For those who want to get away from civilization for a weekend, but still want the comforts of home, consider renting a cabin for your Mineral camping trip. Finding a place to cabin camp in California is easier than ever. Each cabin offers quick access to one or more of Mineral's most popular destinations.
Manzanita Lake Campground (elevation 5,900 ft.) is the largest campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is within walking distance of the scenic Manzanita Lake, a popular fishing and family destination, and offers impressive views of Lassen Peak, the largest volcano in the park at 10,457 feet. The facility is conveniently located one mile south of the park entrance, close to The Loomis Museum, Loomis Ranger Station and popular hiking trails. Educational programs are presented at the museum and amphitheater.
Manzanita Lake is popular with fly fishermen, but the campground does maintain a catch-and-release policy. Non-motorized boating is also permitted and Kayak rentals are available nearby. The park boasts more than 150 miles of hiking trails, a variety of which can be accessed from the campground, including family-friendly hikes as well as those for more experienced hikers.
The national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes, as well as many hydrothermal features, such as mud pots and steam vents. Lassen Peak is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascades, and the second most recent to erupt in the lower 48 of the United States before Mount Saint Helens. Lassen National Park boasts over 700 species of flowering plants and 250 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. The park is at the junction of the Cascade Mountains, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin, thus providing many unique habitats.
$26 / night
Pioneer Camp
$35 - $143 / night
Mill Creek Resort is the Off-The-Beaten-Path mountain resort that you've been looking for. Located in the historic 1930's Mill Creek Lodge just 20 minutes from the southwest entrance of Lassen Volcanic National Park, we are the perfect jumping-off point for your next mountain adventure. Our vintage cabin rentals and spacious wooded campsites welcome adventurers from near and far to experience the magic that lassen offers.
RV Sites, Tent Camping, Cabins, Yurts and Motel Rooms
Merrill Campground is located in the Eagle Lake Recreation Area of the Lassen National Forest. This recreation area has five campgrounds, three designated day use areas and a marina on the south shore of Eagle Lake. All of these recreation facilities are connected by a 5.2 mile paved hiking/bike trail. The Osprey Overlook, another day use area in the recreation area, can be hiked or driven to for a scenic view of the southern end of Eagle Lake and the surrounding forest basin. The Lassen National Forest offers a variety of lakes, streams and wilderness areas for recreational opportunities. The forest offers miles of trails that are used for hiking, mountain biking, off-highway vehicle riding and in the winter months, snowmobiling.
Fishing for the Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout, a California Heritage Trout, is the primary recreational activity on Eagle Lake, but the 3rd largest natural lake in California (22,000 acres), provides for plenty of room for swimming, kayaking, skiing and all other boating activities by motor or sail. There are no 2-cycle restrictions for outboard boat motors or PWCs.
Eagle Lake is located where the Sierras meet the Cascades at the southwestern end of the lake, and the Modoc Plateau of the Great Basin at the northeastern end. This unique location offers diverse landscapes, geology, wildlife and vegetation. Merrill Campground is located in a mature conifer forest of pines and firs on the southern shoreline of Eagle Lake, at an elevation of 5,100 feet.
The Lassen National Forest has many other recreational opportunities and the Lassen Volcanic National Park is an easy days drive to and from Eagle Lake Recreational Area.
$35 - $80 / night
Formerly Childs Meadow Resort
Located on 18 private acres in the Lassen National Forest, The Village at Highlands Ranch is located just 10 minutes from the Lassen Volcanic National Park south entrance and visitor center, and just a few miles from reaching the peak of Mt. Lassen at 10,457 feet. The Village offers comfortable accommodations in the 19-room inn, 24-space RV park with 7 pull-thru and 17 back-in sites, and 7 tent camping sites with picnic tables and fire pits, along with equestrian camping for those traveling with their four-legged friends.
At 5,000 feet, our property offers breathtaking views of Lassen Volcanic National Park. During the summer, take in the quiet mountain breeze or enjoy a crackling fire with family and friends. During the winter, you are steps away from cross-country skiing or snowshoeing right out your front door at the inn. Experience a cosmic art show of stars painted against the dark mountain sky any time of the year!
Situated near the northwest entrance to the park, the rustic Camping Cabins provide convenience, economy, and security. These 20 cabins are the first new accommodations in Lassen Volcanic National Park since 1972, and are available in three models: 2 Room, 1 Room, and Bunkhouse. Groceries, supplies, gifts, gasoline, a pay phone, ATM, laundromat, and hot showers can be located at the nearby Manzanita Lake Camper Store.
At this time we offer 8 cabins, 9 motel rooms and 63 R.V. spaces for rent. Year after year our regulars return to visit or stay. Some groups book their weekend on the same date yearly, while other families move up for the whole summer and build a welcoming community that only gets stronger. Lake Almanor is a place where most people know one another’s names, and if we see a new face we’re quick to introduce ourselves with a smile. If you’re looking for fine dining or a drink with friends, our lakeside restaurant and bar offers an unbeatable view. Plumas Pines Bar and Grill proudly claims the only lakeside restaurant on Lake Almanor. Cruise right up to our courtesy dock and unload your boat for lunch or dinner all summer long. Plumas Pines also has a full service marina with boat slips available both long and short-term, along with a boat launch and an extensive selection of boat/jet ski rentals. After launching your boat or jet skis, fuel up at our floating convenience store and boatside-service gas pump. We have everything you might need for the perfect lake getaway: the only thing that’s missing is you! Come on up to Plumas Pines Resort and relax. You’re on mountain time now.
$54 - $150 / night
Traveler
we loved this campground! You have options of no hiking and enjoying some spectacular views or short hikes to see even more spectacular views! So even my kids enjoyed the hiking! The staff was so kind and the store is away from the camping by a short walk. Close enough but not to close! Absolutely loved this place for family camping.
Cabins though were not what we expected. 2 room cabin and we got 2 bunk beds and a space heater. Nothing in front room. Bring your table and chairs. Bunk beds were comfortable though!
Traveler
We booked a 1 room camping cabin for 2 nights during a hiking trip. It was a great little place to stay for a few nights. It had the feel of camping but also some amenities of a cabin.
As expected, we had a full size mattress with a table and chairs inside and a small patio set outside. The space also had a large bear box, fire ring and picnic table.
The campground as a whole was very quiet, clean, and the vault style toilets were well maintained. The store was winding down for the season but the employees were pleasant and helpful.
Guide
An easy camp spot. The further down the loops the better the sites are. Some sites are close to others. The walk down to the lake isn't far. Nice for a get away! They also have cabins that you can reserve and a small store at the campground.
LegendThis campground is BIG. there are four loops of sites. I am a tent camper so this area can be on the crowded side for me with not enough privacy.
That being said the lake is beautiful. Easy access for kayaks and canoes.
The sites are clean, have table, food locker and fire sit. Bathrooms are flush with showers available. Close by are cabins to rent on the lake and a store, rentals and even gas,
Great jumping off site to get thru Lassen Park. Can take 45 minutes to get to the other side but there is lots of hiking and incredible views. And crazy geo thermal sites such as Bumpass Hell.
LegendGeneral: Four loops plus a cabin loop, however, after September 5 at noon, the only loops open are A, B, and cabins.
Site Quality: Some pull-throughs and some back-in. The back-in sites were, for the most part, better suited for tent camping as the camper pads were quite short and many were not level. We lucked out in that our camper pad was only slightly unlevel and we could make it work with our camper van. Some sites were close together with minimal separation while others had more trees separating them.
Bath/Shower house: There were several toilet options ranging from vault toilets to basic bathrooms with flush toilets, to larger restrooms with dishwashing sinks. Although there was a soap dispenser in the two closest to our site, there was no soap. The very cold water was oh-so refreshing on a cold September morning! The dishwashing sink in the A loop was locked but we did see campers using the one in the B Loop.
Activities/Amenities: There is a camper store with food, showers, gas, and laundry available. You can access both Manzanita and Reflection Lakes (1.5 and.5 miles respectively) from the campground. The Chaos Crags trailhead is approximately a half mile from the A Loop. There are kayak, cataraft, and SUP rentals available for Manzanita Lake but it was a bit chilly when we were there. There is zero cell service in the campground but it is noted there is a milepost where you can grab a signal. On our Chaos Crags hike, however, we got a strong signal on Verizon!
The campground was okay but worth it as a base camp for exploring the northwest part of the park. Happy this one has not been outsourced to a vendor and the price is still reasonable ($26 or$13 with the senior pass).
RangerI 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.
LegendIt had been over 20 years since the last time we camped here so I was pleased to see that updates had been made and the park is well maintained. Two loops: Rim Camp and Pioneer camp. Pioneer has over 20 cabins plus over 20 camping sites. We stayed in the Rim Camp; on a Monday the week before Memorial Day, we had our pick of sites as the park was nearly empty but the website warns that on weekends and during the summer, this park does fill up. No hookups so the $35 per night ($33 for seniors) price is a little pricey. Some sites have paved pads and some are dirt; since it rained hard as soon as we set up, we appreciated the pavement. Bathrooms have been updated since the last time we were here in the mid-1990s and they are individual rooms with toilet and sink and (powdered) soap but no trash receptacle. Didn’t check the condition of the showers. The two draws are Burney Falls and Lake Britton. We didn’t go to the lake because it was cold and rainy but there are boat and kayak rentals available, which we would take advantage of during nicer weather. Absolutely no cell service!
GuideThis is one of my favorite campsites in California. There all the falls, which are beautiful, the lake for swimming and water sports and lots of hiking trails. The campsites are dry sites (no hookups), but they have updated bathrooms and showers. They also have cabin for rent, but you have to bring your own bedding. The visitors center is awesome and they always have programs going on for kids and adults alike. Both the falls and lake Britten is within walking distance. Even if I am not camping, I stop here to visit when going through CA.
Traveler
Lake cove is always a good choice. Clean bathrooms and laundry facility on site. There are tent sites, even sites with and without hookups, cabins, and a trailer to rent. They also have a volleyball court, horse shoes, and arcade available.
TravelerHas tents and cabin lodging. Flushable toilets with showers. Small store with limited items located in campground. 2 min from Burney falls or small beach on nearby lake. Campground is about 20-30 I’m away from Burney city where there is gas and a Safeway.
GuideI stayed at the state park in a cabin for 2 nights ..me an my wife had a nice too good amount of trails...only few of them were closed due to a storm an fires...the falls are not even far to get too maybe 5 minute walk...worth it
ScoutThis campground is super popular, so you will most likely need a reservation in advance. But it’s so worth it! The waterfalls are breathtaking, the lake is refreshing and the campground itself is relaxing and peaceful. The sites aren’t super cramped, there is a general store, clean facilities, and even cool cabins if that’s your thing. We’ve been in July and late fall and both times were spectacular.
TravelerWe love this campground for all of its extras while still feeling like you are in the wilderness. The campground has cabins, as well as tent and trailer spots. If you forget something, there is a small store known for its soft serve ice cream. You can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards. Each site has a bear box which is great for keeping the chipmunks out of your food. Great views and day hikes in the Lassen National Forest.
TravelerLarge campground, back sites back into wooded away so sites are unofficially almost 2x as big, some new bathrooms & showers, smoothly paved roads, moderate strenuous hiking access to nearby lake, mini cabins, tent or RV camping, the Falls are spectacular but water is VERY cold. Fairly steep hike down to Falls, not very handicap friendly but there are a few overlooks, nice camp store where you can get cell service. Really loved camping here for 5 days. Lace tubes about 20min drive. Don't miss!
Legend
Nice spot near the NP. Level spot, nice clean bath and shower area. Got a nice hot shower, thank you!
We stumbled across it when all the campgrounds in the national forest and national park for closed for the season and what a nice surprise. They had a little grocery store with ice cream..we had some ice cream. It was delicious.
They had the cutest little resort with little cabins, yurts and spots for a camper or big RV. They had a volleyball court, cornhole and a basketball area. Great little spot! We would absolutely come back. Internet on my phone was hit or miss outside. They offered internet for a cheap price. $1.95 a day. 12 minute drive to Park entrance. Otherwise, you are in the middle of nowhere. 20 minutes to a grocery store. Beautiful spot!
LegendThe falls sell the place. They are beautiful. The PCT trail goes right by on the opposite bank. Great fishing upstream from the falls. Great fun at Lake Britton.
BUT this is one busy crowded campground. It is large (many sites) has cabins, a visitor center and a store. So for me a tent camper this can feel like a freeway. So go in the off season - spring and fall. All the camping areas are not open then, but there are no crowds.
For tents some of the sites are open and not very private - meant for RVs. But you can hunt down a decent tent site. They have all the amenities here.
Beyond the falls and beyond the lake there is lots of hiking here. Hiking up the stream is magical. There are fall colors to enjoy, especially around Lake Britton. You can even strick out for the subway cave or Lassen or Mcloud from this central location.
LegendVery large camp near the western entrance of the Lassen Volcanic National Park. Situated on the banks of Manzanita Lake. There are numerous tent, RV, and a few cabin sites available that you can get with little advance notice, unlike many other national parks.
Manzanita has a small camp store with supplies with supplies, hook-ups, and dumpstations availability for RVs, and there is a boat launch for kayaks and canoes on the lake. You can also rent kayaks and canoes and fishing is also widely popular with licenses available in the store.
The camp is also a short drive from the very cool and historic museum that has information about the volcanic history of the park as well as early photographs of the 1915 eruption. It is well worth a visit and has a junior ranger program available for kids, plus general park information. Manzanita is probably the largest camp location within the park and is busy, but there is plenty of opportunities to escape into Lassen.
LegendManzanita 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.
GuideNice 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.
RangerStayed a couple of days in the big forested campsites. The geothermal features are unique (especially if you haven't been to Yellowstone). There are rental kayaks nearby and plenty of hikes. We did a really interesting cindercone hike.
Ranger
This place is amazing for trailer camping. The sites are close to each other, but every site has a small balcony you can back up next too. Majors Outpost boat rentals are also here and they are Super Friendly. Plumas Pines riding stables are also right up the street.
Ranger
We stayed here after a long day of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The trail goes right through the "resort" town. The place is very eclectic, full of antique, unusual and thrift store kinds of stuff. You can stay at the motel, cabins, RV or tent sites. There's a restaurant, bar, and country store. The prices at the store are exorbitant, ($5 for 4 ramen packs). The bathrooms were dirty and so was the shower. The laundry machines outside the bathrooms were broken. The waitresses we had for dinner and breakfast were rude. We spent a lot of money at the store, restaurant and bar and as soon as bikers and locals showed up we stopped getting any kind of service. You can ask the staff for password for the wifi but the wifi is extremely slow and cell service is almost nil. Camping was weird. We had to ask three people before we got directed to where to camp at. One person suggested if we paid the bartender $20 we could get a campsite. Another one told us the campground was full with a family reunion. We were finally directed to free camp sites behind the school house. It wasn't a reunion, unless Grandma is really hip and likes rave music. But the baby there did not like it and cried all night. We were next to the "festival". The rave music played until 7 am. The bartender in the morning told us that they have music festivals like that all summer long. Even being free this place was not worth the stop. Caribou Crossing up the road was kinder and had amenities that worked.
TravelerAs a beginner RV-er/camper this site was great. Great staff, easy to get to and find your spot, and convenient spots with decks and hookups.
The neighbors were also awesome, and helped us with questions and guidance.
Lots of RV's but didn't feel crowded at all, as most of them were not there(seasonal spots).
The marina and rental folks were super friendly, helpful and accommodating. we rented a boat for fishing, and the guys slowly explained and guided us (yes... first time fishing as well).
So much to do around - hiking, water sports, geo-caching, and stargazing (when you roam a bit outside the lights of the camp).
GuideCalifornia Hidden gems.
GuideManzanita Lake Campground is the campground closest to the north entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is best accessed from California State Route 44/89. My wife and I reserved space A8 for a four-night stay beginning August 7, 2023.
While the campground is well-maintained, I cannot, under any circumstances, recommend that space for anyone camping with an RV or travel trailer. From all appearances A8 looked perfect. But appearances can be deceiving. Looking at an online map of the campground A8 appeared to be a pull-through site which it is. The problem is the site dips down from the access road, bottoms out slightly, then rises again back toward the access road. It took us nearly an hour to locate an area within the space that would allow us to attain a reasonable level so that our refrigerator would operate on propane. And our travel trailer is only 18-feet in length. Once the trailer was reasonably level, the entry step was approximately 18 inches from ground to the step (see images).
Despite the initial difficulties, once settled, we found the campground to be quiet even though there is not a lot of space between sites. The camp store offers some grocery items but is mainly dedicated to the sale of tourist merchandise. It does have a gas pump offering only 87 octane regular gas at $4.99 per gallon - cash only which is below market price for the area.
We would camp at Manzanita Lake Campground in the future but would be highly selective in our choice of sites - driving through the various loops we noted that very few are close to level.
TravelerWe took an eight-day tour through Northern California and this was our first leg. Tent-camped three nights.
Trees help add privacy and make you feel like you’re not as close to your neighbor as you are. Campground was very quiet, even during the day, although we were there during the week, so I’m sure that helped. Stars were beautiful at night. Despite the blazing temps in other parts of the park we were always comfortable here, and even chilly at night! Bear box huge and all site amenities were in good shape. Couple bits of trash and a water bottle unfortunately littered about our spot.
We did have about a dozen anthills spread throughout our site, but were able to pitch our tents a bit away from them. Never had them bother us. We also saw yellow jacket traps in the trees, and they did their job well. Hardly any mosquitos.
Bathrooms mostly okay, except the last morning—strips of TP everywhere, 2/3 stalls not really clean enough to sit on, but I think that was more an issue of guest misuse than camp staff negligence. No dryers or paper towels, but there was soap. Nice dish-washing closet. Showers were hot and had good pressure, but one was broken and the shower head actually fell on one of us! They are no longer coin-op; you pay a $5 use fee at the camp store for the duration of your stay and receive a code to get into the shower room for when it’s locked at night. Otherwise it’s wide open (and I do mean wide—the ladies door is right next to the store entrance so make sure you do all your dressing/undressing behind your stall curtain, though there is a makeshift wall outside the door to help shield the room).
Camp store was a nice place to refill water bottles on our way out in the mornings as we never did find a water spigot near our site. They offer a smattering of groceries (eggs, premade sandwiches, drinks) and have a little cafe, some souvenirs and camp supplies. They ran out of wood our first day there and didn’t know when it would be resupplied (it never was while we were there) but directed us to a place 20 min away where we were able to get plenty. Store folks knowledgeable and friendly. Tiny gas pump out back very convenient and actually decently-priced.
There are a few hikes in the area but most of the main attractions are closer to Summit Lake campgrounds, however they don’t have all the amenities Manzanita does.
TravelerThis was a perfect campsite. Came in late but everybody was eager and happy to help out. Met the hosts who took their time and explained about the park.
Located only 10 minutes from Lassen and by the road and still an rv spot in the forest. Very nice.
An upper class restaurant and a bar so something for everyone.
Very recommandable
Cabin camping near Mineral, California, offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and cozy accommodations, perfect for those looking to explore the stunning landscapes of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Mineral, CA is Manzanita Lake Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park with a 4.4-star rating from 36 reviews.
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