Elam Backcountry Camp in Redwood National Park offers basic facilities for equestrians and hikers accessing the park via the Orick Horse Trail. As the only designated horse campsite in the immediate area, it serves riders seeking direct trail access into the redwoods. The primitive camp features picnic tables and three bear lockers, including one located near the horse coral. Permits are required for camping, and fires are allowed, though the site lacks drinking water, toilets, and other amenities. The camp serves primarily as a waypoint for those venturing deeper into the park. This is the only designated horse camp in the immediate area, with a sign directing regular hikers to camp on the nearby gravel bar instead during busy periods.
Trail access from Elam Camp connects riders to the broader network of trails within Redwood National and State Parks. The location experiences moderate to heavy use as the first campground encountered when hiking in from the Orick Horse Trail Trailhead. Most equestrians and hikers use this site as a stopover rather than a destination, continuing to more secluded locations within the park. The campsite sits along a main thoroughfare where other park visitors regularly pass through. Bear canisters are required for those camping in areas without bear lockers. For riders planning horse camping near Klamath, Elam serves as the primary trailhead camp offering direct entry to miles of equestrian trails through ancient redwoods.
"This campground is conveniently located right on the 101 Hwy, close by to the ocean and right down the road from tons of Redwood Nat’l Park trails."
"We 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."
from $40 - $70 / night
"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)."
"Camped here for one night mid September, slept in a car, great view and found the 3 spacious camping spots with a picnic table, fire pit (with a grill rack), and an unsmelly bathroom a short walk away."
"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."
"follow titlow hill road until you get to a fork in the road with 3 roads and a take a left. follow it up past the cell tower and drive until you reach 2 pullouts close together where the bottom one has"
"We 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!"
Scoutthe 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 💕🏔️
GuideThis was a pretty nice spot. Only about 3 campsites with tables and fire pits, but a few others along the road. The view was nice and the sunsets were amazing! It was very quiet at night, no noise from the road. There are some trail heads close to the campsites, but some are very overgrown. The only downside was lots of mosquitoes, even out after dark. The road was also very rocky, but manageable. Be careful to go slow and avoid sharp rocks, because I ended up with a flat tire on the way out. Cell service isn't bad, but the nearest town is about 1 hr away. Weather was warm and dry, with some light mist at night. We did see a black bear on our way down the road, but not much other wildlife besides birds.
ScoutMy boyfriend and brother and I spent the evening restoring an old campsite we found. we put lots of love into this place.
amazing view of the ocean and sunset was crazy beautiful!!
follow titlow hill road until you get to a fork in the road with 3 roads and a take a left. follow it up past the cell tower and drive until you reach 2 pullouts close together where the bottom one has a camp fire, park at the top pullout. look for the trail to the right and pretty much bushwash your way to the best campsite ever.
RangerThis place first off is 45min to an hour from 101. Secondly it rained all night and my RTT is soaked. Once I took the rain fly down it was bad. Needless to say trying to get to a dry place to allow my tent to dry. I will say I absolutely love Offroad and this is a forest service road that goes up the mountain. Great place if it’s not raining and you don’t plan on sleeping in your RTT in the rain. I’ve never left a bad review but If I could give this 0 stars I would.
GuideI don’t know what it is with the state of California and charging people a lot of money and not allowing showers. I tried to take a shower and it wants quarters and the office is closed so I can’t get quarters. Who walks around with bags of quarters anymore? I don’t think people have a right to charge this much money for such an inconvenience.
ScoutRoad is one lane, gravel, windy for the last part of the trek up witj some deeper ruts (we did fine going slow in a stock Honda Accord). Plenty of mountain bike, hiking trails with difficulty levels and map! There's a first camping spot with the easy loop hiking trail that is just by itself and a little further down the road is 3 or 4 other camping spots near the bathroom and additional trails. Absolutely will be coming back!!!
RangerUnlucky timing on my part overall with this spot. As of Sept ‘25, chunks of the gravel road were under construction; some blind, narrow turns, but nothing too intense; and dips, washouts, and big exposed rocks, so drive with care. The area with the tables was overflowing with people and cars on a Thursday a few hours before sunset. Might have been one large group (or a few) but seemed surprising for a spot that’s not the easiest or most convenient to get to, but went back the way I came and found another spot that did the trick for a night, with a great hiking trail nearby the next morning. Gorgeous chunk of countryside with great views and wildlife.
TravelerCamped here for one night mid September, slept in a car, great view and found the 3 spacious camping spots with a picnic table, fire pit (with a grill rack), and an unsmelly bathroom a short walk away. On the way up, I think I took a wrong term but got to the spots anyways? I took a left at sign with the offices of some sort (thinking it was the camp ground entrance) and then took a few more turns and eventually found the place. There was only one other person also camping. The road wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, it took me about forty minutes to find the camp grounds from the bottom of the hill to the top. There were narrow moments in the road but plenty of larger two lane spaces. I have a 2014 Subaru crosstrek and it did just fine getting up. I would definitely Return!
TravelerThis is a beautiful campground, though not the best roads to access. We were the only people here on Labor Day weekend
Elam Backcountry Camp in Redwood National Park provides primitive accommodations for equestrians and hikers using the Orick Horse Trail. The camp sits at approximately 300 feet elevation within the dense coastal forest ecosystem typical of Northern California. Temperatures range from 40-65°F year-round with frequent fog and rainfall, creating consistently damp conditions.
Explore nearby beaches: A secluded beach sits just 2 minutes by car or a mile walk from Elk Country RV Resort & Campground. "It's a 2 min drive (or mile walk) to a beautiful and secluded beach," notes Erin A. who camped in the meadow area.
Observe wildlife: Roosevelt elk sightings are common at campgrounds near Klamath. "Elk country rv resort was AMAZING! Nothing beats sleeping under the canopy of redwood trees and waking in the brisk morning to find elk grazing in the adjacent pasture," shares Renee R. about Elk Country RV Resort & Campground.
Hike through redwoods: Several short trails provide access to old-growth forests. "A short and beautiful 20-minute drive to the Lady Bird Trail in Redwood National Park (a great 1.5 mile loop through a redwood grove)," reports Erin A. who used Elk Country as a base for exploration.
Unique wildlife encounters: The natural setting provides opportunities for animal viewing. "We enjoyed seeing elk as we pulled in. We went on some nice walks around the pond and watched the otter swim in the water," describes Naomi H. at Elk Country RV Resort & Campground.
Trail network access: Backcountry areas connect to extensive hiking routes. "We 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!" explains Erin from Lovers Camp Trailhead.
Panoramic vistas: Elevated campsites offer forest views. "Wildly peaceful. The second campsite you can drive to is on the left and you have an insane view of the trees. The sunset was absolutely incredible," describes Leah H. about her experience at Lacks Creek BLM.
Road conditions vary: Access to remote sites requires careful driving. "Road is narrow and steep with low hanging trees. The further I got down it the more uncomfortable I got," cautions Jules S. about approaching Lacks Creek BLM with a travel trailer.
Limited facilities: Most backcountry sites offer minimal amenities. "This is wilderness, so appropriate caution must be taken. Bear canister is required if you do not have access to a site with a bear locker," advises Sharon B. who stayed at Elam Backcountry Camp.
Seasonal crowds: Popular areas can become congested during peak periods. "The area with the tables was overflowing with people and cars on a Thursday a few hours before sunset. Might have been one large group but seemed surprising for a spot that's not the easiest to get to," reports Marasha L. about Lacks Creek.
Check shower facilities: Comfort amenities vary widely between sites. "The only negative I could find was that you do have to pay to shower, and we rarely had warm water. Not sure if there was something going on with the showers, but I took some of the fastest showers in my life," notes Renee R. from Elk Country RV Resort & Campground.
Consider campsite location: Choose between open or wooded areas based on preferences. "We stayed on the 'meadow' side where the elk roam through your campsite. The 'forest' side is quite dark as you are camping in the redwoods," explains Nicole B. about the layout at Elk Country RV Resort.
Explore seasonal attractions: Spring brings unique wildlife viewing. "They have a small pond with a ton of polliwogs in it (end of June). No fish in the pond as a couple of otters came in and ate all the fish," adds Nicole B. about features that might interest children.
Site selection matters: RV sites vary in privacy and exposure. "The spots are pretty close together. Paid WiFi connectivity," mentions Stefanie W. about Lacks Creek BLM, highlighting the density of camping spaces.
Check road clearance: Access roads may challenge larger vehicles. "Don't be confused when you arrive and head up the hill where you'll find camping spots. We even pulled up our rear drop camper and had no issues at all," advises Luke D. who successfully navigated to Lacks Creek BLM.
Plan for limited connectivity: Cell service is inconsistent throughout the region. "There's limited cell service in the campground," notes Stefanie W. about connectivity at Elk Country RV Resort, suggesting visitors should prepare for communication limitations.
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-star rating from 30 reviews.
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