233 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
The forested landscapes surrounding Whitmore, California feature a diverse range of camping options within proximity to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Established campgrounds like Manzanita Lake Campground and McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park provide developed facilities, while more remote options such as North Battle Creek Reservoir and McCumber Reservoir campgrounds offer quieter alternatives. Tent campers, RV travelers, and those seeking cabins or yurts will find suitable accommodations throughout the region. The area's volcanic terrain creates a unique backdrop for camping experiences, with several sites positioned near lakes, creeks, and forest settings. Most campgrounds operate seasonally, typically from April through October, though some facilities remain open year-round.
Forest service roads leading to many campgrounds require careful navigation, particularly during spring when conditions can be challenging. According to one visitor at North Battle Creek Campground, "The campground is approximately 30 minutes off of Hwy. 44 on dirt forest service roads. The roads were in great condition in August, to the point where a two-wheel drive low-clearance car would make it without issue." Elevation varies significantly throughout the region, affecting temperatures and camping conditions. Summer days can be warm while nights often remain cool, especially at higher elevations. Many campgrounds require reservations during peak season, while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Bear boxes are common at sites throughout the area, reflecting the need for proper food storage in this wildlife-rich environment.
Pine forests provide natural shade at most campgrounds, creating comfortable microclimates even during hot summer days. Campers frequently mention excellent stargazing opportunities, particularly at sites farther from developed areas. Water features enhance many camping experiences, with visitors noting the proximity to swimming, fishing, and paddling opportunities. At McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, one reviewer shared, "There are the falls, which are beautiful, the lake for swimming and water sports, and lots of hiking trails." Site leveling can be challenging at some locations, with several reviewers mentioning the importance of selecting sites carefully, especially for RVs and trailers. Campground amenities vary widely, from primitive sites with vault toilets to developed facilities with showers, camp stores, and electrical hookups.
"Lassen / Shingletown KOA Holiday in Shingletown, California might just be my favorite KOA we have ever stayed at. We are at site 30. This site has FHU with 50 amp."
"It's close to the dog park if you have a dog. The bathroom/shower is 3 sites down. Very clean.
Also close to the walking trail, basketball/volleyball courts& a neat tree swing."
"We took an eight-day tour through Northern California and this was our first leg. Tent-camped three nights."
"California Hidden gems."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Lake to swim and boat in, waterfall short walk, General store with everything you can imagine and firewood, close by a town where you can eat out."
from $35 - $70 / night
Check Availability"Being right off the main road and so close to Lassen, this spot almost felt too good to be true."
"About one mile south of the northwest entrance, so it’s convenient. Follow the instructions from other campers as they’re spot on."
"Our parking spot is big enough for our travel trailer, right next to the creek. Clean, quiet, safe. No traffic. But No cell service."
"Right next to the creek and big spots! Our motorhome drove down here just fine. Caught a bunch of trout in the creek and had an absolute blast. Quiet and safe and lots of shade."
from $60 - $150 / night
Check Availability"The best part about this campground is the proximity to Lassen NP! It is about a 15 min drive to the entrance & Manazanita Lake."
"There are two sets on campsites, drive-up and walk-in."
"last time we visited the water was out of service at the drive in camp spots. to get to the lake access sites you have to get permission to drive past the gate. dogs cost $2 each night. a few of the signs"
"I really love this small campground, especially this year when the lake is full. There's only 10-12 sites, bathrooms are clean. very quiet."
"Close to the mountain for skiing. Close to the lake for skiing. Nancy the manager was extremely helpful! We found this to have an old fashioned touch. Garbage facilities close by!"
"Only downside was the highway noise."
TravelerEasy to find if you are looking. Gravel road off of the main paved road. Not recommended for truck and trailer, but almost any car or truck can handle the rough entry, just go slow. There are a few gravel areas to park in if you look for them. Beautiful spot, quiet at night.
TravelerThe forest road is super accessible with a bunch of different spots to choose from as you traverse down the road. There are some fire rings in some of the spots. No water, bathroom, etc. Road is fairly well maintained but drive with caution if no 4WD or AWD and low clearance. Only 3.5 miles from the entrance so it’s a perfect place to stay before or after going through Lassen NP.
TravelerSimply put, I am embarrassed to say that this one was opened with major safety issues. I was even told by a person at the Almanor Ranger Office in Chester that they were forced to open this campground.
Safety issues:
-Trees were fell and slash was left behind without cleanup by contractor.
-Boulders were moved and above mentioned slash was covering the holes left by the moved boulders creating major safety trip/fall hazards. These hazards could cause twisted and/or broken legs and feet and more.
-Fire Hazard: Above mentioned slash was left behind everywhere for it to dry out an become a major fire hazard. Yes, the camp site around the table and fire ring was cleared, but only by about 10-15 feet.
-Limited walking areas: As the slash was left behind, areas for walking or the kids playing was like walking in a minefield. Even on the paved drive path, there is holes and to move out of the way for trucks/campers requires movement onto the above ,mentioned slash that was not cleaned up.
I grew up in this area and after being gone in the military for over 30 years, I came home. This poor campground is a disgrace and I am deeply saddened by the condition the USFS and it's contractor left it in. If I was in charge, I would not have let it open for public use due to the safety issues.
What a shame.
GuideThis place was easy to find. Spots are tight but we found one spot where we could fit our camper truck. It took some finagling but we got the truck turned around in the spot. I would not recommend a trailer here. Not a lot of room to turn around.
ScoutWe bypassed the sites that were immediately to the right off FR17 (Mineral Rd) to see if there were others up the road. There is one cute site right near the creek but directly on the road so a lot of dust if you stayed there. We continued past 20W and came around the corner to an amazing multi site area! Easily could have had 3 or 4 rigs in here and indeed, there were 4 campfire rings. And no one there! We had it all to ourselves (Tue-Wed-Thu) and were able to easily get to Manzanita Lake and into Lassen. Don't let the piles of logging debris fool you - just go past it!
GuideThis place was so easy to get in and out. There was a small opening to walk to the Sacramento River and do a little fishing. Quiet and clean. We will definitely be back
RangerThe campground is tucked into the Forrest. You have full hookups and a fairly level place to park in the dirt amongst the trees. It’s a bit of a distance to an absolutely beautiful lake with the view of Mount Shasta. There are tons of amenities, including a store, restaurant, marina, boat rentals, bait shop, beach. The water is a nice swimming temperature. interesting to be someplace where campfires are allowed in August in California.
ScoutI stayed at Cassel with a group from my fly fishing club. It is old, but has everything one needs and was quiet. I stayed over Sunday night after club left and it was really nice. The sites are large and private. I can't speak to the bathrooms as I only used my own in my trailer. I wish the campground had a dump station. There is one a few miles away in Old Station. Camp hosts were pleasant and helpful.
ScoutGreat spot. Castle Lake Campground was full so we went back down toward town and found this turnoff 0.7 miles from the campground. Maybe 5- 10 spots in here. We were able to get in easily with our larger truck camper. Great views of Mt Shasta. Our site was gravel and quite level. Our particular site was also full sun, which we loved for our rooftop solar. Castle Lake CG is densely treed. Deduct one star because the sites are quite close together. We were there on a weekend, so it was fairly full. You can easily hear all of your neighbors talking, kids yelling, dogs barking, generators, etc etc.
Camping opportunities in the Whitmore area range from free dispersed sites to established campgrounds with amenities. Located at elevations between 3,500-5,000 feet, most sites experience significant temperature drops after sunset even during summer months. Shaded pine forest settings predominate, creating natural wind protection and filtered sunlight at the best places to camp near Whitmore, California.
Creek fishing opportunities: Big Pine Dispersed Camping offers excellent creek fishing access. One camper reported, "Caught a bunch of trout in the creek and had an absolute blast. Quiet and safe and lots of shade." Another visitor found "black raspberries along the creek" during their stay.
Hiking from campgrounds: Manzanita Lake Campground provides direct trail access. "I loved being able to hike right by from the campground on multiple hikes," one visitor noted. The surrounding areas offer trails of varying difficulty suitable for day hikers.
Water recreation: At McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, visitors can enjoy both natural attractions and water activities. One camper mentioned the campground has "the falls, which are beautiful, the lake for swimming and water sports, and lots of hiking trails."
Quieter alternatives: North Battle Creek Campground provides a secluded experience with reasonable site spacing. One visitor shared, "This is a great spot that I almost didn't review because I don't want anyone else to know about it." Sites are "reasonably spread out" making this location popular with repeat visitors.
Free camping options: 31N17N - North Manzanita Dispersed Camping offers no-cost camping near Lassen Volcanic National Park. According to a camper, "Overall a great place to camp if your looking for a free option to camp/boon dock very close to the park." Sites are located just off Highway 44.
Private waterfront sites: Jones Valley Inlet Shoreline Campground provides lake access when water levels are high. A regular visitor noted, "I really love this small campground, especially this year when the lake is full. There's only 10-12 sites, bathrooms are clean, very quiet."
Access road conditions: Several campgrounds require driving on forest service roads. For North Battle Creek Campground, "The roads were in great condition in August of 2017, to the point were a two-wheel drive low-clearance car would have made it without issue, but would likely take longer than 30 minutes."
Cell service limitations: Big Pine Dispersed Camping has no cellular coverage. One camper reported, "No service but you can drive to the overlook between Twin Pines road and Big Pine campground entrance to get 1 bar."
Seasonal operation: McCumber Reservoir Campground operates from April to September only. The campground was rehabilitated by a dedicated host as one visitor noted, "The camp host was super nice, and was telling us how he put a lot of work to rehab the campground. He's done a great job!"
Junior Ranger programs: Manzanita Lake Campground offers educational activities for children. A visitor mentioned, "The museum has a Junior Ranger program which is a book of neat educational tasks for the kids to complete so that they can show it to a ranger and get a Junior Ranger Badge."
Kid-friendly activities: Mt. Lassen-Shingletown KOA provides numerous recreational options. A camper shared, "The KOA has a wonderful swimming pool, a great outdoor game area, dirt-bike trails for the kids, rope swings, and a fort."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Multiple campgrounds offer chances to observe local fauna. One visitor at Manzanita Lake noted, "We drove up to the other side of Lassen 30min away and saw the Sulphur Works hydrothermal vent. We also saw a small bear and deer there."
Site leveling requirements: RV sites at many campgrounds require adjustment. At Manzanita Lake, one camper advised, "Be ready to level your camper." Some campgrounds offer more level sites than others.
Hookup availability: Mountain Gate RV Park provides full hookups for RVs. "Great rv park! Patti is super accommodating and helpful. It's nice for a stop over or a couple of weeks while exploring the Shasta area," according to one visitor.
Dispersed options for larger rigs: Big Pine Dispersed Camping accommodates various RV sizes. A camper with a larger rig reported, "We found a could spots that our 38ft fifth wheel could fit, and many spots for smaller rigs. Water, dump, and trash are available at Old Station Visitor Information Center just north."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Whitmore, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Whitmore, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 233 campgrounds and RV parks near Whitmore, CA and 25 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Whitmore, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Whitmore, CA is Mt. Lassen-Shingletown KOA with a 4.8-star rating from 13 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Whitmore, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 25 free dispersed camping spots near Whitmore, CA.
What parks are near Whitmore, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Whitmore, CA that allow camping, notably Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Keep Exploring
