Best Cabin Camping near Lassen National Forest

I have camped at burney falls twice. My first time camping here I stayed in the little cabins they have. (Memorial Cabin Area) That was pretty awesome it’s just a small cabin that has a bed, all cooking and hanging out is done outside the cabin. It has a little porch was pretty cute. The downside to this campground is that it’s pretty obvious that visitors feed the squirrels. The squirrels were more than accustomed to coming right up to us. I put groceries on the picnic table and was unloading the car and squirrels literally ran to the table to attack. I was more than annoyed by this because I don’t interact with wildlife, for their safety to the public who may harm them. My second time staying I tent camped and the first night it rained. (Pioneer Campground) This was no huge deal to me because from what I’ve learned about the outdoors is you’ll never get the weather you expect haha. The next couple days weather started clearing up but was still cloudy. We hiked down to the water fall which is so breath taking and then hiked out to the lake. They have a souvenir shop, firewood and restrooms right on the campground. There’s a small town about 15-20 minute drive to shingle town that normally has little outside events.

Our annual camping trip to Eagle Lake at the Merrill Campground in Lassen National Forest started as a family trip for a good friend about three generations ago. Ourselves and other friends have since tagged along for the last 6-8 years (some longer). We now routinely book 6 or more campsites, most with power for trailer hook ups though a couple of us still tent camp. Half the group are avid fisherman and go out every morning. The trout fishing is world class and makes for an out-of-this-world fish fry! This is one of the most pristine and quiet campgrounds we visit. The camp hosts and other campers are always extremely friendly and respectful. The facilities are clean and well maintained, the marina is well stocked (both fishing and daily food/drink essentials). We look forward to coming year after year.

Manzanita Lake is a really family friendly campground. It’s great seeing the kids ride around the loop on their bicycles and scooters. We had a perimeter site in the A loop, adjacent to the trail that runs to the lake. These sites feel particularly spacious. Due to the type of pine forest, none of them will be private. The interior sites were ok on space for being in a National Park. There is a mix between 3+ night campers and the one nighters, so the park doesn’t completely empty out each day. First come first serve campers would be advised to read the reservation signs carefully, sometimes they are marked a day or two before occupancy and that might be enough time to squeeze in a visit.

There are both plumbed and vault bathrooms, but there is no electricity—so wear a headlamp to the bathroom at night. There is also a water and drain area for dumping dish-wash water, etc. Each site has a bear box, and use of it for all food and food prep, as well as toiletries is expected—campers cannot use their cars. In A loop, we are only a short walk from all things Lake, the laundry and showers, and the camp store. The store has a small menu of hot food offerings available, and the groceries surmount to things found at a gas station plus a few extras like bacon. While travelers should always buy where they burn to prevent introducing invasive bug species, buying wood right outside the park might be a smart choice; the bundles here are $10 each! Ice is $4.65+ for a small 7 lb bag. Showers are $1.75 (7 quarters) for 3 minutes. Many of the groceries are double normal prices. I didn’t dare to check their gas prices! The kayak and canoe rentals are more reasonable. Cabin packages with cook stove, etc, are no longer available with reservations—even though they are still advertised. If staying here for a bit, adventurers will have to drive through Chester to get to other points in the park, like the Devil’s Kitchen (a most beautiful hike). Chester has gas, grocery, hotels, more campgrounds, and some really great local eats. Also check out Drakesbad Ranch if comparing alternatives; we hiked by it on our outing to Devil’s Kitchen and it looks pretty neat.

Waking up to the sound of the wind in the braches of the tall pines, while feeling nothing more than a breeze down below, is a pleasant experience. The drive through Lassen Volcanic is stunning. Under the snow capped peak, wildflowers cascade down the mountainside to frolicking creeks and waterfalls. Emerald lake shines like a deep, green Emerald, and around the corner, Lake Helen is a sparkling Sapphire. The geothermal areas are always interesting and remind us of the forces behind this volcanic tower, and that Lassen is still active. All in all, a great place to car camp.

Nice campground though it can be very crowded. If you have kids it's perfect, close to the lake with a beach area, and activities are offered by the park staff. You can hike or drive to the lake, and of the waterfall, which is easily accessible, is simply beautiful. Watch for black swifts by day, and big eared bats at night by the waterfall. Last time I went, there was an Osprey nest at the falls. The park has a nice visitor center and small store. Sites have a picnic table, food locker, fire ring, there are showers, flush toilets and water. The sites are nice sized and mostly level.

A suggestion if you want to skip the crowds - I've gone in the off season when a smaller section of the campground is open. It is cold at night – but you could hear the waterfall all night – best sleep ever! In the evening I had the waterfall all to myself (bring a bottle of wine)! I saw only two other people there in the morning. There are also cabins that looked nice.

Check out McCloud falls while in the area, it's a nice hike to three different falls. Note, the PCT goes through here if that is of interest to you.

Camped at Pioneer Camp in August, 2017. Nice campground under the pine trees even though it was full and a little crowded at that time. Some sites are close so music from neighboring site(s) can be heard. A picnic table, a fire ring and a little storage box are available at each site. Restrooms and showers were nice and clean. Since a store is so close, it is very convenient if you forget anything or just want to get food quick and easy. The falls itself is also so close to the campground so you could just hike/walk to explore. We stayed there only one night, but would love to go back and explore more around this place.

This campsite is pretty awesome. We stayed at site #21 in loop D. The sites were very large and came equipped with a fire ring/grill, bear box and picnic table.

We had a great time exploring the park and hanging out around Lake Manzanita.

Lassen National Park is beautiful and we hope to be back soon. Even during a busy Labor Day Weekend the park was crowded but nothing like a bigger national park (think Yosemite) in a regular weekend. It was nice being able to experience the park without feeling totally overcrowded.

The camp store was very convenient if you forget anything!