NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMPING

Northern California is a land of spectacular scenery and comparatively low population density, which combine for a lot of great camping opportunities. The Sierra Nevada Mountains alone offer hundreds of campsites in state and national parks and forests that include the popular Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe areas. The southern end of the Cascade Range includes both Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mt. Shasta, which gives its name to Shasta Lake, an extremely popular recreation area created by damming the Sacramento River.

Sierra Nevada Camping

Mammoth Lakes lies on the eastern side of the Sierras, just across the mountains from Yosemite. The area has more than 800 campsites available, some of them year round. Summer recreation in Mammoth Lakes includes hiking and backpacking; many of the campsites are located on national forest land. Farther north at Lake Tahoe there are several state parks and recreation areas along the western (California side) shore, along with numerous privately owned RV parks and campgrounds.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Peak rises to more than 10,000 feet at the center of this national park dedicated to the volcanic activity in the area. Don’t miss the active mud pots and fumaroles; the three-mile round-trip easy hike to Bumpass Hell, named after a settler who was severely burned when he fell in a pool of boiling water, is well worth the time and effort. And the blue-green color of Lake Helen has to be seen to be believed! The park includes eight campgrounds; about half of the sites may be reserved during the summer. Campsites each include a fire ring, picnic table, and bear locker. From late October to late May, the heaviest snowfalls in the state keep the park pretty much closed down, although the Southwest Walk-In campground near the visitor center is open year round.

Shasta Lake

Shasta Lake is part of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area. The National Forest Service operates several campgrounds around the lake; the availability of amenities (water, toilets) varies, so be sure to come prepared. For a more luxurious camping experience there are also several RV parks and camping resorts in the area, including Antlers RV Park and Campground.