Modoc National Forest is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Modoc National Forest is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.
"If you want to get the full experience of the lava beds I would suggest staying a night or 2 here. You’re in walking distance of caves while camping! There isn’t any shade. There are bathrooms."
"This well-maintained campground is within the national monument and steps from the visitors center. We were there offseason (October), so there were only 3 other campsites taken."
"This campground is not far from the highway, on a nicely maintained gravel road. Some private homes not too far from the grounds. There were about 10 sites here, each had fire pit."
"Secluded little campground right off 299. Follow directions on Dyrt app as coordinates don’t quite take you to the actual campground. There is signage as you turn off 299 but mileage is off."
$35 - $125 / night
"There are many camp sites here, all with a fire pit, small cabinet (think just for storage, no way are they bear proof). Camp firewood is available for purchase on site."
"This 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."
"Great location on the way to many points north along with an excellent morning or evening adventure to the falls. Camp Host (owner/operator?) is awesome and worth the stay alone."
GuideThere are many camp sites here, all with a fire pit, small cabinet (think just for storage, no way are they bear proof). Camp firewood is available for purchase on site. I think the best thing about this camp site is that it is located so close to Burney falls as well as many other trails (including the Pacific Crest trail).
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.
RangerA very unique spot to camp! If you want to get the full experience of the lava beds I would suggest staying a night or 2 here. You’re in walking distance of caves while camping! There isn’t any shade. There are bathrooms. There is a “plague” warning due to ground rodents having the plague… so be warned!
GuideOff season visit, September 12. I rolled in five minutes after 5pm, so the entrance staff had left, and the cafe closed. Bummer. But as I struggled to figure out where to look for a campsite on the park map, I found the hiker/biker site, and got excited about a potentially cheap night.
It was empty when I arrived and set up camp. Two picnic tables, one fire ring, a couple of bear boxes that seemed a little flimsy, and one had noticeable gaps between the wooden boards. That one was empty, but the other one had random bits of helpful things for Pacific Crest Trail hikers who stop through, since the PCT runs past this park.
I headed to the shower, and almost forgot to bring quarters in the event that it cost something, which it did. 50 cents for 2 minutes, and a quarter for every minute thereafter. I was just glad I had quarters to use, since the cafe was closed.
Walked back to my site, dropped stuff off. Headed out to see the falls that are the focal point of the park. And they are pretty impressive. Not hugely tall, but wide, with interesting fractal patterns of falls. Apparently due to three very different layers of rock being eroded away at different rates. There are a number of hikes around the falls.
When I got back to my site, there was a PCT through hiker there. It was interesting to talk to him about his experiences. He was heading north to south, and had started late, missing all the snow in the north. Now he just had to get south fast enough to avoid snow in the Sierras in October and November.
That night, the trucks on the adjacent highway were ridiculously loud. I think there was a particularly loud period from midnight to 1am, and then they started back up again around 5:30am. I think the sites on the other side of the campground would be ok, but anything on the highway side probably got a decent amount of noise. Probably the worst part of the campground, and more annoying than the trains I experienced at two other camps on this trip.
The next morning I was up hoping to get a good breakfast sandwich at the cafe, but they only had standard convenience store food, which mean frozen breakfast burritos to microwave. It was ok, but I didn't feel so bad about missing dinner there the night before. I also stocked up on snacks, knowing I was camping in the middle of a National Forest next, and there would be no food whatsoever. Jerky, Milky Way, Fritos and Cheetos. Probably some other stuff. Then I went out to talk to the PCT hiker, who had gotten not just his restock package, but also a care package from a friend. And he ended up with so much food we both started laughing. He had offered some to me as he started unpacking, and I was hesitant to accept, but thought he could probably spare a few things. But by the end of the unpacking, it was clear plenty of it wasn't going to fit in his bag, so I ended up with a few different bars, and granolas, and the like. Pretty sweet. Another PCT hiker came up as we were wrapping up, and I think he probably got even more.
RangerThis campground is not far from the highway, on a nicely maintained gravel road. Some private homes not too far from the grounds. There were about 10 sites here, each had fire pit. You should be careful to read about fire restrictions in the area, just in case. At the time we were there, you could have fires in designated areas, but please make sure they’re out cold when you’re done! The front part of the camp ground has drive in sites and across the bridge, over the creek, there were a handful more walk up sites that were nicely shaded and removed. Those back sites had these sort of ovens as opposed to traditional fire pits. The pit toilets were decently clean, but quite dark inside. There are water spigots, but no water comes out - we later saw a sign posted saying that the water system was shut off. There’s little to no Verizon service. Overall, it was a nice quiet, shady place to stay!
TravelerSmall campground with 10 or so sites. 6 of them are drive up, and there are 4 tent only sites that you have to cross a small bridge to get to. We walked around back there, and you can tell these barely ever get used. Site #5 fit our 22 foot travel trailer and truck really well. The loop around is tight, but you could probably get through with a 24 or 25 foot trailer if you were careful. I wouldn't try anything bigger than that though.
This was a decent (and free!) place to spend a night if you are traveling through, but probably not worth it to spend more than a day. We came on a Friday afternoon in mid July and had the whole place to ourselves. By that night we had one neighbor, so it is definitely quite, and even during the busiest times you will probably get a spot no problem.
The creek is small, and access is somewhat hard to get to since it has steep sides on a lot of it. There are quite a few ticks that like the grass near the waters edge too. We were careful and still ended up pulling a few off that night, so use caution. Didn't notice any hanging around the campsites themselves.
Also, you are within sight of several properties and houses right next to the campground, so it doesn't really feel all that remote or private. Someone ended up cruising up and down the road in the middle of the night with loud engines, and it kept us awake, so all and all wasn't a super pleasant camping experience, but if all you need is a quick overnight spot it would do the trick.
LegendThis well-maintained campground is within the national monument and steps from the visitors center. We were there offseason (October), so there were only 3 other campsites taken. SItes A6 and A7 definitely have the best views. There are no hookups for RVs, but there is a water spigot at most sites, along with picnic tables and fire pits. The bathroom was super clean. The $10 camping fee is half priced if you have an annual national park pass. Staying at this campground makes it easy and possible to stay late exploring the lava tubes and getting right back to it in the morning. There’s also a hiking path that leaves right from the campground that takes you to more caves to explore (Three Sisters).
These are the ancestral lands of the Modoc people who were forcibly removed by settlers. The museum and park has excellent education and information about the horrific battle between the Modoc people and the white settlers.
Travelerwe 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!
GuideWhere camped here just after they opened in April, 2021. The daytime visitors made for a large crowded parking lot and line at the entrance station, but so far on 8 campers in the 64 sites that were open.
It is a wonderfully shaded park (i.e. no solar) and the sites are nicely separated. However it is an older park and our 18 foot trailer was too large for many of the sites. There were no pull throughs and any trailer over 25 feet is going to have a problem. Otherwise, for the most part the pads were paved and flat.
They had solid picnic tables, aging stone fireplaces, but nice, newer heavy metal fire rings. Wood was available for purchase. There is no electric on site and the water faucets (not threaded) were scattered around the site. No dish water dump or cleaning station, but there was an RV dump station. They flush toilets with hot and cold water sinks as well as the showers (2 tokens for $1 = 4min) are excellent.
This is a cell dead zone. Absolutely no Verizon service until you drove back to Burney.
We really enjoyed the different hikes that were available, being around 2 miles more or less in length. The falls are the usual tourist zoo, but very beautiful. Once you get out on the trails, you don't see many people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Modoc National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Modoc National Forest is Indian Well Campground — Lava Beds National Monument with a 4.9-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Modoc National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 glamping camping locations near Modoc National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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