Mill Creek w/ Lassen Peaks (July 2011)

Feather River Camping, Lake Almanor Campgrounds, Hat Creek, River Fishing NorCal, Topo Maps, California Campground  Reservations, Lassen National Forest camp sites and all the outdoor recreation you can imagine.

Volcanic lands of Lassen National Park are surrounded by Lassen National Forest, which means if you cannot find camping inside the National Park – you can surely find it in the outlying regions – with rivers . The National Park Lassen Hwy 89 is often closed during winter months due to snow, as Diamond Peak & Reading Peak are around 8000′ elevation. In 2011 the south entrance did not open until late summer due to heavy snows.

A few Lassen campground sites may be reservable, more info with links below; the rest of the campgrounds in the green lists are on a first come, first serve basis.

• BUTTE LAKE CAMPING
• JUNIPER LAKE CAMPING
• LOST CREEK GROUP SITE
• MANZANITA LAKE CAMPRGOUND
• SUMMIT LAKE North, South, Stock Coral
• GURNSEY CREEK
• HAT CREEK CAMPGROUND

Lassen National Park Campgrounds

Camp Lassen / Lassen Lakes

Lassen National Forest Campgrounds

Eagle Lake District

Hat Creek District

Lake Almanor Distr

Lassen National Park

Lassen National Forest

Northern California Topographic Maps

These mountain regions below are the rivers & mountains of the infamous California Gold Rush of the mid-1800’s. Many mountain dirt roads will lead to your secluded, private camp site, near a creek or river. Or plan on camping in a developed Campground near a recreation lake lined with amenities, pine trees & oaks. River rafting & kayaking can be found throughout this area, as well as backpacking, mountain biking and hiking trails.

Waterfalls, back roads, granite features, historic mining camps, big fishing rivers all abound. Wilderness backpacking in the High Sierra can be accessed by Hwy 108 (Sonora Pass) Hwy 4 (Ebbetts Pass) Hwy 88 (Carson Pass), CA Route Hwy 50 & Interstate 80. Numerous small towns populate Hwy 49 for every tourists need of meals, lodging & shopping.

Gold Country California forest & parks -

Stanislaus National Forest
Columbia State Park

• Stanislaus National Forest Map
• Carson Iceberg Wilderness Map
• Emigrant Wilderness Map
• Emigrant Trail Map

Arnold, Columbia, Dardanelle, Jamestown, Long Barn, Mi-Wuk, Pinecrest, Sonora, Strawberry, Twain Harte

El Dorado National Forest

• El Dorado National Forest Map

Amador City, Bear Valley, Georgetown, Jackson, Kirkwood, Meyers, Placerville

Tahoe National Forest

• Tahoe National Forest Map

Alta, Colfax, Foresthill, Grass Valley, Norden, Sierraville, Soda Springs, Tahoe City, Tahoma, Truckee

Malakoff Diggins State Park

• South Yuba River Map

Downieville, Nevada City

Atwell Mill is near the East Fork of the Kaweah River, situated in an old logged sequoia grove with the southern Sequoia National Parks impressive Mineral King Canyon. Located 19 mi from Highway 198 near Three Rivers, CA. About 1 mi West of Silver City and 6 miles before the end of road at Mineral King.

Meadows with pines at this campground

• Elevation: 6,650′
• Number of Sites: 21
• Camping Reservations: No
• Sites Available: First come, First serve
• Vehicle Accessibility: No RVs; tents only
• Length of Stay: 14 Days
• Toilet: Pit
• Water: Piped
• Season: Closed in Winter Snow
• Fee: Yes

Bear Box in Mineral King Campground

Bear lockers for food storage are required in this region. Nice shady camp spots spaced out well at this small developed campground. Hikers parking lot is located at one end of the campground. Big bonus for hiking trails nearby.

FOOTBRIDGE HIKE: Great half day hike down to the Kaweah River. Small wooden bridge down at the river crossing and numerous trails lead off into plenty backpacking destinations around Mineral King.

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California River Maps

There are many gorgeous rivers in California that are perfect for camping and fishing, but none are located in Southern California. None! Yep, you read that right. If you think about it, Cali is half desert! The majority of our natural water in our state is coming from the north – so take this as a warning: you might need to drive a few hours to find your ideal river camp.

The easy-to-access waterways are found mostly along highways in the Sierra Nevada – or way up in NorCal. Deep granite gorges carved out by glaciers, surrounded by forested peaks is only half the appeal. High elevation lakes, waterfalls, big trees, abundant wildlife, and the alpine villages are all part of the Sierra Nevada experience.  Raft, kayak, fly fish, hike, bike or just camp out next to a big, rushing, flowing river. Our selection of California maps will get you narrowed down to a specific region, so you can find that perfect river campground, or explore and discover the back roads – for the most seclusion.

NorCal Rivers:

EEL RIVER
KLAMATH RIVER – Klamath NF Map
MATTOLE RIVER
NAVARRO RIVER
6 RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST
RUSSIAN RIVER
SALMON RIVER
SMITH RIVER Recreation Map
TRINITY RIVER – Trinity Alps Map

Sierra Rivers:

AMERICAN RIVER – El Dorado NF Map
FEATHER RIVER Recreation Map
FEATHER RIVER – Plumas NF Map
CONSUMNES RIVER – Stanislaus NF Map
KERN RIVER – Sequoia NF Map
KINGS RIVER – Sierra NF Map
KINGS RIVER – Sequoia Kings Canyon Map
KINGS RIVER – Kings Cyn NP
MERCED RIVER – Sierra NF Map
MERCED RIVER – Yosemite NP
MOKELUMNE RIVER – El Dorado NF Map
OWENS RIVER – Inyo NF Map
STANISLAUS RIVER – Stanislaus NF Map
S YUBA RIVER Recreation Map
YUBA RIVER – Tahoe NF Map

LOCAL TIPS

KERN RIVER: The Kern River is the most popular of all the rivers due to it’s proximity to SoCal. Hurried, stressed-out, Angelinos can be at this destination in under 3 hours which makes it a very busy place in summer months. So, let it be told, that summer is not the best time to enjoy the Kern. If you do plan a summer outting, make sure you head for the Upper Kern (10+ mi N of Kernville) or the North Fork of the Kern (out in Monache Meadows) where 4×4 is often needed. The Lower Kern River has only 2 developed campgrounds: Hobo (closed for winter) and Sandy Flat (open all year). Numerous primitive camp spots are available along Old Kern Canyon Rd, which parallels the Hwy 178 on the south side. None of which are located at the rivers edges. Fire danger is great in this area, so pay extra close attention to signs and fire restrictions.

YOSEMITE RIVER: Take note, this is the most popular park in the whole state. The majority of campers want to stay right on the river when they visit Yosemite National Park, but that is just plain old impossible, since reservations go fast and there is only so much room for everyone in this enclosed, narrow, precious valley. This particular park has some major floods (recently 1997 & 2005) that wipe out bridges, the road ways, all the old wooden cabins (at Yosemite Lodge) are gone and only half of the campgrounds are still available. Yosemite has had 11 winter floods since 1916 that have caused substantial damage to property.

3 Yosemite Campgrounds are located next to the Merced River (inside Yosemite Valley)

• Lower Pines Campground
• North Pines Campground
• Upper Pines Campground

Way up in the Yosemite high country (which is only open a few months outta the year) the Tuolumne Meadows Campground is located next to lush meadows and the scenic Tuolumne River.  All these Yosemite campsites must be reserved well in advance!

STANISLAUS RIVER: This area is the Sonora Pass and the fishing is very decent way back in this granite gorge. The highway 108 is only open a few months outta the year, due to snow & rock slides – so time is of the essence. Summer time that is. Several campgrounds are located right on the river, or on the major feeder streams. Or you can opt for secluded primitive camping on the back roads. Find Sonora camping in Stanislaus National Forest.

YUBA RIVER: The biggest play time river in the northern Gold Country, this runs along Hwy 49 near Downieville and also has a major South Fork for the best swimming holes and primitive camping in this region. Tubing, rafting, kayaking, fishing, camping, gold panning, you name it, Yuba has it. Look for more on the South Yuba Recreation map, or Plumas National Forest map.

FEATHER RIVER: The top fishing river in the Lassen area. Close to Chester and Lake Almanor. High Bridge Campground is located is an awesome forested spot where you can fish 2 rivers on the same day. A Lassen Topo Atlas or Lassen National Forest map would be quite helpful for this region.

KINGS RIVER: This one particular river is the longest in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, pulling snow melt from the upper reaches of the High Country and Mount Whitney. The river area just to the West of the National Park, over to Pine Flat Reservoir, is all prime for outdoor recreation. Several river rafting companies work this stretch of river.

Late May is a fine time to be in California. Spring is warming up, rains are fading and school is finally out. This 3 day holiday weekend known as Memorial Day weekend, unofficially kicks off the start to the summer season and launches us into warmer weather. Most folks wanna be outside and having fun on their days off. BBQs, family picnics and street fair traditions are quite common. The Sierra snows are melting fast, rivers are raging, wildflowers blooming and all the lakes are full. The coastal areas may have some clouds and fog as the June Gloom announces its presence.

• MAY EVENTS, FAIRS & FESTIVALS
• WILDFLOWERS in California
• River Rafting Tours
• Kayaking Rentals
• Houseboat Rentals

Memorial Day Weekend

Camping in California is one of the most popular things to do over the busy holiday weekend, making any well-known outdoor destination congested and unpleasant. Campgrounds are usually full up and reservations are required. The first come, first serve camp spots are best secured on the Thursday night, before the weekend.

You should try to have a secondary Plan B ready, if your favorite campsite (A) is already taken. Free camp fire permits and primitive camping can often mean more responsibility, but the rewards of peace and tranquility as neighbors are well worth it. Drive a bit further down the road for more secluded spots. This year, a 4×4 might be recommended on snowy dirt back roads in the backcountry. A good snow pack in the High Country means that all rivers, creeks and lakes are maxed out. Use extreme caution around all waterways, wear life vests and make your weekend a pleasant and safe one.

RIVER CAMPING
LAKE CAMPING
GOLD COUNTRY
SEQUOIA CAMPING
CA BACK ROADS
CREEKSIDE CAMPS

day trips for the weekend

• Sequoia & Redwood Groves
• Caves & Caverns
• 4WD Off-Road Tours
• Palm Springs Tram
• Wine Tasting & Tours
• California Rivers
• Scenic Drives in Cali
• Indian Rock Art
• Hiking Trails In CA
• Small Towns in California