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Best Campgrounds near Platina, CA

335 Reviews

Camping areas surrounding Platina, California include several established campgrounds within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Deerlick Springs Campground and Basin Gulch Campground provide tent camping options in forested settings, while Post Creek Guard Station offers cabin accommodations. The region includes both primitive sites with minimal amenities and developed campgrounds with facilities like picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Most campgrounds in the area are seasonal, typically operating from May through October, with limited winter accessibility due to mountain terrain and weather conditions.

Road access to many campgrounds requires careful navigation on forest service roads, particularly after winter or during spring runoff periods. The camping season generally runs from late spring through fall, with most facilities closing during winter months. Campgrounds at higher elevations may have shorter operational seasons. Several sites require advance reservations through recreation.gov, while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Cell service is limited throughout the region, particularly in more remote camping areas. Fire restrictions are common during summer and fall months due to wildfire risk. One camper noted, "We stayed here for 4 days. Huge campsite with view of the lake, room for a few tents and a hammock. Can collect dead wood for the fire. Swimming, fishing and boating."

Trinity Lake and the surrounding waterways provide popular recreation opportunities for campers in the Platina area. Fishing, swimming, and boating access points are available at several campgrounds, with bass and catfish commonly caught in local waters. Campers report wildlife viewing opportunities including osprey, bald eagles, herons, and hawks. Sites with lake or river views tend to fill quickly during summer months. Forested campgrounds offer shade during hot summer days when temperatures can reach into the 90s. Several visitors mentioned the importance of being prepared for limited services. According to feedback on The Dyrt, "If you are looking for a quiet campground I would look elsewhere. Dogs and children were up at 5am. There were multiple dogs barking all day." Campgrounds closer to highways may experience some road noise, while more remote sites offer greater solitude.

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Best Camping Sites Near Platina, California (190)

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Recent Camping Photos near Platina, CA

78 Photos of 190 Platina Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Platina, CA

335 Reviews of 190 Platina Campgrounds

  • Steven H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 16, 2025

    Antlers RV Park and Campground

    Spot 100

    Spot was perfect. Easy to hookup all the facilities were very very clean and working order. All staff was very friendly. There was some train noise fairly close, however that didn’t bother either of my pups nor myself.

  • Cathy H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 5, 2025

    Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort

    Out of the way

    I tent camped here. My spot was very close to the bathroom and shower area. (You don't have to pay extra coins for the shower.) The tent camping spots are nice. The have a picnic table and a metal firepit and they provide wood. The front office has a little store. The wifi isn't good here. But, they do have a "club house" where you can get on the wifi, charge your phone, and watch a movie on the TV or play a board game. So when you check in they give you the password for the wifi and bathroom.

  • Cathy H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 5, 2025

    Sycamore Grove (red Bluff) Campground

    Close to the town

    This camp site is really close to town ...like five minutes and your at a store. The is a ice cream truck that come through the camp. The cell service is excellent. There are bathrooms and showers on site. A metal firepit and metal grill at each of the camp sites. The camp host is around and introduced herself when she saw me the next day.

  • Jan P.
    Oct. 26, 2025

    Rolling Hills Casino Truck Lot

    Cheap gas, crappy Wi-Fi if at all, very nice showers

    The casino is pretty dominating and intense as is the truck stop, but if you don't mind those it's not a bad place.

  • Bobbi lee H.
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Lakehead Campground & RV Park

    Owner occupied rustic campground lots of good campsites and also some RV sites to plug in there is little cabins cabin tents type of uret and are great people here there's bathrooms in showers places to have picnics and then the back of the campground I'm sure you can bring a horse show and unload your horses and put up your own you know little enclosure pack with panels off of your horse trailer they don't mind dogs they're good people here it's right off I-5 down the road a bit there's more campgrounds in this area and it's just beautiful here I live at this campground there's only a few of us that are allowed to but it's open year round there's a pool a pool hall laundry services here also the owner is wonderful his name is Cecil

    Oh it's fun here I'm a quarter mile from Shasta lake we have a lot of people that come in for festivals up here lots of huge groups of people lots of families lots of boats lots of water sports everything you can imagine there's a few good restaurants up here but most of us love to barbecue and have a good time but the restaurants are awesome too they're all family owned and they're great the Klondike is my favorite

  • Bruce E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Forest Glen Guard Station

    2 night stay

    Fantastic spot to just get away. Spacious and well stocked kitchen. Having full amenities except for garbage was really nice. We just took our garbage to the campground across the river. The small riverside access along the creek was perfect to relax and let the dogs swim. Definitely be returning. The forest glen cg across the river is 1st come 1st serve as well.

  • jThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Sacramento River RV Park

    Nice place, clean and quiet

    The bathrooms are meticulously fussed over, laundry is clean, people are nice. 5 is a bit noisy but you get over that, reasonably priced.

Guide to Platina

Camping spots near Platina, California sit within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest at elevations ranging from 2,200 to 4,000 feet. The region experiences hot summers with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and cool nights dropping to the 50s. Most primitive campgrounds in this area don't have drinking water available, requiring campers to bring their own or filter from natural sources.

What to do

Hiking and summit views: Advanced hikers can tackle trails near Deerlick Springs Campground with elevation gains of 3,000-6,000 feet. One visitor noted, "Advanced hiking 3k-6k summit peek, beautiful trails and swimming holes, nature and wildlife surrounding a dark night sky."

Swimming in natural waters: The Trinity River offers cooling relief during hot summer days. At Douglas City Campground, the river flows directly behind campsites. According to a camper, "The river is accessible from any site, some small rapids in spots, slow water in others, with occasionally deeper pools here and there."

Hunting opportunities: Fall hunting season draws visitors to campgrounds in the B-zone area. Critter Creek serves as a base for hunters, with one camper reporting, "Stayed there last year and got a nice buck. Good spot for hunting."

What campers like

Secluded natural settings: Many campgrounds offer genuine forest immersion with minimal development. At Philpot Campground, campers appreciate the isolation: "It's secluded with beautiful green forest all around and there's a bunch of campsites no power no water but great hunting and trails."

Night sky viewing: The lack of light pollution creates exceptional stargazing conditions. A visitor to Post Creek Guard Station shared, "The views & privacy are breathtaking!! The star gazing was amazing."

Natural water features: Creeks and rivers enhance many camping experiences in the area. At Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground, one camper valued the "great water sounds all night" and mentioned they were "right next to a creek/river."

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most campgrounds offer basic amenities only. At Shell Gulch Campground, there's "just a couple of sites and some trash cans" with "a nice creek and there is a fish ladder just down the way."

Road conditions: Many access roads require careful navigation, especially for larger vehicles. Regarding Post Creek Guard Station, one visitor advised: "Took Tedoc rd going in. Long, dirt, rocky rd not recommended for passenger vehicles. Our transit connect was fine, but slow going, just enough clearance."

Variable water levels: Reservoir and creek levels fluctuate significantly by season. At Scott Flat Campground, visitors noted that "the lake was super low last year" despite the water being "beautiful."

Tips for camping with families

Swimming hole access: Look for campgrounds with safe water access points for children. At Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground, families appreciate sites near water: "Creek right next to spots. There's like 9 or so sites all pretty far apart. The creek is super beautiful."

Campsite selection: Sites 8 and 9 at Peltier Bridge are recommended by multiple families. As one camper noted, "Sites are nicely spread apart #8 #9 being the best that were open."

Temperature planning: Prepare for significant day-to-night temperature swings. A camper at Peltier Bridge observed, "It was really hot during the day like 90s but site #9 is shady and the river is freezing so it's easy to stay cool. Gets pretty cold at night."

Tips from RVers

Size limitations: Most forest campgrounds have limited space for larger rigs. At Douglas City Campground, the pads "fit all sizes of trailers and RVs; a 40'+ pulled in this afternoon" but this is uncommon for the region.

Access challenges: RV travelers should scout roads before attempting them. Regarding Deerlick Springs, one camper cautioned, "The drive in could be a challenge for an RV, so I'd caution anyone to check it out first, before pulling a trailer in."

Limited hookups: Most campsites near Platina lack RV services. At Critter Creek Campground & RV Park, one of the few sites with hookups, visitors appreciate "hot showers after really long days" of outdoor activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find camping in Platina, CA?

Platina and its surrounding areas offer several camping options in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest region. Basin Gulch Campground is located near Platina and provides basic facilities with toilets. For a more developed experience, Peltier Bridge Primitive Campground in the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area offers clean sites with decent spacing. Look for sites #6, 8, and 9 for the best experience. The campground is accessible via a narrow dirt road that's navigable even with a sedan. Remember to purchase your pass online before arrival.

What are the amenities at camping areas near Platina?

Camping areas near Platina offer varying amenity levels to suit different preferences. Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort provides a well-supplied store with camping necessities and is about 30 minutes from Redding on well-maintained roads. Tannery Gulch Campground offers well-shaded sites, some with lake views, picnic tables, fire rings, and select sites have bear boxes. Most public campgrounds in the area provide basic amenities like vault toilets, fire pits, and picnic tables, while RV parks typically offer additional services like water hookups and shower facilities.

Is dispersed camping allowed in Platina National Forest?

Yes, dispersed camping is allowed in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest area surrounding Platina, though there is no official "Platina National Forest." Olive Pit Dispersed Lot provides free overnight parking for RVs and camper vehicles in a safe location. For a more traditional dispersed camping experience, Mendocino National Forest Lake Red Bluff Recreation Area offers boondocking options near the Sacramento River. Standard dispersed camping rules apply: camp at least 100 feet from water sources, practice Leave No Trace principles, and limit your stay to 14 days within a 30-day period. Always check current fire restrictions before making plans.

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