting the Redwoods. Make sure you stay in the meadow portion, the forest looked dark and damp. Meadow spaces are spacious, although our rig is small. Bathrooms ok, pay showers. Cell service not good. Office staff ok (didn't seem too outgoing, but could have been the day). But the ELK, so cool!!! Also, a trip to Fern Canyon is totally worth it.
GuideNo cell signal. WiFi is iffy at best and you are only allowed an hour of WiFi a day unless you want to pay for a “package”. When a place advertises it has WiFi all qualifiers should be stated. The sites are not well maintained. Worst place I have been in 6 months of traveling.
LegendStayed three nights over Thanksgiving weekend in a 29 foot travel trailer. Due to the holiday the office was closed when we arrived so we picked up our paperwork at the front door. To my dismay, our site was different than the one we reserved and it was the closest to the highway. This is one of a couple black marks against this campground - I was moved and received no heads up and no avenue for recourse since I arrived on a holiday. All in all, the site wasn't too bad. It was large enough for our trailer and truck and decently spaced from our neighbors. The road noise was there but not too bad. The second black mark was the wifi. Not sure if it was our site location, but the signal was poor - very rarely were we able to connect (also we had Verizon with barely any signal). All the utilities were in decent shape and worked fine. Bathroom was clean and there were plenty of toilet and shower stalls. I never used the laundry but there were three washers and three dryers that looked fairly new. The store had some basic grocery and supplies (a bit overpriced, but that's because there isn't much local competition). There was an old one room schoolhouse on location that still had a lot of displays in it from when it was a museum (just ask at the office to be let in). And the ELK!
Let me tell you about the elk. Our first morning the herd came in the far side of the campground. We kept an appropriate distance and watched as they grazed and roamed the meadow. Then we didn't see them for a few days. The morning we planned to leave, we got up before dawn to make an early get away. That plan was foiled when we opened the door and realized we were surrounded by the herd - over 40 elk surrounded the trailer, some as close as 10 feet away. We watched, and waited, and eventually they moved away, allowing us to go outside to break down.
Overall, a nice campground. It's very close to the local parks. I would stay here again.
GuideLoooooved this campground. There's a meadow area for RVS and a forested area for smaller rvs/vans and tents. Some tent sites have electrical outlets, all tent sites have a spigot. BIG bathrooms with flush toilets, hot coin showers, laundry room. Laundry room has a soap machine AND a change machine. Hosts are super nice and the facilities are really clean. The grounds are beautiful, there's a lovely large lake with a little footpath around it - I saw otters in the lake and elk in the front meadow! Great base to explore the redwoods, Trinidad, Patrick's Point and Eureka. I got some TMobile service near the road but the wifi didn't work for me. Solo female traveler approved, super chill. There were a few open spaces even over the weekend.
LegendGreat place to stay. So quite, sites are great, some what level. The red school house was very interesting. The smell of camp fire was wonderful.
ScoutWe just finished a backpacking trip in marble valley and sky high lakes area, both accessible about 5+ miles from the Lovers Camp Trailhead. It was absolutely beautiful! So much to do in that area and such great views. Very well kept trail and the campsites were well maintained. Definitely hope to return soon.
TravelerWe rented an RV and discovered we couldn’t fit down the narrow roads to the campsite we planned for. Praying for plan B we drove back to this RV park we saw from the road. Thankfully they had space for us. We learned about the roaming Elk herd that passed right through the camp. The camp host made clear the Elk were NOT domesticated in any way. Our site was a comfortable distance from neighbor vehicles, included a picnic table and fire ring. Had a beautiful coastal foggy sunrise on the meadow which have clear views in all directions. Friendly neighbors, clean bathrooms and showers (bring quarters). Hook ups were in good condition. Visited nearby state park and beaches. Elk herd arrived the next day, slowly making themselves at home amongst the campers. The meadow, the elk herd, friendly people, good campground…. was probably our favorite stay that week.
TravelerSuch a great spot to get to hikes within the redwoods but, also see the beaches. The sites are well spaced out but, you do have to pay to shower if you use the public facility. We got to see the elk in the morning and it was so cool! We stayed in the meadow and there was not trees for shade but, it was pretty cool out so our airstream didn’t get too hot
RangerThe greatest think about this campground is the Rosevelt Elk herd that grazes throughout. They are simply beautiful. We stayed in the Meadow campground which is all open and no shade but we loved it. We pretty much had the park to ourselves so lots of room.
It’s a 2 min drive (or mile walk) to a beautiful and secluded beach. Also a short and beautiful 20minute drive to the Lady Bird Trail in Redwood National Park (a great 1.5 mile loop through a redwood grove)
Guide
I camped here in late March 2021 during a 2 night, 3 day hike of the Redwood National & State Park. This campground is the first one you come upon while hiking in from the Orick Horse Trail Trailhead. There are picnic tables and two bear lockers, (there's another by the horse coral). I stopped for lunch at this site on my first day. I think this is the primary campground used by most hikers, (and the gravel bar near by).
If I were to plan another trip I would only use this campsite as a way point on the way to more secluded sites. This is a main thoroughfare, so people will pass by your site. It's also the only horse camp. There was a sign that directed hikers to camp on the gravel bar instead of Elam. I think this is more likely in summer because of traffic as I only saw one horse rider on day hike.
This is wilderness, so appropriate caution must be taken, Bear canister is required is you do not have access to a site with a bear locker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Klamath, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Klamath, CA is Elk Country RV Resort & Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 28 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Klamath, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
