Best Tent Camping near Tulelake, CA

This campsite is nestled in the forest away from the highway. It has cabins, RV, and tent camping available. There is a new playground for children. When you stay, a free shower is included. The bathrooms are regular flushing toilets with showers in the room and outlets if you need to blowdry your hair. The attendant on the grounds is very nice and friendly. We arrived late (9pm) and she was able to assist us with getting settled. There is a small shop next to the office. You can also book your lot reservation online. I'll include a picture of the map of the area. For those tent camping, bring a tarp for your tent to sit on. It's a dirt, rock, and pine needles area. In the morning, you'll hear song birds.

Good campsite nestled in the trees. Approximately 10 tent sites, 20 RV, and 15 cabins. RV are full hookup. Showers, laundry and friendly staff. Easy, close drive to Lava Beds National park

Want to be close to town for a night. This KOA is well kept, has a small store, gas station and propane. Also offers a clean pool and restroom. Camp sites are nice wirh green grass. There are also tent camping and cabins for rent. Be aware of midges, found by the water in these parts of Oregon (koa is by a canal). They don't bite, but are annoying and look like a mosquito. This KOA is close to stores, to refill groceries, restaurants and the Amazing Crater Lake and Lava beds National Parks.

Caution. It is very hot and dry here in the summer!!!

We go here in the spring and fall to avoid the heat. Open sparse cover campground but the regular amentiites are there - table, locker, fire ring.  Flush bathrooms but no showers.  First come first serve sites but I have never seen it full.  Some RVs will not fit so check if you are using one.

You can also do back country camping but I have never done that here.

The best reasoen to go are the caves.  There are caves of every type and every kind.  Some you walk thru and others you crawl through - caves for all ages and all abilities.  Try to get a reservation for the Ice Cave before you go (if you can).

We also always look at the petroglyphs and watch the raptors there.

Captain Jack's Stronghold and the Modoc history sites are fun and facinating as well.

You are a short ride from the flyway and a reserve where you can always see eagles.

You are also near the Tule Lake Japaneses Internment Camp,as well as a German POW camp. Small museuem at the fairgrounds at Tule Lake.

Lots of birding in the area and you are close to some fun sites in Oregon as well.

This is undoubtedly the quietest campground we have ever visited.  Not just because there were few campers, but its location so far from any highway or city.  I would also like to give kudos to the the fire crews who saved this area from the fire last year.  The visitor center and campground are an island of green in the middle of a charcoal land. 

I would categorize it as a tent and teardrop campground.  There are some sites where larger RVs can park, maybe around 25', but most campground spaces will only hold the car.  They have a lot parallel RV parking and that requires you sign up for two spaces, one for your trailer, the other for your car.  The lower campground, A, is more open, great if you have solar.  The upper campground, B, has more spaces and some for larger RVs.  

The drinking water faucets are irregularly dispersed and few.  You cannot hook up to them to fill your RV, so be sure to bring some 5 gallon containers to haul water to your RV.  There are flush toilets and sinks with cold water, no showers.  Bring all your supplies, as the nearest town is about a 40 minute drive.  There are very solid metal fire rings and picnic tables.  The closest dump station is in Tule Lake, but is excellent, with water and good drain positioning - and its free.

We had excellent Verizon service and were able to surf the internet, load and download pictures without using any booster.  I was also pleased to get a staff member directly when I called for information.  There is a lot to see at this park and I highly recommend it.

PS The helmet they sell ($8) saved my head many a time during cave exploring.

Howards Gulch Campground • Modoc National Forest • $12

Northern California • Basin & Range Birding Trail 15 Northeastern location

Just past a hundred miles of farmfield coming from the North we enter the Modoc National Forest, and turn left against our GPS’ wishes into Howard’s Gulch Campground (Forest Service). Pay attention to the signs. It's analog but it's right. It’s a small, primitive camp in Northern California with 12 sites. Two which are walk in only and none which are for large RV’s. The fee is $12 which is significantly more than the next campground down the road which is free, but the consistency of the Forest Service sites makes it worth it. 

The trees are tall and red, and according to a conveniently placed sign, coniferous. There are also signs indicating common birds of the area and their habitats, along with a 1.5 mile trail built by the U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and the California Department of Corrections. The trail has been dedicated “for your hiking pleasure…” This campground is also part of the Basin & Range Birding Trail system of Northern California and Southern Oregon.

Like all forest service campgrounds there is a fire pit and a picnic table in each site. Most of the sites are spaced relatively privately, but since you’re in the middle of nowhere you’ll probably be sharing the camp with one, maybe two other campers. In addition, some sites have a stand alone charcoal grilling set-ups.

Trails like this one lead right from camp. Bring your binoculars.

There are plenty of water taps. At least five, but since it isn’t potable there isn’t really much benefit. Since the water is being “treated with chemicals” I wouldn’t even recommend boiling it for use leaving it for the dousing of fires, but the camp is under no-burn restrictions. Rightfully so, considering the summer California has had so far.

Toilets are standard vaults, but there are three of them for 12 sites. Two of which are recent new builds. Being low in the gulch you’re surrounded by walls on three sides to the outer side of the camp loop. The inner loop still backs up to a cliff wall for an unusually located tall mound...and OHMYGOD MY WIFE JUST CHOPPED HER THUMB! SHIT! SHIT!SHIT!SHIT!SHIT!SHIT!SHIT!

...

The reason to camp here is…you’re on your way somewhere else most likely. Coming from Oregon to Yosemite or Tahoe or vice versa. But if you do you won’t be disappointed and if you like birds you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The nearest town is at least 20+ miles if you need anything so come prepared. My Wife's thumb is fine by the way. Despite a serious scare at the time. She field dressed it like a boss using our first aid kit (which we've since upgraded). She'll have a reminder scar, but her badass level went up like a million points. I give Howard’s Gulch 3 Tent Stakes of Awesomeness for being a solid campground with nice sites and trails leaving right from camp but not much else going on. Also, there is no indication of who Howard is. I certainly didn't meet him.

Pro-Tip #1: Prepare for summer heat. You aren’t at elevation here.

Pro-Tip #2: Bring binoculars.

Pro-Tip #3: Bring water and anything else you might need. No place near by to get anything.

Fantastic campground. All types of cabins, tent, rv camping during Summer Season. Boating. Kid swim area. Little private beaches under the trees. Nice lodge restaraunt and bar. Outdoor bbq and music on weekends. Reserve ahead and driest come camping spots! Big families. Day rate parking too. I love this place.

• Forested with ponderosa pine.
• 22 RV sites, 10 rustic cabins, 8 tents, group site
• shower house
• Full hookups *playground structure
• Our friends and we had the place to ourselves. (Antelope fire very close, but smoke had dissipated after 3 hours of rain)
• All pull through sites big enough to keep toad hooked up
• The owner said their main season is hunting season which starts the end of September. We overnighted here the 9/12/21. Very pleasant.

Its ideal if you’re coming from California and headed to Oregon. A couple hours away from Crater Lake.

I camped here two nights with a large group of friends the first weekend of last October and it was beautiful, but freezing!! The campground had pit toilets, sturdy picnic tables and large fire rings. We took up 3 sites towards the front of the campground and had plenty of room for our numerous tents. The campground was right next to a beautiful lake which seemed very popular with the many fisherman staying there that weekend. While everything was well maintained and clean I must warn that it was pretty cold for late summer/early fall camping with lows well in the 20s. I definitely recommend bringing appropriate gear and checking the weather before heading out. The campground is close to many awesome volcanic sites such as glass mountain and Mt Hoffman. It is not that far from Lava Beds National Monument which is another great thing to check out. Overall this seemed like a peaceful forested campground with lake access and many cool outdoor recreational opportunities. Just beware of the weather!

The campground is standard fair, firepit/grill, lots of room. I've been up a few times and never had anyone next to our site given how remote it is. Great Nat'l Monument to visit during the winter because the caves stay the virtually the same temperature year round.

Explore the largest concentration of lava tubes in the whole world? Yes please!

Headlamp and helmet are musts. Gloves and kneepads recommended if you're planning on crawling around.

Nice hikes and petroglyphs to check out if you want some sunlight.

A 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!