Best Tent Camping near Montague, CA

Tent campgrounds near Montague, California range from primitive sites to established campgrounds that offer basic amenities for tent campers. Several options exist including Martins Dairy Campground, located in the Klamath National Forest, which operates from June to October and receives high ratings from visitors for its serene setting. Mount Ashland Campground, situated just north across the Oregon border, offers free tent camping with spectacular views of Mount Shasta.

Most tent sites in the Montague region have limited amenities, with vault toilets being the most common facility. Martins Dairy provides drinking water, picnic tables, and fire pits at each of its six sites, while more primitive areas like Castle Lake Dispersed Camping have no facilities whatsoever. Campers should bring their own water when heading to Mount Ashland Campground as it lacks potable water sources. The region experiences seasonal closures, with many higher-elevation tent campgrounds only accessible during summer and early fall due to snow conditions. A visitor noted, "This campground is on top of the world. You can see Mt. Shasta in the distance and mountains for days! It's pretty high up therefore there's usually really cold wind."

Walk-in tent sites are available at several locations, including Panther Meadows on Mount Shasta and Etna City Park. The terrain at most tent campgrounds consists of uneven, natural surfaces that may require careful tent placement. According to one camper, Martins Dairy Campground offers "ample sites with awesome picnic benches and fire pits" and maintains "the cleanest public bathroom I have ever encountered." For those seeking more seclusion, primitive tent camping options like Toad Lake require a challenging drive on rough roads followed by a 15-minute hike to reach the lake, where dispersed camping is permitted. Tent campers should be prepared for variable conditions including strong winds at higher elevations and limited cell service in more remote locations.

Best Tent Sites Near Montague, California (50)

    1. Mount Ashland Campground

    16 Reviews
    Ashland, OR
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (541) 899-1812

    "Shasta in the distance and mountains for days! It’s pretty high up therefore there’s usually really cold wind, keep that in mind for sleeping and fires."

    "I was told by the park ranger they shutting down the upper campground opposite the restrooms and refurbishing the whole campground."

    2. Martins Dairy Campground

    1 Review
    Macdoel, CA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 398-4391

    "All sorts of wildlife loves to visit, even deer. The camp is surrounded by a barbed wire fence to keep cows out, I’m assuming. There are cattle guards at both entrances of the site as well. "

    3. Beaver Creek Campground

    3 Reviews
    Yreka, CA
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 468-5351

    "It’s free to stay here, but there is no water or camp host. Plenty of firewood laying around if you need it. Bring an ax or a chainsaw, I’m sure the forest service won’t mind the help."

    "Nice river running right next to the camp to cool off in and a wading pool has been made. Close to the road but little or no traffic."

    4. Etna City Park

    2 Reviews
    Etna, CA
    27 miles
    Website

    "This is a well-maintained city park that is friendly to tent camping. They ask for a $5 fee. Shower tokens can be purchased at Ray's Market, located a few blocks away."

    5. Castle Lake Dispersed Camping

    8 Reviews
    Dunsmuir, CA
    34 miles

    "This spot is great, plenty of space, quiet, great views of Mount Shasta, easy to access."

    "High and dry. Great view of Shasta Mtn. 8 campers here in mid May. All 2 wheel low clearance accessible. 8 or more still available for higher clearance vehicle. T-Mobile reception good."

    6. LOGE Mt Shasta

    5 Reviews
    Mount Shasta, CA
    32 miles
    Website

    "We're new to the van life, having lived mostly overseas, and are not RV-oriented, so we've been a little careful about choosing sites with adequate peacefulness, space and privacy."

    "The covered camping and the cabin style rooms are both fantastic - clean area , and very friendly staff"

    7. Toad Lake Campground

    1 Review
    Mount Shasta, CA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 926-4511

    "Toad Lake is a pristine mountain lake accessible only via a long, rough, and rocky single lane dirt road (Toad Lake Road 40N64)."

    8. Panther Meadows Walk-In Campground

    1 Review
    Mount Shasta, CA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (530) 926-4511

    "Shasta is a long and dull 4.5-5 hour drive."

    9. Lovers Camp Trailhead

    1 Review
    Greenview, CA
    33 miles

    "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!"

    10. Applegate Lake

    3 Reviews
    Seiad Valley, CA
    38 miles

    "Weather was perfect and the lake water level was great. It’s got a great beach area for kids to swim and play. Full of huge trout"

    "The campsites are actually great with lots of trees and privacy. It's nice only having seven sites. They were very well kept and the people who run it are awesome. The lake, however, is kind of meh."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Montague, CA

452 Reviews of 50 Montague Campgrounds


  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 19, 2025

    Aspen Point (lake of The Woods, Or)

    Okay for a day or two

    There are no hookups - no electricity, no water , no dump station at sites. There appears to be a water pipe? I’m not sure… but no faucet near the site. Beautiful surroundings, we even saw several mule deer.

  • Rosie H.
    May. 30, 2021

    East Fork Campground

    Clean bathrooms

    The spot I was in was small and nestled in a grove of aspen trees. The bear locker was well maintained and the fire ring was double walled. There were flush toilets with working lights and the tent pad was level.

    Its a short drive to some great hikes, but the campground itself was too busy and too close to the highway to use as a good starting point.

  • Connie H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 13, 2025

    Trail Creek Campground

    Quiet Campground In the Klamath National Forest

    This is our second time camping in this campground. It’s out of the way and pretty remote, but quiet and peaceful. There are no hookups, but there is drinking water provided as well as vault toilets (which were pretty darn clean), and a bear proof trash can. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Generator use is allowed from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Last year in July when we visited there were maybe 3 other people here. This time in October (late in the season), we were the only ones here. The fee is $10.00 a night, or $5.00 with the pass/senior discount. There is ZERO cell service with T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon. We did have Starlink with us and we were able to get signal, but it was spotty due to all the tree coverage. Trail Creek runs through the back of the campground and is beautiful!

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2024

    Fowlers Campground

    Great Little Campsite

    My friends and I stopped here for a night before we go camping in the backcountry and it was great! Has a little fire pit, bear box and nice flat spots to put your tent.

  • N
    Jul. 30, 2021

    Fish Lake Campground - Rogue River

    Overall, pretty good!

    Large campsites with provided fire rings and picnic tables. Water spigot near the sites but no electrical hookups available, so this is dry camping. The flush toilet bathrooms in the campground are clean, but old, which makes them appear, at first glance, to be worse than they are. The bathrooms in the day use area on the outer edge of the campground are clean. I’m sure fish Lake is nice for swimming although when we went there water was 20% lower than normal and upon wading in you get stuck in the mud bottom before you can make it out to deeper water. The fishing was good! Our friends went fishing and had a great time. Firewood is available for sale from the camp host for 9 dollars a bundle. We brought firewood we purchased at the grocery store. The campsites are large and widely spaced enough that you can’t overhear people’s conversions around you but you can see them, so privacy is a little less here. The campsites are standard soft dirt floor. Its so fine that it gets everywhere though; especially if you have dogs with you. we had to sweep out the camper a few times. Fish Lake resort is within 5 minutes walking distance and has a little restaurant that serves breakfast during the morning and burgers, fries and local (some bottled, some on tap) microbrews for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is a bit spendy though. Attached to it is a small grocery store with food and camp supplies, which came in handy as we forgot D batteries; so $6 and 3 D cell batteries later and our indoor lantern worked great. The camp hosts are great! Very little to no bugs which surprised me being near a lake! All around a great 2 nights. On the last morning before we packed up the toilets had to closed because they couldn’t flush and the sink didn’t have running water. The water spigots also stopped working and we were told that the well the campground gets its water from just went dry. The nearby campground of doe point also had their well run dry. Bring extra water just in case. I would recommend this camp ground to people.

  • B
    Jun. 16, 2016

    Camp 4 Group Campground — Shasta Trinity National Forest

    first come, first served

    site: no privacy. shaded. bear box at site. amenities: not many bathrooms. no showers at campground. attractions: near to the main attractions in the park. If I was okay with first come, first served I might camp here. (others told us a person has to arrive VERY early to get a spot- like 5am/6am)

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 7, 2021

    Ashland's Creekside Campground & RV Park

    Undergoing Improvements

    At highway 66 near Ashland this park has both RV and tent sites. The RV sites are full/partial hook up (30 amp only) and dry camping. Note though that even if you pay for partial or dry you will still need to pay $10/dump your tanks. We opted for just full hook ups here. The tent sites are near the creek.

    There was some work being done that appear to be some upgrades. There is a nice pool area, a pond and the creek. The sites are level with picnic tables and fire pits. There are bathrooms, free hot showers, laundry, dog run, playground and store. Also available is propane ($3.50/gallon) book exchange and ice. Wifi was fast and free.

    The road noise is noticeable but not too bad. Some of the spots can be close but for a night it wasn't bad. Pets are allowed on leash only but there were a couple of loose dogs running around so be aware. 

    NOTE: Google tells you to turn on the street (Neil Creek Rd) just after the park so if you have a big rig then turning around could be difficult. Keep an eye out for the campground and turn into it directly from the main road instead.

    All the office and maintenance staff were friendly and helpful and neighbors were friendly and quiet.  We didn't get the tweaker vibe mentioned in some previous reviews. This place is cute - maybe there are new owners (who changed the name from Glenyan to Ashland Creekside, maybe?) who are trying to turn things around.

    Good cell service ATT, Verizon and TMobile.

  • Kristina B.
    Jun. 21, 2021

    LOGE Mt Shasta

    A goat pen on gravel in a parking lot.

    Not a campground at all. It’s a hotel where they dumped gravel in the parking and erected goat pens for people to sleep in. 

    No toilet paper or hand towels in the bathroom. All services were closed. No bar. No coffee. No rentals. The only shade is in your goat pen. 

    The goat pen comes with a picnic table and two plastic Adirondack chairs. 

    I’m camping alone so I had to move a picnic table by myself in order to set up my tent. On gravel mind you. The website shows an elevated platform. Not the case. It’s gravel. Big gravel. Hard tent piercing sharp gravel. Gravel. 

    A car was parked in front of my “campsite”. 

    Annoyed and exasperated in 100° weather and no one on staff to talk to I left. It’s June. Nothing is available last minute. I drank a local margarita and decided to suck it up 

    The only fire pit was communal. Do not expect privacy. There are goat pens packed in right next to each other. You can hear everyone’s conversations. 

    I felt obnoxious as I filled my air mattress due to the noise it made. 

    Expect road noise and train noise. All night. 

    Pros: the shower. 

    Cons: literally everything else.

  • Rick V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 22, 2025

    Trailer Lane Campground

    Great views, nice facility

    The tent only section is nicely tucked away from the RV sites. Nice for a campervan, but no hookups. Great views of Shasta and the cheapest option in Weed, it seems. There is a bit of noise from the highway.


Guide to Montague

Tent camping near Montague, California, offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the stunning landscapes of the Klamath National Forest. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for your outdoor adventure.

Tent campers should check out Beaver Creek Campground

  • Located in a remote area, Beaver Creek Campground is a free site with a lovely creek nearby, perfect for cooling off on hot days.
  • This campground allows pets and features picnic tables, making it a great choice for families looking to enjoy a rustic experience.
  • With no reservations required, it’s an ideal spot for spontaneous camping trips.

Some prices for tent camping range from $5 to $10

  • Martins Dairy Campground offers overnight camping for just $10 per day, featuring clean facilities and a beautiful setting.
  • For a budget-friendly option, Etna City Park charges a $5 fee for tent camping, providing access to showers and picnic areas.
  • If you're looking for a free option, Beaver Creek Campground is a great choice, allowing you to enjoy nature without breaking the bank.

Explore local attractions near Mount Shasta

  • The scenic Mount Ashland Campground offers breathtaking views and is a great base for hiking and exploring the surrounding wilderness.
  • Just a short drive away, Toad Lake Campground provides a pristine mountain lake experience, perfect for kayaking and fishing.
  • For those interested in climbing, Panther Meadows Walk-In Campground is a fantastic starting point for ascents of Mount Shasta, offering stunning views and a unique camping experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Montague, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Montague, CA is Mount Ashland Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 16 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Montague, CA?

TheDyrt.com has all 50 tent camping locations near Montague, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.