Southwest Walk-in Campground, near Mineral, California, is a unique spot right inside Lassen Volcanic National Park. This campground is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in nature without the hustle and bustle of larger parks.

The sites here are walk-in only, but don’t let that scare you off; they’re just a short stroll from the parking area. Visitors have noted the convenience of nearby facilities, including clean bathrooms and a dishwashing area, which makes life a bit easier while camping. As one camper mentioned, “Nice bathrooms, as well as a dish washing area in the back of the bathroom building, which was really nice.”

You’ll find yourself surrounded by stunning views of the forested valleys and the majestic Brokeoff Mountain. The campground is also close to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, where you can grab a bite at the café or learn more about the park’s unique geothermal features. Some reviewers appreciated the proximity, stating it’s a great base-camp for exploring the park.

For those who enjoy hiking, there are plenty of trails nearby, including routes that lead to beautiful lakes and waterfalls. Just be mindful of the local wildlife; chipmunks can be quite the little thieves if you’re not careful with your food. With its serene atmosphere and easy access to park attractions, Southwest Walk-in Campground is a solid choice for your next outdoor adventure.

The Southwest Walk-in Campground is located on the east side of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center parking area. A short walk along a paved walkway provides easy access to each site. When snow is on the ground (approximately Nov-May), the location of the Southwest Campground changes to an over-the-snow area south of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center parking area. Winter camping registration is located at the fee booth located south of the parking area.

Southwest Walk-in Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park

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Mineral

The Best Camping Near Mineral, California

I came here for a visit and it was so spectacular. I did a hike to King creek falls and it was beautiful. I went in late spring and there was a lot of melting ice and it filled the rivers and waterfalls 

Lassen volcanic park

A long slog up to the Park Entrance, and I arrived at the Visitor Center 5 minutes before the Cafe closed, quick enough to get some hardboiled eggs, jerky, a Snickers, and some hot jasmine green tea. The beer was tempting, but I was dehydrated enough to know it was a terrible idea. The coffee and breakfast sandwich from the cafe the next morning were exactly what I needed, but probably not objectively "good". 

I went back out to the parking lot to choose my camping site. The sites are "walk-in" which varies from maybe 50 ft to 200 ft from the parking lot. There is a little berm, which a couple sites sit on top of, and have a beautiful view of Brokeoff Mountain, but also the parking lot. I chose to roll my bike a bit down the hill and a less stunning but still beautiful view of the ridges to the east. Very tightly packed, but different levels and trees kept it from being too bad. I think there was a couple on either side of me, but we were all quiet and tucked into our tents before sundown at 8pm. 

There was a bearbox, but it was even more critical to use due to the chipmunks, which attacked one of the energy gel packs that I didn't put in while I went to the bathroom. It bit a hole in the packet, and didn't even stick around to lap up all of the sticky mess. Not a fan. To be fair, it was seeing the chipmunks in the first place that made me put my food in the bear box before heading to the bathroom, so I can only blame myself for not being hypervigilant. 

A storm was passing to the south and the wind in the trees was strong but calming, but occasionally the wind would make it to ground level, and kick up the dust from the ground, whipping it through my tent, making it hard to breathe. I think that happened two or three times that night. 

The toilets were flush, but the sinks only had cold water, at the bathrooms immediately adjacent to the camp. The Visitor Center just one large parking lot away had hot and cold water, and hand dryers. Also, electrical sockets available next to a bench, for those of us who might need to charge our phones and/or GPS.

Best campsite next to a parking lot ever

Winter and Spring are harsh at Lassen Volcanic. When we originally planned our year-long trip to all of the national parks, we did our best to avoid the massive snow packs that limit accessibility to the parks. Sometimes, though, this was unavoidable.

We found out that when the park is covered in snow, it is possible to park overnight at the visitor center and camp in the snow just adjacent to the lot. Since the park is not the quickest to drive to, we decided this was a good option.

We ended up just setting up our small air mattress in the back of our car, but several others were camping on the snow nearby. Use of the visitor center is possible during your stay, including 24-hour access to the vestibule with great indoor restrooms.

During our time in Lassen Volcanic, we learned about the park at the visitor center, hiked as far as we could in the snow along the road, and enjoyed a ranger-led snowshoe tour.

You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: [Switchback Kids (Lassen Volcanic)](http://switchbackkids.com/lassen-volcanic/)

Spring camping option at Lassen Volcanic

Unlike the impressive but always incredible Yosemite, Lassen is a gem of a national park rivaling Yellowstone, but without the crowds. There are mud pots, alpine meadows, and lakes to swim and fish in. This particular campsite near the southern entrance is a walk-in, but by walk-in, we mean 20 feet from the paved parking lot.

Sites overlook a forested valley of the park. Bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks are nearby and could be had without reservations, on a first-come, first-served basis, a rarity for many national parks.

Across the parking lot (75 yards) is the Lassen Lodge, which has a great museum, ranger station, junior ranger program, information center, gift shop, and cafe. It’s a great base-camp from which to explore the whole of Lassen as it only takes about an hour to drive from one end of Lassen to the other, with numerous spots to explore along the way.

Want Yellowstone Without the Crowds? Start Here

Right inside the Lassen Volcanic Park, just to the right after entering is the campground. It was $14 per night and was the only campground in the park that had spots available at the time. Tables and fire pits, close to the parking lot. Nice bathrooms, as well as a dish washing area in the back of the bathroom building, which was really nice. Sites were walk in/hike in only, but because the parking was relatively close, it was easy. Very close the the visitor center. 

Very close to southwest entrance

Check the NPS website. Walk-in tent camping currently closed; however, RV's allowed to park overnight in center of gently sloped Asphalt Parking lot for $10/ night ($5 seniors). Nice restrooms and wi-fi available in visitor center lobby 24h/d. A very good option! Visitor Center has cafe...

Photos of Southwest Walk-in Campground — Lassen Volcanic National Park

Real photos from real campers