Horse Camp Primitive Campground offers two campsite options with facilities suitable for equestrian use in the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area. The campsites accommodate both tent and RV camping with ample space for horse trailers. Each site includes picnic tables, fire rings, and access to a shared composting toilet. Sites are reasonably far apart providing privacy for campers and their horses. The campground provides access to trails leading down to nearby creeks. While the 2018 Carr fire affected some of the surrounding trees, the area remains functional for equestrian visitors. Primitive camping with horses costs $20 per site per night plus a Whiskeytown National Forest pass.
Several horse-friendly camping options exist throughout the Shasta Lake region, including Hidden Horse Equestrian Campground in Fort Jones, open from June to October. Carter Meadows Horse Campground provides drive-in access with fire rings and picnic tables available through a reservation system. Trinity National Forest offers additional horse camping opportunities with varied terrain for trail riding. Most equestrian sites in the region feature access to natural water sources for horses, though campers should verify seasonal availability. The campsites are typically situated on uneven terrain with limited site definition, making them best suited for experienced horse campers comfortable with primitive conditions. Parking for large rigs and horse trailers is available at most locations, though access often requires navigating long, winding mountain roads. Equestrian campers will find Shasta Lake's horse camping options particularly convenient for accessing miles of scenic riding trails.
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 / night
"We were looking for.a place to camp near Redding, our home town. This campground is about 30 mins from Redding. It was an easy tow on rural but well maintained roads all the way to the campground."
"There are tent sites away from the rv part, but we never checked that area out. The rv spots are very clean, and even though they’re close together with no privacy it was an amazingly quiet park."
"Fishing in camp and nearby. Friendly staff. Had originally reserved a back in site, but emailed to hopefully get a pull through. Got a quick reply, and all taken care of."
"Nice spot near the NP. Level spot, nice clean bath and shower area. Got a nice hot shower, thank you!"
"There are some nice places to fish that are just a short walk from the campsites and the campsites are nicely shaded to help cut the heat during the day. We saw some salmon, deer, quail, and frogs."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $10 / night
from $10 / night
ScoutIt’s pretty empty this time of year. Was informed it will close for the season next week. Camp sites are oddly marked. Lots of trees to navigate around. But spacious. Tent and RV Camp spots as well as cabins. Internet is the fastest I’ve seen at a park 40mb download. There is road noise at night so pick a spot in the back. Showers and bathrooms are very clean.
GuideI 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.
GuideNice Campground right on the hat Creek! Full hookups Laundry Wifi available for purchase Close to Lassen Volcanic NP
RangerSites are SUPER uneven and not really defined. The picnic table/fire pit area has large boulders around them and a road runs right between both sites. Luckily the noise died down after the sunset but it was pretty heavily traveled during the day. Good spot for large rigs.
Long windy road to get up to sites. There was potable water as well as a pit toilet at top. No cell service but starlink worked great.
It was $20 for site for a night plus you have to get a whiskeytown national forest pass unless you have the NP yearly pass.
TravelerGreat little park. Lots of shade and green grass, good management, Clean restrooms and well kept grounds. Close to river and lakes for boating and fishing. There is a great area for tent camping or a place to dry camp with your RV just below the main RV park. There are targets set up for bow hunters in the pines below the park.
Our 35 foot fifth wheel easily navigated the space.
LegendNice 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!
ScoutWe visited early Oct 22.
The first review for this campground is not for this campground.
The road up the the campground is a rough dirt road. Eagle Creek is a beautiful creek as are most of the creeks coming out of the Trinity Alps. We live on one of these creeks near Weaverville. The campground proper has not been maintained. Very little evidence of recent campers. Many of the sites have been degraded by debris carried by flooding. The turn around at the end of the campground road has serious washout problems. The campground road is narrow. Trees are dying causing danger from falling limbs &/or trees. The canopy is dense enough that there is very little sunlight. There are a few sites below the road that are nicer & next to creek but parking is sparse. We spent about 3 hours there before deciding to find a more hospitible camping site. Verizion (best carrier for Trinity Co) coverage was nonexistant.
TravelerMy wife and I and two dogs stayed at campsite 51. Wonderful site with hook ups. easy to find and loved the proximity to the PCT.
GuideWe were looking for.a place to camp near Redding, our home town. This campground is about 30 mins from Redding. It was an easy tow on rural but well maintained roads all the way to the campground. Easy tow for my 25.5 foot travel trailer and 2019 Chevy taho .
The store is well supplied with camping and fishing needs. The park has lots of trees for shade and the spaces are wide. Wider than any other places we have stayed . The spots are grassed, all clean and well maintained. Everyone there was very nice and will happily give you fishing advice, if you ask.
Our dogs loved the area down below, we would take them off leash and let them do dog-things.
Just around the corner from the campground ( walking distance) is access to the river. The whole family enjoyed dipping in when it’s warm outside
We will be back
Horse riders traveling near Shasta Lake can access a network of trails through mountainous terrain with elevations ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 feet. Most equestrian campsites in this region operate seasonally from May through October due to winter snow conditions at higher elevations. Sites typically feature uneven terrain with limited definition, requiring experienced horse handlers familiar with primitive conditions.
Trail riding access: Hidden Horse Equestrian Campground near Fort Jones serves as a starting point for rides through the Klamath National Forest. This seasonal campground operates from June to October and offers water hookups specifically designed for horse camping needs.
Creek exploration: Philpot Campground offers access to creek-side riding paths. "This rustic campsite is just a few miles off of Highway 36 located off of Rattlesnake Road near Trinity Pines. There's no power no running water they do have bathrooms and a creek runs through the campsite it's a very beautiful place with lush green forest all around!" notes camper DirtyMountainBoy A.
Wilderness rides: The Ishi Wilderness area can be accessed from Black Rock Campground. "Go to this camp for the quiet. Hiking is good going up or down Mill Creek. Fly fishing good and rarely more than one other camp used," reports Gordon C. This area offers riding opportunities with natural water sources for horses along Mill Creek.
Privacy between sites: The spacing between equestrian sites provides seclusion. At Horse Flat Campground, Aaron S. notes, "A lot of space between each camp site." This feature allows horse campers to maintain appropriate distance between animals.
Natural water access: Many sites feature creek access for horses. At Black Rock, camper Alissa C. reports: "There are some nice places to fish that are just a short walk from the campsites and the campsites are nicely shaded to help cut the heat during the day."
Vehicle accommodation: Most equestrian sites can handle truck and trailer combinations. At Hat Creek Resort & RV Park, Tara D. notes, "Our 35 foot fifth wheel easily navigated the space," demonstrating accessibility for larger rigs commonly used for horse transport.
Road conditions: Access roads to horse camps often require high-clearance vehicles. Regarding Black Rock, Kaye S. warns: "The road in took about an hour and a half and I would not recommend attempting it without 4WD and high clearance. There is one stream crossing but it is minor."
Fire conditions: The 2018 Carr fire affected many areas. Web H. noted at Horse Camp Primitive Campground: "The only negative was the Carr fire that burned many trees in the area."
Wildlife awareness: Horses and humans must be prepared for wildlife encounters. At Black Rock, camper Alissa C. reported: "We saw some salmon, deer, quail, and frogs. There was evidence of bears around our site but we didn't have any issues."
Seasonal closures: Most equestrian campgrounds close during winter months. Regarding Philpot Picnic Area, DirtyMountainBoy A. mentions, "This is a great little spot never too many people here nice and quiet lots of forest around it good for hiking and just good scenery all the way around there was a burn scar from a fire a couple years back but still beautiful nonetheless!"
Opt for developed sites: When bringing children, choose campgrounds with basic facilities. At Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort, Corey L. notes, "The rv spots are full hook up with nice green grass, no cable but ok Verizon signal and we got a few local channels on the tv antenna."
Bring entertainment: Look for campgrounds with recreational options. Scott D. says of Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort: "This is a very nice Mom and Pop Rv Park. The host is very friendly and helpful. Very quiet and relaxing stay. They have a store at the park. If you want they provide a fire pit."
Water activities: Many equestrian camping areas offer water recreation. Jason D. explains, "Just around the corner from the campground (walking distance) is access to the river. The whole family enjoyed dipping in when it's warm outside."
Electrical hookups: Equestrian campers with living quarters trailers should note power availability. Valerie T. states about Horse Camp Primitive Campground: "Nice huge site with basically your own valued bathroom one other campsite shares. Perfect for dry camping with your rv if you want some extra quiet."
Site size considerations: Verify trailer length restrictions before arrival. Jason D. cautions about Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort: "Biggest I would put in here would be about a 30 foot trailer. You have to disconnect your tow vehicle."
Water access: Not all horse camps offer hookups. At Hat Creek Resort, Jason D. comments: "Stayed at a full hookup site in my 22 foot travel trailer. We got a spot right on the water. The spots had a bunch of space between them and you had a feeling of privacy."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Shasta Lake, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Shasta Lake, CA is Horse Camp Primitive Campground — Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area with a 3.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Shasta Lake, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near Shasta Lake, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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